'Superman' is a Fun Flight into a Brighter DC Universe

With the weight of a new universe on its shoulders, Superman lifts James Gunn‘s new DC Universe off the ground and flies into a bright future of DC movies. In what can only be described as a refreshing experience at the box office for a superhero flick, Superman is sure to be the fun summer blockbuster for the family (mind the superhero violence and some language, parents) and comic fans alike.

Gunn’s world instantly feels lived-in from the jump, or rather, liftoff. This is no origin story – Superman is a seasoned veteran by this point – giving a lot more room in the plot for the conflict and a cast of fun and interesting characters. The movie is packed full of many DC Comics favorites, sure to bring audiences plenty of laughs and excitement.

Edi Gathegi‘s Michael Holt / Mister Terrific and Nathan Fillion‘s Guy Gardner / Green Lantern are standouts as far as supporting characters go, bringing plenty of laughs and extremely convincing performances as major supporting characters. Fillion’s wise-cracking portrayal of this hotshot Green Lantern Corps member more than justifies the inclusion of this seldom-used character – and we’ll be more than happy to welcome him back to the screen in season two of Peacemaker. Gathegi’s Mister Terrific is not the typical hero we see paired with the Man of Steel, but his often-irritated demeanor is a fantastic foil for David Corenswet‘s optimistically-hopeful Superman.

Nicholas Hoult‘s Lex Luthor gives us the arrogance, jealousy and obsessiveness we should expect from the character, which feels true to the character, unlike in past portrayals. While cleary a portray of a younger Luthor, Holt’s performance makes you believe the egotistic billionaire has the poise to carry out his grand plan to take down Superman.

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The clear standout performance goes to Rachel Brosnahan‘s Lois Lane. This version of Clark Kent‘s iconic love interest is capable, feisty, intelligent and is by no means a “damsel in distress.” She pairs very well with Corenswet’s Clark Kent / Superman, as their onscreen chemistry makes the scenes without a cape and tights just as engaging. Brosnahan’s comedic timing and ability add another layer to her character’s complex personalty and emotions, giving her story real weight and relevance as a non-metahuman in a metahuman world.

As for Corenswet, he and Gunn achieved what isn’t always easy to do; giving us a humanized and relatable Superman in a fun film. While the previous Man of Steel franchise had a much darker tone and feel to it, Corenswet brings light and a bit of comedy to role, which is required when fitting into Gunn’s new universe. This is a complex hero with a dynamic range of emotions, living within an even more complex world.

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The best part about this start to the DC Universe is it’s not trying to be the Marvel Cinematic Universe, something the preceding universe rushed toward, strived for and ultimately failed to achieve. It has set off on its own path, and Superman was the perfect launch point for what’s to come. This is a really good movie – the best DC movie in years – that ultimately I believe audiences will embrace and really enjoy.

It’s been a long time since DC has soared to great heights on the silver screen, but look up in the sky folks: It’s not a bird – or a plane – it’s Superman.

‘Superman’ is a Fun Flight into a Brighter DC Universe  was originally published on 93qcountry.com