Watched: 05/01/2026
Format: HBOmax
Viewing: Sixth
Director: James Gunn
With zero prompting from me, on Friday night Jamie put on Superman (2025) as our evening's viewing.
I married well.
This is my sixth viewing in a year, which is too many, to be honest. One starts to look at the seams rather than the quilt, seeing how the thing is put together, and that's not all bad if you want to start really dissecting a movie, but for staying in the intended flow, it can give you time to think about things other than the story presented.
After this viewing, I still think Superman does so many things very well that were necessary for reframing the character in the public consciousness. But it is an odd movie because the metatext of the reframing becomes what the story is *about*. We're reframing Superman after Superman Returns and the Snyder universe films. While also setting up the fundamental argument of Luthor versus the argument for Superman.*
Eschewing the direct origin story, Superman has to do the heavy lifting and table-setting for what's to come with the DC Studios Universe, while also re-writing what we know from the Donner film and Snyder's film.
But, mostly, it's about getting something like a version of Superman on screen that will endure and work for the intended audience (sorry, edge lords! I know it's confusing when not everything is for you.). If a story is intended to show an event that changed our protagonist, how does a Superman grow? And this movie really does show that. While also showing the audience that Superman is not who he is because of cosmic destiny or alien heritage, but because of who he is and the choices that Clark Kent makes.
I do have issues.
I certainly wish the movie were longer. There's so much to get into, and it feels like it was cut for time - but it also came out in the wake of folks complaining about near 3-hour run times for superhero films. I can only guess what they cut at the script stage and in the edit bay.
But... Lois and Clark could use a scene prior to the "3rd month of dating anniversary" scene. I wonder if the impact of the interview and their disagreement would land harder if that dinner and the interview were separate scenes? It's the first time we really see them together and it ends badly. So... what are the stakes? Or am I looking for an excuse for more Brosnahan? MAYBE.
I continue to wish the Daily Planet crew had more to do. Jimmy and Lois sure get plenty - and I so love what Brosnahan is doing in this movie. (She deserved an action figure. Mad she doesn't have one.) But we just get glimpses of Steve Lombard and Cat Grant, and I don't think Ron has any lines at all. Gunn clearly *gets* the dynamic, so it would be cool to see them do something with it.
And I sort of wish Superman saved the Kaiju in spite of the Justice Gang. How much different would the outcome be if he flew it to Monster Island or something?
That said, the Justice Gang still works for me. I'm ready for the Justice Gang movie. Gimme the screwball buddy comedy Bwah-ha-ha of the Giffen/ DeMatteis/ Maguire/ Austin era. Or a Mr. Terrific show or something. I just think that character works like nobody's business.
I want to know more about *why* The Engineer allowed herself to be changed, and I'm a little bummed they didn't say she was one of Lex's scientists who did this to herself. I liked the idea in the comics she didn't volunteer, she did this to herself and understood the implications. And this is only a degree or two from that. But I liked *actual engineer* Engineer.
After rewatching Superman Returns, it really is a pleasure to see a Superman who is allowed to cut loose with his powers, and we can maybe see why he's not lost a battle in 3 years. I mean, he essentially cuts down a fleet of Iron Mans in about twenty seconds.
And, yeah, we've already talked this movie at length before and now - so I'll go here: I've seen the people online who feel very smart indeed that they think Lex giving orders to Ultraman is too slow - I think we can assume that Superman really doesn't fight many people where the speed is the issue. At 6'5", if I wade into an army of pre-schoolers, I don't really need to learn kung-fu, do I? So, yeah, I buy that Lex making a study of moves based on Superman fighting footage is a thing that would work.
Also - I hate to tell people, but Superman comics are *funny*. Like, Superman and Lois crack wise. If you're writing Superman and not looking for jokes, you may be doing it wrong. But it's a long tradition that Superman comics end on punchlines or a wacky twist. Not so much since the Bronze age, but instead they've just found places for jokes inside the stories. That's how we get a Steve Lombard and where Jimmy shines. And Gunn understood this. Just as he understood, Lex is a genius, but he's also kind of got a zany edge. That's how you get scientists all required to wear Hawaiian shirts and pith helmets. But also having someone like Mr. Handsome driving his weird floating wagon.
Anyway - it was fun to rewatch. I think every six months is plenty, and I only made it five months between viewings, but that's okay.
*for the record, I do think Snyder's Luthor came close to this same argument, it was just presented horribly
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