Review: James Gunn’s Offbeat ‘Superman’ Delivers Quirky Charm Over Classic Perfection

An Unconventional Take on the Man of Steel

James Gunn’s reimagining of Superman arrives with all the unpredictability you’d expect from the director behind Guardians of the Galaxy and The Suicide Squad. Trading solemn myth-making for eccentric ensemble dynamics and dry wit, Gunn offers a version of the iconic superhero that is anything but traditional — and refreshingly alive.

David Corenswet steps into the cape with a disarming mix of sincerity and old-school charm, but it’s the characters surrounding him — a teleporting alien dog, a team of quirky Justice League misfits, and a reanimated elemental named Metamorpho — that shape the soul of the film. This isn’t your father’s Superman. And that’s exactly the point.

Bending the Classic Mold

In Gunn’s world, Superman isn’t introduced on Krypton or raised under Kansas skies. The film opens with him wounded and alone in Antarctica, fresh from his first major defeat. Enter Krypto — his ever-faithful, occasionally overused super-dog — who becomes both comic relief and emotional anchor. This odd but endearing start sets the tone for what’s to come.

Gone is the origin story. Instead, Clark Kent is already working at the Daily Planet, romantically involved with Lois Lane, and locked in a chess match with an increasingly deranged Lex Luthor, played with slick menace by Nicholas Hoult. Rachel Brosnahan’s Lois Lane, however, emerges as the film’s standout. Her sharp, grounded performance lends gravity to scenes that often drift into chaos.

The Justice Gang and the Multiverse Mess

Much of the film’s middle act unfolds after Superman is trapped in a pocket universe, prompting the arrival of an eclectic superhero squad: Green Lantern (Nathan Fillion), Mister Terrific (Edi Gathegi), and Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced). Their begrudging rescue mission — sprinkled with internal squabbles and one-liners — feels more Guardians than Justice League.

Edi Gathegi’s Mister Terrific brings a dry, cerebral humor to the chaos, while Anthony Carrigan’s Metamorpho — a scarred, sad figure born of elemental tragedy — provides a rare note of melancholy in Gunn’s otherwise kinetic playground.

A Strange, Sentimental Superman

Where Zack Snyder’s Superman was mythic and brooding, Gunn’s is awkward, thoughtful, and sometimes lost. The film leans into Clark’s alien identity and how it isolates him in a world that treats him with suspicion. Themes of immigration, outsider identity, and moral idealism surface throughout — timely reminders of the character’s deeper allegorical weight.

Yet the tone often zigzags. Gunn thrives in character-driven moments and humorous visual gags — such as a donut inexplicably placed in a serious conversation or an Alka-Seltzer drop echoing a falling body. But when the action shifts to vague global conflicts in fictional nations like Boravia and Jarhanpur, the storytelling grows muddled.

A Human Heart in a Superhero Shell

Despite its scattered structure and occasional overindulgence in gags, Superman ultimately succeeds where many superhero films falter: it feels personal. Gunn isn’t trying to deify the Man of Steel. He’s trying to humanize him — and his supporting cast of misfits — in a world that’s given up on moral certainty.

Whether that gamble works will depend on how willing audiences are to embrace a Superman that’s messy, funny, and emotionally vulnerable. But in an era when superhero fatigue is rampant, Gunn’s version offers something rare: genuine weirdness with heart.

Film Details

Superman, a Warner Bros. release, is rated PG for violence, action, and language. Runtime: 129 minutes. ★★★ out of 4.