Superman (2025)

As the saying goes: if you can’t beat them, join them.

As such, let’s praise DC for taking the brave decision to bring a firm and inconclusive full stop to the ‘DCEU’ (including taking some beloved actors away from iconic roles) and start again with Marvel alumni James Gunn taking maybe a few pages from Marvel’s book of colour and humour.

Superman isn’t quite the first part of the new DC universe (Peacemaker is confirmed as canon which may link in Gunn’s The Suicide Squad as is animation series Creature Commandos) but it is the first film and, if things are going to continue like this, we’re in for a treat.

Shall we do some negatives first to get them out of the way?

Ok, so it won’t convert non-superhero fans or those who want a return to more traditional action blockbusters. By leaning into Marvel’s styling it may also deter those who prefer the ‘dark and moody’ of before.

DC still lapses into ‘copious use of unnecessary exposition’ mode too often and the need to constantly explain everything to us is exhausting. I think it’s safe to say you won’t have heard the phrase ‘pocket universe’ used more often in a film (and 'harem', for some reason).

It also resorts to yet another ‘massive city destruction’ ending – does anyone else just think of the time, effort, money and resource it’d take to clean these things up rather than enjoying the spectacle anymore?

But, as the DCEU, the SPUMC and even Marvel themselves on occasion have proved, a winning formula being out there doesn’t always make for good movies (is it even 50/50 anymore?)

Therefore, having a tangible, enjoyable, light, colourful, funny, moving, interesting and entertaining Superman movie in 2025, whether ‘Marvel-esque’ or not, has to be a triumph.

And that’s exactly what it feels like for its brisk runtime. The classic score is woven in, there’s some proper hero shots, some great and unobtrusive slo-mo, some things you genuinely won’t have seen before in a superhero film, a great dog and great cameos.

It sits on the line of maybe trying to say something about geopolitics without actually doing so, an element bound to irk some people but largely feels like a great beginning to this new era.

Where Batman and pals will come into this universe remains to be seen (if they even do) and we can all laugh at Superman going full John Wick when he accuses Lex Luthor of dognapping Crypto, but what an enjoyable film and what a turnaround by DC.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️