Going into Superman, I’ll be honest — my expectations were measured, but not because I’ve given up on superheroes. Rather, it’s because I have been burned before — repeatedly — by DC’s often inconsistent and misguided attempts to capture what makes their characters iconic. From bleak tonal misfires to chaotic world-building, the DC slate has, for years, stumbled in its search for cohesion and soul. So, when I settled in at the exclusive South African premiere hosted by Warner Bros. South Africa and Sun Africa Group, I was hopeful… but battle-weary.
To my surprise — and absolute delight — Superman didn’t just win me over. It reminded me why I cared about this hero in the first place.
James Gunn’s Superman is a deliberate rejection of the overly dark, hyper-serious approach that has bogged down most of the recent DCU offerings. Instead, Gunn delivers a vibrant, emotionally rich film that genuinely channels the heart of one of the most iconic comic book heroes of all time.
From the opening scene — albeit plagued by an exposition dump which would have been better suited to a “Star Wars opening crawl sequence” — we skip the familiar Krypton-to-Earth origin story and are plunged straight into the action. This bold structural choice feels intentional, as if Gunn is telling us: You already know who Superman is. Let’s explore who he is here and now.
David Corenswet steps into the iconic role with a charisma and warmth that immediately calls back to Christopher Reeve, never short of a charming earnestness that makes the role feel fresh. His Superman is deeply good — not in a performative way, but in a way that radiates through every scene. He’s bruised, bloodied, and uncertain at times, but never detached. He doesn’t just save the world — he cares about it. The squirrel-rescuing, dog-minding, small-moment-loving Superman is back, and it’s honestly a joy to watch in the midst of what otherwise would feel like more generic CGI-fest action set pieces. Crucially, he’s juxtaposed against a new generation of metahumans — more jaded, and more cynical — which only reinforces Superman’s identity as the moral compass of this universe.
Rachel Brosnahan is razor-sharp as Lois Lane — witty, grounded, and emotionally intelligent. Her chemistry with Corenswet is electric without ever falling into cliché. Their scenes sparkle, especially when she interrogates the ethics of Superman’s role in society. And yes, the line about him being “punk rock” may draw a smirk, but in context, it somehow works.
Krypto, Superman’s dog, could’ve easily derailed the tone, and the handling of him in a live-action setting was one of my biggest concerns going into this screening, but instead, he enhances it. The film smartly uses him not only as comic relief, but as a plot-driving companion who adds emotional texture. His presence, while whimsical, never feels silly.
Nicholas Hoult’s portrayal of Lex Luthor stands out as a major highlight. Cold, calculating, and disturbingly plausible as a tech-industrialist puppet master, Hoult brings a slick menace that feels both contemporary and chilling. In typical Gunn fashion, the film doesn’t shy away from its allegorical layers — global conflicts, media manipulation, and ideological division mirror many real-world issues. Yet James Gunn handles these themes, which, while somewhat on the nose at times, never overshadow the deeply human (and Kryptonian) story at the core. Through it all, the central message remains clear and powerful: hope, compassion, and integrity are superpowers in their own right.
The cast is also stacked, sometimes hilariously so — familiar faces drop in for mere seconds of screen time, hinting at a sprawling future for the DCU. Yet Superman never feels like a trailer for the next ten movies. It’s self-contained enough to satisfy, but rich enough to tease. Gunn may be throwing everything at the wall, but he does it with purpose and affection.
In the end, Superman is exactly what DC needed: not just a reset, but a re-calibration. It’s not perfect — a few lines don’t land, and the world-building occasionally feels rushed — but it’s sincere. It’s confident. And most importantly, it believes in its hero again.
I went into that premiere tired —tired of bombast, tired of bleakness, tired of DC’s identity crisis.
I left with something I hadn’t felt in a long time.
Hope.
