A few years ago, James Gunn faced a firestorm over old tweets containing pedophile jokes, seemingly spelling the end of his Hollywood career.
But in a twist that proves leftists play by different rules in cancel culture, Gunn not only returned to direct Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 but was handed the keys to the entire DC cinematic universe, overseeing both films and TV shows. His grand debut as DC’s new creative head? Writing and directing a Superman movie, of all things.
Let’s address the elephant in the room: James Gunn is the worst possible choice to helm a Superman film. His bread and butter is subversive storytelling, dripping with irony and irreverence. Superman, the embodiment of truth, justice, and the American way, cannot be subverted without losing his essence. Entrusting a character who represents unwavering heroism to someone who seems to disdain those very ideals is a recipe for disaster.
Yet, here we are with the 2025 Superman film, Warner Bros.’ last-ditch effort at relevance before they offload their zombie-like DC properties to another multinational conglomerate.
The film opens with David Corenswet’s Superman intervening to stop Boravia from invading Jarhanpur—a thinly veiled allegory for the Israel-Palestine conflict, despite the sarcastic pretense it’s not. After a brutal beatdown by Boravia’s “Hammer,” Superman retreats to his Fortress of Solitude in Antarctica to recover and reflect on his mission.
Sent to Earth by his Kryptonian parents to protect humanity, he’s rocked by a revelation, courtesy of his arch-nemesis Lex Luthor. Luthor decodes a message suggesting Superman’s parents intended him to conquer humans and repopulate the Kryptonian race—a plot twist that casts doubt on Superman’s heroism.
This allows Luthor to masquerade as a savior while pursuing his own sinister agenda.The film’s biggest sin is its betrayal of Superman’s core. Gunn’s fans, driven more by spite for Zack Snyder than genuine admiration, have given him a pass for filmmaking missteps they’d never tolerate from others.
Many were outraged when Gunn replaced Henry Cavill as Superman to push his own vision, and now that the film is here, it’s clear: this is a James Gunn movie starring Superman, not a Superman movie. It feels authentic to Gunn’s snarky, subversive style but utterly alien to the Man of Steel.
Take Rachel Brosnahan’s Lois Lane. She fits perfectly in a Gunn-directed universe but feels jarringly out of place as Lois. The film panders to Gen Z sensibilities, turning Lois into a snarky, millennial caricature rather than the grounded, human anchor for Superman’s ideals. Similarly, the Justice Society is reimagined as a cocky band of misfits, echoing Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy playbook.
But their arrogance—exemplified by Hawkgirl casually dropping a dictator to his death—feels antithetical to heroism. Heroes don’t need to save anyone anymore, apparently. These choices scream Gunn’s subversive style, but they don’t scream Superman.
If you love the MCU’s hit-or-miss humor, you’ll find plenty here, though some gags and characters overstay their welcome depending on your tolerance. One bright spot is Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor, who dials up the villainy to 100, stealing scenes with his cunning.
Interestingly, Superman spends much of the film on the receiving end of beatdowns, both physical and narrative. For an indestructible superhero, he takes a surprising number of licks, which feels odd for his reintroduction to Gunn’s DC universe.
The Snyder versus Gunn debate looms large. While I’m no fan of Zack Snyder’s often dour DC films, the rallying behind Gunn feels less about his talent and more about sticking it to Snyder’s legacy. Fans have overlooked Gunn’s flaws—clunky pacing, tonal inconsistency, and a reliance on quippy humor—because they need him to outshine Snyder.
But this film doesn’t. It underperforms compared to 2013’s Man of Steel, which, for all its flaws, felt like a Superman movie. Gunn’s version is a disjointed mess that prioritizes his brand over the character’s soul.
Ultimately, Superman 2025 confirms the fears: Gunn was the wrong person for this project. The film lacks the heart and authenticity that define Superman, trading them for snark and subversion. It’s a serviceable action flick for those who enjoy Gunn’s style, but for fans of the iconic hero, it’s a letdown.
As Warner Bros. scrambles to salvage its DC universe, this movie suggests they’ve bet on the wrong horse. With lackluster box office returns signaling audience fatigue, the Man of Steel deserves better than being a pawn in Gunn’s ego-driven vision.
2/5
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