Superman invites us to look up, to take in the vast, deep-blue sky and share in its sheer potential. It’s a new rendition of a storied character, one that has not been seen on the silver screen in a major way since 2017 and a radical diversion from his last cinematic outing. It lives up to that potential.
“Sincere” is perhaps the best word to describe the film, a word embodied by lead actor David Corenswet (Superman/Clark Kent), who brings a humanity to this literal alien that has not been seen since Christopher Reeves’s iconic outing. Corenswet is honest — charming and funny in an understated way, while still leaving room for real frustration and pain. Superman he may be, but the “man” part is spotlighted to be just as, if not more, important than the “super.” He strives to do his best, to help as many people as possible, regardless of the problems such actions place him in. In one telling moment of raw outburst, Superman yells, “People were going to die!” as the justification for why he intervened in an international crisis. In our world of cynicism and selfishness, it could have (perhaps even should have) come across as trite and naïve — yet from Superman, this Superman, it’s all that’s needed.
Kindness is not seen as a weakness in this film, nor is it exclusive. Every member of the supporting cast, from Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan) to Mr. Terrific (Edi Gathegi), gets a chance to reach out a hand and offer help. Importantly, that help is what brings down the villain of the film, the envious, spiteful tech billionaire Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult). Violence is never the sole answer to conflict, and its instigation is almost universally due to villainy.
Superman understands what it is, and every decision from writer/director James Gunn is in furtherance of that core. Superman is an immigrant, adopted into a drastically different culture from the one he was born to, and just wants to help as many of the people around him as he possibly can. When bad actors try to use his alien status to generate fear and hatred against him, the film unequivocally pushes against them, leaving no room for interpretation: Kindness towards everyone, regardless of where they come from or who they are, is the true measure of strength, not money or military or power.
So, look up and take in that wild blue yonder. We all share the same sky, be us a bird, a plane, or, even, a superman. Let’s act like it.
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