I saw the premiere of Superman on Thursday night, and was happy to see that it was a colorful, positive movie with a solid version of the character that the new James Gunn-led DCU can build on. I think that it is a great movie for kids, normies, and comic book fans alike.
I really like the new interpretations of Superman and Lois Lane, and think they’re perhaps the best movie versions of those characters so far—especially Lois. That’s an enormous win for the movie and the DCU, and is enough to make this a success in my book. Unfortunately, I really don’t like this new version of Lex Luthor, who is portrayed as a one dimensional maniac. It’s hard to see the world-class genius he needs to be when he’s just unhinged in every scene.
I liked a lot about Man of Steel (), but was less happy with most of the rest of Zack Snyder’s colorless, joyless take on the DC Universe, and am happy to see that James Gunn’s version here is nearly a 180° from that. It’s approachable, fun, and it evokes the best parts of the comic book universe. It might go just a bit too far in that direction in that it can be a little goofy, but I’m happy enough with the balance it strikes.
My main criticism, other than Luthor, is that it just crams too much into its running time. Sure, it has a lot to set up—and I’m happy to forgo the back story of all that we’re introduced to—but the movie is so busy that it just doesn’t allow any time to breathe.
Overall, this is a promising start to the new DCU, and I’m looking forward to what comes next.