Superman (2025) Review – From Darkness to Light, Back to the Core

Here we go again with another superhero movie review! Has the DC universe finally turned a new and exciting page, or are we still stuck in the same place? DC fans, you can breathe a sigh of relief: James Gunn’s Superman isn’t perfect, but it sure shows promise.

Going in, my expectations were pretty low. James Gunn’s over-the-top, campy style usually either delivers something brilliant or crashes hard. Taking risks with tone is tricky, done wrong, it can feel awkward or absurd. Thankfully, Superman lands on the right side of that line. Honestly, we were all tired of DC’s endlessly dark universe anyway. Gunn instead brings us a softer, brighter world. The close-up shots, vibrant color palette, and campy characters (like Green Lantern) inject the film with playful energy, while the political messages and grounded human archetypes give us something to relate to.

David Corenswet, as Clark, is spot on. This version of Superman shows us more of his humanity. He has soul and personality. The same can be said for the film’s overall tone. Moving away from the CGI-heavy, mechanical darkness of the previous universe was definitely the right call. Still, I didn’t love it as much as the recently released Fantastic Four: First Steps. Did the film lean a little too hard into the “don’t take it too seriously” vibe, or was I just expecting more? Let’s break it down by plot, characters, and more to figure that out.

Plot

The movie opens with Superman’s very first defeat, set in a snowy landscape, a solid start for a brand new Superman and a fresh universe. Like Fantastic Four, the origin story is skipped over, and honestly, that’s fine. With 4–5 versions already out there and Superman being one of the most recognized characters worldwide, we really don’t need to see the origin retold again.

Soon after, we’re introduced to Superman’s “world”, his robots, his family, and eventually Clark Kent at the Daily Planet. We get a glimpse of his warm side, someone who can even bond with robots. We also see his relationship with Lois, highlighted by a 12-minute interview that somehow doesn’t feel like 12 minutes at all. It works beautifully: we learn key details about the main conflict while also getting to know the characters more deeply. Through this scene, we also hear their thoughts on war and ethics. The emotional connection between them is handled nicely, they have a small argument.That scene really stood out for me.

Meanwhile, Lex is making deals with politicians, Jarhanpur continues to be invaded, and Lex manages to intercept a message from Clark’s family. He manipulates the missing piece of it to turn public opinion against Superman, mirroring the way disinformation spreads in our own world. Very quickly, the people turn their backs on him. Clark surrenders himself to the police, only to be imprisoned in a pocket dimension by Lex. From there, the mission to rescue him begins...

One of the scenes I really liked is when Clark goes back home and talks with his dad. His dad tells him that who he is isn’t defined by his past or the responsibilities thrown on him, but by his own choices and actions. There’s also a sweet moment where Clark and Lois bond over listening to punk rock. All of this highlights Clark’s humanity. From another angle, it also reflects today’s world. With migration increasing everywhere, many people don’t know where they truly belong. That can lead to an identity crisis. Clark’s feelings aren’t so different. This is basically where the film tackles the theme of belonging.

Another touching moment is when the children of Jarhanpur call out to Superman. Watching that scene, all I could think was, “If only we had a Superman in our world.” Sometimes it feels like the only solution to certain crises is someone with miraculous powers stepping in, especially when diplomacy fails. And then there’s the politician being revealed as the villain. No further explanation needed. By tying the main conflict into politics, adding Clark’s personal struggle with identity, and including characters that feel like real people, the film manages to go beyond just being another superhero action flick, it connects on a social and human level too.

The final scene raises the stakes with Kara’s arrival, then closes on Clark looking through his childhood photos. I get why some people didn’t like that ending, it feels a bit small and repetitive for a supposedly epic superhero film. But to me, it’s harmless, nothing to blow out of proportion. Also, the fact that the end credits don’t tease the next movie? Honestly, I think that’s for the better. We already got a hint with Clark’s scene with Mr. Terrific and Kara showing up. No need to drag it out.

Characters

Let’s start with Clark. This version of him has a strong moral compass and a clear sense of ethics. He values every life, saves whoever he can, stands up for the oppressed, and even takes political stances when necessary. You’d think most superheroes would naturally have these traits, but the movie reminds us how often that detail gets ignored. Usually, when a massive villain wreaks havoc on a city, countless lives are lost, yet most superheroes just focus on punching the bad guy. Buildings collapse, explosions go off, and the destruction is enormous… but does the hero even care? It’s all so normalized in these films that we stop questioning it. Superman’s attention to this detail, like not even wanting his enemy to suffer, makes him way more likable.

I can’t help but compare him to other Supermen. Henry Cavill’s version left such a small impression on me that I can’t recall a single standout trait, aside from being dark and dull. Back then, I doubt anyone would’ve said “Superman is my favorite.” (Maybe I’ll rewatch and write a review someday.) But with this new film, I think that might actually change. This Clark feels more human, he can be vulnerable, charming, and kind. The fact that a character with so much responsibility and immense physical power can still come across as gentle is a big plus. Yes, he’s an alien, but he lives on Earth now. He feels, he observes, he’s affected by things. Just because he’s Superman doesn’t mean he has to be stoic, cold, and rigid. Some people argue he should be, but I don’t agree. To me, Superman should radiate light and embody hope.

A lot of comments I’ve read actually support this. Many say Corenswet’s Superman feels closer to Christopher Reeve’s portrayal than Cavill’s, and that his return to a brighter, more hopeful vibe sparks nostalgia. It’s like he’s reclaiming the “hope” theme and channeling the gentlemanly energy of the 80s Superman. That makes him a comforting figure for longtime fans and a role model for younger audiences. I’ve even seen people online talking about how “being a polite gentleman, like Superman,” is becoming something men aspire to again. Clearly, even in today’s world where moral decay feels so widespread, there’s still a place and need for characters like this, they still resonate and inspire.

That said, I do have one critique: Clark spends too much of the film losing or suffering. Sure, showing weakness adds depth, but it shouldn’t be overdone. At the end of the day, this is still an alien with near-invincible powers. I wish we had more moments highlighting his victories; epic, iconic scenes. For example, I love the train-stopping scene in Spider-Man 2. Superman could’ve had his own equivalent here, but we didn’t quite get it. The action was fine, but it lacked that extra punch. With bolder, more creative directing choices, some of those sequences could have been truly jaw-dropping.

The movie leans so heavily on showing his defeats that it even starts with one. At one point, he’s saved by his dog, another time by the “Justice Gang,” another by Metamorpho, then by Mr. Terrific, and even by Lois, who’s just human. Green Lantern is the one sent to Jarhanpur instead of him. For the next film, I’d like to see a more formidable Superman. Not saying he should never struggle, but give us more action, more triumphs.

Side note: Characters this morally upright are always fascinating when they’re pushed to the dark side, even temporarily. Think Spider-Man 3. I still remember seeing black-suit Spidey for the first time in a trailer as a kid, it blew my mind. If they ever took Corenswet’s Superman down that road in future films, I’d be all in.

And speaking of Corenswet… what a man, what a casting choice. I’ll admit, I can’t keep my “fangirl” side entirely in check here. Whoever cast him deserves a medal. Cavill may be bulkier and more mature-looking, but Corenswet is hands-down more charming and warm. Learning that he’s a Juilliard graduate just made me like him even more. From now on, he’s my Superman.

My thoughts on Lex are a bit mixed, because to explain them I kind of need to dig deeper. Like, what actually makes a villain evil? Do they need a backstory to justify their actions? In this film, Lex doesn’t really have one. He’s just a spoiled, jealous, show-off rich guy.

Do villains even need a tragic backstory? That’s debatable. Sometimes people are just awful simply because of their personality, no explanation required. And honestly, if you give them a backstory, there’s always the risk that it makes the audience sympathize with them, or worse, excuse their behavior. On the other hand, there are people who’ve been through terrible things but still choose a different, better path. So past trauma doesn’t always make the audience side with the villain.

Here, though, since we don’t really get any of that, it’s hard to understand Lex’s real motives. Why does he hate Superman so much? Is it really just jealousy? With the other villains, I can at least make sense of their motives, some of them are basically reflections of people we see in our own world. Why a president would start a war in Jarhanpur? Money, nationalism, greed, ego, and so on. But Lex? His reasoning is left pretty vague.

That said, I actually liked Nicholas Hoult’s performance. The way he bullies his employees, yells, and throws temper tantrums reminded me a bit of Kylo Ren. And honestly, I don’t think Lex should be the classic cold, composed businessman type. We should see his jealousy, his inability to control his emotions. Hoult nails that balance. It’s a big shift from his role as Beast in X-Men, and he pulls it off well. He really sells Lex as the pathetic, whiny son of a powerful father. My only gripe is the way some of his scenes were edited, constantly cutting back to him screaming ruined the flow of solid action sequences.

For the first time, I actually liked a Lois adaptation. Amy Adams always felt a bit too old for the role, and the Smallville version was just average. Rachel Brosnahan, though, is a solid choice. As far as chemistry goes, this might be my favorite pairing yet. Lois and Clark should feel younger, more fun together and that’s exactly what we get here. Plus, Lois isn’t just stuck in the background as the romantic partner; she’s actively part of the action, which I really appreciated.

My only critique since both characters are portrayed younger here; it would’ve been nice to actually see how their relationship started. Instead, when the film opens, they’re already established as a couple. Still, I enjoyed their dynamic and thought their scenes worked well.

Now about the Justice “Gang.” When they first showed up, I was honestly shocked. I wasn’t expecting that kind of cameo. But it went way beyond a cameo; they had enough screen time to almost feel like secondary leads. The choice of characters was surprising too, and I did like the guts it took to bring back Green Lantern (even if in a different version). It felt like a test run, like the studio wanted to gauge audience reaction before committing fully.

Compared to the Justice League, this team doesn’t take itself nearly as seriously. They’re played more for comedy, less for “badass” moments. The thing is, Avengers also relies heavily on humor, but they still manage to look cool when it counts. This team doesn’t quite pull that off, whether it’s the script, the tone, or the casting, I’m not sure. They’re not bad, but I wouldn’t say they’re fully there yet either.

That said, not everything fell flat. Mr. Terrific was great, he even outshined Superman in a couple of moments. I’d definitely like to see more of him if this “Gang” is going to be a recurring thing. Green Lantern wasn’t bad either, but only under one condition: they need to bring in Hal Jordan eventually, because Guy is just way too goofy. On the flip side, Hawkgirl didn’t work for me at all. While the other characters avoided stereotypes, she was the walking embodiment of one, the typical “too cool to care” type.

The real star of the film is Krypto. He’s such a great addition, not only does he give us another way to connect with Clark, but he also feels like a natural part of the story. Through Krypto, we see what Clark’s true weak spots are: his responsibilities, his friends, and his family. Lex threatening Krypto makes that crystal clear. Clark’s name can be dragged through the mud, he can be imprisoned, but the moment Krypto’s in danger, that’s when he completely loses it. And of course, whenever Clark is in trouble, Krypto is always there for him. There’s a reason they call dogs man’s best friend. The cameo of Krypto’s original owner was also spot-on. It builds excitement, sparks curiosity, and sets the stage perfectly for future films.

And then there’s Eve, I actually liked her. At first, she felt like someone straight out of our own world, I was worried she’d stay shallow, but her crush on Jimmy and her decision to snitch on Lex gave her some depth, which definitely earned her points in my book. Jimmy, seriously, give the girl a chance in the next movie! Characters like Eve actually help balance the humor better. They feel familiar, relatable, and add a more grounded layer to the story. Honestly, there was no need to put so much effort into the Justice Gang. Light, fun, comedic moments are great, but they should also leave room for deeper scenes. When characters exist only for jokes, the story ends up feeling weaker.

Visual World & Technical Aspects

Visually, the film finally gives us the brightness and color palette we’ve been waiting for. Like I mentioned earlier, the old DCEU movies were way too dark, overloaded with CGI, and almost robotic in their look. Try watching some of those scenes on TV in daylight, you can barely see what’s going on. I’m glad they moved away from that formula. It actually felt refreshing to see real colors again. Superman’s bright red cape and blue suit against the snowy landscapes looked stunning, and I think Gunn intentionally opened with that contrast to grab the audience’s attention right away.

The close-up shots and slow motions add some personality to the film, giving it a style and identity. That’s Gunn’s touch, for sure. The characters, the color palette, the visual world, the costumes, everything comes together to give this movie its own vibe. “Camp” is always a risky choice, but here it’s used just enough to feel fun without becoming cringey.

Of course, CGI is unavoidable in this genre, and for the most part, it’s handled well. But there’s one sequence that really took me out of it. Superman is trying to save both Metamorpho and his son while being dragged around in this surreal environment, and almost everything in the scene is CGI; the kid, the entire setting, even the ground he’s standing on. In scenes like this, the absurdity and artificial look really pull you out of the movie, or at least they did for me. Instead of staying immersed, you suddenly become aware you’re just watching a film, and it breaks the flow.

On the flip side, I thought the flying scenes were pretty solid. Maybe if I’d watched it in IMAX, they would’ve hit even harder. I saw it in ScreenX instead. At first, the snowy scenes looked great in that format, but as the film went on, it didn’t really add much. So, yeah, it could’ve been better.

As for the music—no complaints. The original Superman theme is still incredible, and I loved the score that played during Lex’s scenes too.

In Conclusion

Superman (2025) feels like a turning point for the DC universe. It’s clearly the start of something new. After years of being criticized for its dark and soulless tone, DC finally shifts toward a world that feels more hopeful and more human. The story manages to echo real-world conflicts while still delivering on the superhero essentials with its pocket dimension. The lighter tone, brighter colors, and more relatable, human characters bring back a long-missed sense of hope.

Its biggest strength is redefining Superman not just as a “power show,” but as a character with empathy, political stances, and respect for every life. That human side makes it easier for the audience to connect with him.

But it’s not without flaws. In trying to escape the darkness of past films, it sometimes goes too far in the other direction, feeling a bit silly or shallow. While the political themes and the focus on hope add depth, the supporting characters and humor don’t always land, leaving parts of the film unbalanced. The Justice Gang fails to convince as a team (sure, maybe that’s the point, but individually they’re still too weak), and Superman loses a little too easily and too often, leaving us with fewer epic, iconic moments than we’d want. DC’s long-standing “tone problem” isn’t completely solved yet.

David Corenswet’s Superman, though, has huge potential. His performance isn’t groundbreaking, but it’s promising, and the overall cast is solid, even if no one really blew me away. And honestly, I’m proud of myself for keeping my inner fangirl in check and not just saying “It was amazing, 5/5!” without any technical thought.

For me, Superman (2025) didn’t create the same level of hype as Fantastic Four, but it’s still a valuable step in helping DC rediscover its own identity.If they can find a better balance between being “soulless” and being “too silly,” they could come up with something much more successful. Going forward, they should either introduce new characters, put Clark through experiences that build on his strong foundation and trigger real character growth, or craft stories that deepen the existing ones - I just don’t know which direction they’ll take. But what they do have is a Superman full of potential, strong chemistry with Lois, and a new, brighter, better universe. The key now is to use these wisely, deepen them, and find the right balance.

Overall Score: 3.5/5

• Story: 4/5 - Political themes, identity, humanity; pocket dimension is interesting.

• Script: 3.5/5 - Clark & Lois are well written, but some side characters feel shallow; humor sometimes overused.

• Performance: 3.5/5 - Corenswet is a great fit, Brosnahan has solid chemistry, Hoult brings a different Lex, but no real standout.

• Cinematography: 3.5/5 - Color palette is strong, but moments of artificiality and excess stand out.

• Directing: 3/5 - Gunn nails the tone shift, shooting style but the humor-seriousness balance slips.

• Editing: 4/5 - Smooth flow and pacing, doesn't drag

• Music: 4/5 

• Costume & Production: 4/5 - Classic yet refreshed look

• Themes/Messages: 4/5 - Belonging, identity, politics, and hope are highlighted.

• Emotional Impact: 3.5/5 - Jarhanpur, Clark’s family, Clark & Lois scenes carry weight.

• Rewatch Value: 3/5 - Lacks iconic epic moments to make it highly rewatchable.

• Entertainment: 3.5/5 - Enjoyable, but could use stronger action peaks.

• Creativity/Originality: 4/5 - Bright colors, camp elements, political undertones feel refreshing for DC.

Written By: Su Evci

nsuevci@gmail.com