Look, I wanted to love "Superman 2025" especially after David Corenswet nailed it as the new "Man of Steel" and Clark Kent. He's got the jawline of a Kryptonian god and the awkward charm of a bumbling reporter down pat. But he’s not really the best part of this mess. When he’s sharing the screen with Rachael Brosnahan’s Lois Lane? Sparks fly as their chemistry is electric, like a lightning bolt in a bottle—genuine, warm, but that's not the reason of keeping this film from crashing harder than a Kryptonian ship.
The script is a fucking disaster that feels as if it was written on autopilot by an AI that got bored halfway through and just started recycling old superhero tropes. The pacing feels like James Gunn was making it up as he went along, tossing in plot points like he’s throwing darts at a storyboard blindfolded. Where’s the vision? Where’s the soul? It’s a Superman movie, that although attempts to give us something to believe in, but instead comes off like some half-baked, directionless slog.
There were a few flying scenes that made Corenswet look goofy af and while it was cool to see Supes perform heroic saves, the allegorical approach based on current events was a bit too obvious as in "in your face "obvious.
The kids holding up a makeshift "S" flag came off a bit cringe but we can appreciate the optimism and symbolism of the good natured Superman and what he stands for.
Regarding the score those John Williams notes hit like a nostalgic punch to the chest. Every time that iconic theme swells, you’re reminded of what Superman "could" be. It’s a fleeting moment of magic in a film that desperately needs more of it.
As for the supporting cast, we have some whiplash to unpack. Hawkgirl looks like she wandered in from a San Diego Comic-Con cosplay contest and forgot to leave. The costume is so distractingly cheap, it’s like they blew the budget on CGI and forgot to dress her properly. Nathan Fillion’s Guy Gardner? The man’s charisma is undeniable—as he’s stealing scenes left and right—but that bowl cut? Ridiculous. It’s like someone plopped a mop on his head and called it a day.
Still, Fillion’s charm carries him through, and I’ll be damned if he doesn’t make you root for the cockiest Green Lantern in the game.
Then there’s Ed Gathegi. This undervalued actor is a revelation. Gunn deserves a standing ovation for giving him a chance to shine as Mister Terrific. After Marvel squandered him, in X-Men First Class, Gathegi comes in and steals every scene he’s in, dripping with swagger and (tech) savvy. In my opinion, he’s the secret sauce this movie didn’t know it had.
But Jimmy Olsen as a ladies’ man? It’s bad comedy, like an 90's sitcom gag that overstays its welcome by about 90 minutes. Every time he struts in trying to be suave, it’s like watching a puppy trip over its own paws—except it’s not cute, it’s just painful. Who greenlit this shit...Oh, wait!
And Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor is giving bald Tom Cruise vibes, and not necessarily in a good way. It’s like he’s trying to channel a megalomaniac through a Mission: Impossible lens, and it just doesn’t land. The performance isn’t bad, better than Kevin Stacy but not Jesse Eisenberg who chew up scenery as the Mike Cuckaberg tech bro. While Ultraman looks like another Snake-Eyes wannabe with superpowers and Engineer-well, the less said, the better.
In the end, "Superman 2025" is a mixed bag that feels like it’s trying to do too much while doing too little. Corenswet and Brosnahan are okay, while Gathegi and Fillion are highlights, and those John Williams notes are pure gold. But the script’s a mess, Hawkgirl’s a cosplay catastrophe, and Jimmy Olsen’s playa shtick is a crime against Superman lore. Gunn, I know you had big red boots to fill —just figure out where you’re going before you start shooting next time. And stop the needledrops of songs we didn't know existed nor do we care. Well, Krypto at least. has his shining moments.😎
