Superman review: The sentinel's return blends politics with wholesome and classic superhero magic

"Your choice, your actions, that's what makes you who you are!" is exactly what lies as the foundation of the whole movie. You feel the weight of its very political yet very gentle approach to what humanity looks like, or should look like, through the eyes of Superman.

Honestly, if superhero fatigue is real, we've all been feeling it since major franchises ended and new actors replaced the ones we came to recognize as the characters. That’s exactly why we have little to no expectations when a production announces the revival of an already famous superhero storyline we've grown up watching. James Gunn’s Superman was no different, but contrary to popular predictions, the movie felt like a wholesome visual spectacle. It’s been a long time since I felt that joy and fulfillment walking out of a theater after watching a superhero movie. Although it’s the same old story dressed up in a quintessential Gunn package, you can feel the essence of the long-forgotten classic superhero magic. 

The story begins 3 years after the world has come to terms with existing alongside Superman (David Corenswet). While the metahuman manages to be a hero along with his day job as a reporter, he is motivated to stop the country of Boravia from invading and causing havoc in its neighboring country. However, he finds his actions being questioned by his own countrymen, allowing tech billionaire Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult) to get the Man of Steel out of the way for good.

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The movie starts with Superman failing. He is beaten up, defeated and cornered by a powerful force that interferes in his mission to protect a country and its people from a potential war. If I hadn't mentioned the involvement of a metahuman, you might have thought this was about real-world issues. As someone who has always been a Henry Cavill girlie, seeing someone else take on the role of Superman was a cultural shock for me. It hurt me deeply, but watching David's version healed that part for me. I've realised that David was never supposed to replace Henry's version, instead, he offers a version that reminds us of the essence from the comics that we have forgotten.

As opposed to the rugged, stern, and straight-faced Cavill, we get a very deeply humane version that's just as wholesome and endearing as he makes you feral in your knees. You are mesmerised by those blue eyes and strong muscles and he equally melts you with his emotional depth and comedic timing. He cries, feels anxious, gets hurt, and is mildly offended if you don't like The Mighty Crabjoys. You are easily reminded of Christopher Reeves' Superman. It's interesting to see him transition easily from Clark to Superman while talking to Louis or when his first instinct is to literally protect the people around before running directly at the threat. You realise his frustration when Louis Lane questions his choice to go beyond state rules and decides to take matters into his own hands. When he shouts, “People were going to die,” and the pause that followed made us want to reflect on the state of the current world.

While David brings emotional depth to the screen, Nicholas portrays Lex Luthor in a way that truly embodies malice. He is the classic bald-headed tech billionaire we’ve come to know from the comics, reminding us of the power-hungry leaders we often face in the world. Lex is cunning, intelligent, heartless, and envious of Superman’s abilities. He devises sinister plans under the guise of saving humanity, but they are ultimately designed to benefit only himself. His motivation lies in undermining Superman and showcasing his own technological brilliance as he navigates the universe. Like his charming obsession with David that we’ve grown to admire in his interviews, he manages to bring a darker side of Lex's obsession with Superman that is eerily interesting too. Rachel Brosnahan as Louis Lane also manages to stir up the tension in Clark's life, as she continues to be a strong-headed journalist who is not afraid to question the saviour about his actions, even though she knows he means well.

Despite some wishing that James Gunn's film about a super-powered alien would avoid political themes, it is inherently political. Knowing he comes from a planet that no longer exists, Superman doesn’t pledge allegiance to a single nation; he devotes himself to Earth as a whole. That belief, that responsibility to all of humanity rather than a chosen few, is what makes this film so meaningful. With dialogues that stay grounded even in its lighter moments, a background score that echoes the spirit of classic superhero cinema, and an ensemble cast that fits right in, Superman becomes more than just a reboot. 

The film isn’t trying to reinvent the cape, but by grounding an immortal figure in emotional vulnerability and placing him in a world that mirrors our own fractured reality, it dares to ask difficult questions while still offering the hope we desperately crave. It's not just a return of the Man of Steel; it's the return of what superhero stories used to do - hold up a mirror, stir something within us, and remind us that real power lies in choice, compassion, and conviction.

Superman is playing in theatres near you.