Superman: It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane, It’s a Success

Superman is incredible due to its acting, cinematography, and storytelling.

As a longtime fan of James Gunn’s work within the world of comic book adaptations, I've been excited for this movie. I tried to go into it as openly as possible, despite the already high bar it had to clear. I was blown away by Superman (pun intended). It’s highly entertaining all the way through with so many great action sequences. The cinematography is impressive, with the camera dynamically moving with every new emotion the film cycles through. Superman is incredible due to its stellar acting, wonderous cinematography, and sprawling storytelling. I can’t wait to see it again.

The movie is built on the strength of the three central performances from David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan, and Nicholas Hoult. Corenswet is, as always, incredibly charismatic and charming in a role that, as we all know, feels made for him. It’s probably his best performance, as I had no problem identifying with his worries and struggles occasionally. He’s funny, commanding, and yes, cute. Rachel Brosnahan is as likable as ever playing Lois Lane in a measured and grounded way. Her chemistry with Corenswet was both palpable and realistic. Her determination was also very admirable and well portrayed. Nicholas Hoult plays a very elevated, cartoon version of Lex Luthor that I loved watching. Seeing how angry he would get from scene to scene, and how dark humor was often used to construct his villainy. Edi Gathegi, Isabela Merced, Maria Gabriela de Faria, and Nathan Fillion also steal a few other scenes with their performances. It made the film more fun because every actor onscreen, including minor roles, can bring something to the table.

A big topic of contention surrounding this film has been the cinematography. I saw no real issue with the trailers and was excited to find no problem with how the movie looked when I saw it. The visuals, especially when they fill that IMAX screen, are stunning. Henry Braham has shot the last few big Gunn projects, and the insane fisheye-esque shots remain for fight scenes. They make them all feel dynamic and, to some extent, more cartoonish, which I adored. The third act gets to some incredible places regarding camera movement, adding so much impact to every punch taken and given. These fights made the film for me because it felt like Gunn had once again upgraded his visual storytelling.

Another aspect of Superman I loved was its storytelling. It’s a big story with many characters and moving parts. I liked how the movie handled all these parts and gave each character a purpose. One issue I almost had with the film was an initial hint that there wouldn’t be much dedicated to individual characters within the film. I realized that the writing takes a different and much more refreshing approach to developing them as it doesn’t pause the action too much to dwell on the past. The characters are defined by what they do in this film. I also loved how, as the starting point of the new DC film universe, moments are setting up for the future, but they’re all very much adding to this film. There’s no need to catch up by watching anything else; it’s all here.

Superman wowed me due to its acting, cinematography, and storytelling. David Corenswet is a significant lead and has loads of chemistry with Rachel Brosnahan and Nicholas Hoult. They, along with the rest of the cast, built their characters beautifully, making me very invested in the story. The cinematography is gorgeous and often experimental in approach. This approach worked for me and highly elevated the intensity of the action scenes. The storytelling was great and moved at a breakneck speed. Occasionally, it moves past characters to get to the set pieces, where the script shines. Im very happy to be so pleased by Superman I’m looking forward to the future of the DCU because of it.

Thanks for reading my review. I hope you liked the movie and go see it as soon as possible. I'm already planning my second watch.

I give this movie five out of five stars.