Hello Cinephiles,
Today we’re talking about the 2025 film Superman.
Story
The least believable part of the story was its dated and naive premise that people can be swayed by the media. Lex had literal mind controlled monkeys manipulating the internet and yet didn’t have a plan for meddling newspaper reporters?
Beyond that part, the movie paints the most depressing picture of the human race I have seen outside of the news.
Everyone keeps talking about how hopeful the movie is and I only saw darkness. Superman may have been a beacon of hope but he was ridiculed for it, called foolish, made the butt of the joke, and even at the end of the movie, the other heroes do the most brutal acts in his name.
Score: 0
Characters
This Superman is wonderful. He’s human, believable, flawed, and impulsive. His acts of kindness, with one exception, are met with brutal retribution, mockery, and derision. However, the actor did a splendid job. Lex, Lois, and the Kents were wonderful.
The awkward misogyny of Jimmy and Tess was eye-rollingly bad.
The other metas were mostly jerks with large egos. Mr. Terrific lived up to his name however.
Score: 0.5
Dialogue
Any part with Lois or the Kents was fantastic.
Superman’s speeches and Lex’s rants were equally well delivered.
Score: 1
Visuals and Music
The visuals were okay but relied on shaky-cam more than my migraine-addled brain would like. The large set pieces often felt superfluous to the plot. Style over story.
The music had homages to Reeves movies but the theme was played at odd times. Like they had to convince us that he was doing something heroic. It also never hits the clarity or strength of brass as the original.
Score: 0.5
Fun
I REALLY wanted to like this. I loved the new Superman but despite being named after him it was mostly “things that happen around Superman.”
Too much time was used fighting random monsters that could have been used on character development and interactions. We see Clark for one scene, there are three with Lois and him, and only two with the parents.
When I said I wanted a more human Superman, I didn’t mean I wanted to see him get beat up and bleed. I meant I wanted to see him as himself not just the icon.
I’m also annoyed that at the end he decided to start killing. I get why he needed to kill his clone but the flying soldiers at the end were fried with no chance or compassion.
Score: 0
Overall
This is a hopeful Superman in a world that believes the news and where billionaires can get their comeuppance. The movie’s message of hope is lost in the mocking and brutality, and in the fact that Superman did almost nothing except survive.
The movie spends more screen time with gags (like Krypto being poorly behaved) or pointless fights than it does developing characters or plot.
Final Score: 2 Stars out of 5
