Cinemas worldwide are being stormed by 'Superman' — a comic book film that kicks off the new DC universe. What the new interpretation of the legendary superhero from the director of 'Guardians of the Galaxy' turned out to be — in our article.

It's been 3 years since Kal-El (David Corenswet) debuted as Superman, the protector of Earth. Under the name Clark Kent, he works as a reporter for the Daily Planet alongside Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan), with whom he is in a relationship. However, billionaire Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult) seeks to destroy Superman's reputation and the hero himself, willing to go to extreme measures.

The film kicks off with both feet, without any backstory and right in the middle of a battle. James Gunn has repeatedly said he no longer wants to see overused hero origin scenes, like Peter Parker being bitten by a spider or Martha Wayne's pearls falling during her murder. In his film, he focuses on the here and now, making the backstory of the alien from Krypton feel unnecessary.

Of course, it's far from perfect, and sacrifices have to be made in terms of presentation, and this is perhaps the film's main flaw. Characters, though not always, voice their thoughts, motivations, and exposition without any restraint, and a couple of monologues deliver the moral in a clichéd way, as if afraid the audience won't understand something.

As for the large number of new characters that left viewers puzzled after watching the trailer, they are woven into the narrative more than decently and competently, feeling like pleasant personalities with character, rather than walking teasers for future series and films (though not without that).

The standout stars in the supporting cast are Green Lantern Guy Gardner, played by Gunn's favorite Nathan Fillion, and Mr. Terrific, portrayed by Edi Gathegi (who played Darwin in Matthew Vaughn's 'X-Men: First Class') — walking memes full of charisma, where just the former's facial expressions and the latter's jabs at Clark bring a smile, let alone the action scenes, one of which features James Gunn's now-classic single-shot battle set to a retro song (this time to a track by Noah and the Whale).

The main antagonist, Lex Luthor, seems to have stepped straight out of the comics, and he can be called the best portrayal of the character in live-action cinema. It's not just about his cunning plans, composure, and the fact that he is (finally) fully bald, but also about Nicholas Hoult, who delivers a brilliant performance. His character inspires fear both in a cold-blooded manner and in an expressive-aggressive one. Yet another proof not only of Hoult's skill but also that British villains are always cool.

Speaking of the Man of Tomorrow, some context is needed.

Superman has always tried to be relevant to his time — in the early comics, he fought Nazis during the Great Depression; in Richard Donner's films, the theme of rising crime in 1970s America was explored; and the series 'Smallville', unintentionally released after the 9/11 tragedy, offered a more grounded take on the hero and showed a detailed path of his development, with Clark Kent donning his iconic suit only near the end of the series (which had a legal basis, as the creators were not allowed to show it earlier, but the bug turned into a feature).

James Gunn decided to base his film on the imagery from Donner's films — the bright costume with trunks over tights, the Fortress of Solitude made of white crystals, and even Nicholas Hoult says the phrase 'Mind over Muscle' — the catchphrase of the character played by Gene Hackman. Despite the homage, the film's content is fully modernized — now the heroes deal with conflicts in the Middle East, where things are not as simple as they seem, migrant issues, and cancel culture, with attention given to Clark Kent himself.

Despite his omnipotence, Superman makes mistakes, doubts, and feels pain — the narrative literally starts with him landing in Antarctica with a battered face and covered in blood. But this makes the hero more human than ever, and despite the difficulties, he moves forward and stays true to his principles. As one user wrote about the film on Letterboxd:

You will believe a man can fly with turbulence.

And this can characterize not only Superman but also Gunn's entire film. Despite its excessive straightforwardness and seemingly cartoonish silliness, it raises many important themes, raises the stakes, and discusses pressing political issues, and by the climax, the director tries to convey to the audience, just as Superman does to Earthlings — yes, there is a lot of cruelty, injustice, and evil people in the world, but you should never lose hope and stop believing in goodness.

More than 10 years ago, James Gunn gave us a film about a bunch of misfits who were outsiders in their own world. Who knew that such a kind-hearted and selfless hero would become the same underdog for his world, yet prove to everyone what truly matters in life.

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