In October 2022, DC was in a terrible place. Black Adam, Dwayne Johnson’s passion project for nearly 20 years, flopped. The reports of which projects were and weren’t happening were all over the place, and nobody really knew what was going on with Superman. Sure, Henry Cavill came back in a post-credit scene, with the promise he’d face off against Black Adam (Yes, we know it’s not exactly what everyone had in mind) and get the long-awaited Man of Steel sequel, but even the trades had no clue what was going on with that movie.

Enter James Gunn. Every comic book fan remembers where they were when James Gunn and Peter Safran were announced as the new heads of DC Studios. While a certain small portion of the fanbase didn’t like this move, it was generally seen as a right step for the company. After all, he made the amazing Guardians trilogy, The Suicide Squad, and Peacemaker, which are all some of the most highly regarded projects in the genre. But this unfortunately meant the end for Cavill’s brief return as Supes, because Gunn got to work on finally writing and directing a Superman movie, nearly 5 years after he was approached by Warner Bros to initially do one.

I’m extremely happy to report that Superman was indeed worth the wait. Not only was this the first movie about the Man of Steel in my lifetime that I can say is truly super, but its an amazing start to this brand new universe. While it may be overstuffed sometimes, James Gunn’s Superman is one of the most accurate comic-to-movie adaptations we’ve ever seen, balancing all the elements readers have loved for decades, and establishing a new norm for DC going forward. It truly feels like there is hope after all.

No matter how you feel about James Gunn and his work, one thing everyone agrees on is that his casting skills are top-notch. David Corenswet is unquestionably the best iteration of this character since Christopher Reeve and manages to balance both sides of the coin. You really believe this man is a farm boy, but also believe he’s the world’s most powerful being at the same time. Rachel Brosnahan is an electric Lois Lane, and her dynamic with Corenswet is palpable, to the point where your eyes are glued to the screen each time they’re together. After coming in second for both Batman and Superman, Nicholas Hoult finally gets his time to shine in the DCU as Lex Luthor, in what is very possibly some of, if not Hoult’s finest work. It’s great to truly have these 3 comic legends perfectly cast and with incredible dynamics.

However, Gunn is also known for balancing major ensembles, and making sure everyone shines. Sure enough, he pulls it off again. If I talked about how great each and every member of the cast was, I’d be here all day. But Skyler Gisondo, Edi Gathegi, Nathan Fillion, Anthony Carrigan, Isabela Merced, Sara Sampiao, and yes, Krypto the Dog, are just a few of the names in the massive ensemble that stand out. Gathegi in particular is, well, terrific in the role of Mister Terrific, stealing every scene he’s in and making the character an instant fan-favourite and arguably the MVP of the film. After seeing Gathegi snubbed so unfairly during his time with the X-Men franchise, it’s amazing for him to get a second chance.

The story is going to be the most controversial part of the movie for many but I think it works perfectly. As a longtime fan, I appreciated not seeing the first half of the movie be Clark’s origin again (nobody needs to see that again, let’s be honest) and instead, we’re thrown right into the fire. This is a world that accepts meta0humans and superheroes, with many established heroes already working with Superman. This might make it seem like lots is going on but for me, and most of the people I’ve spoken to, it was easy to follow given how intertwined everything is. There’s also some lore changes that I won’t spoil here but they did throw me off at first, but Gunn’s writing makes it all work out in the end.

Speaking of which, the writing and themes of the movie are classic James Gunn. It’s a past-paced story, with lots of humour injected, but never steers course and always focuses on the heart of the movie, whatever it is. Thematically, Gunn really amplifies the ideas of vunerability, hope, love, and most importantly, legacy. The film was originally titled Superman: Legacy and it’s not hard to see why this was the case. Superman’s biggest battle in the movie is with himself (in more ways than one). He’s struggling to figure out who he is after a shocking revelation about his past, and wants to not only cement his own legacy for himself, but for the people around him. It’s a very empowering journey and refreshing to see Superman be so vulnerable physically and emotionally. Gunn reminds us that he, like the rest of us, is human at heart and not perfect. On a much larger scale too, the movie feels like social commentary for a particular overseas conflict but that’s also just purely coincidental timing. Gunn has a lot to say through his writing and themes and I think the message is clear from start to finish.

Visually, people might argue here and while I might tend to agree with them on some scenes, I really like the look of the movie for the most part. James Gunn’s aesthetics in his films are very distinct and are deliberate in their colours, all having meaning but sometimes, the film does look off colour and camera wise, with some strange angles or visuals taking my focus away from the film. The effects all look great and the makeup, in particular for Metamorpho, is sublime. All the costumes are dazzling as well and yes, Superman looks great with the trunks. Other fantastic costumes are easily Hawkgirl, Mister Terrific, and Guy Gardner. If this is the aesthetic and standard set for the DCU going forward then I am going to be very happy.

James Gunn’s Superman is the best film about the Man of Steel since 1978. For the first time in my life, I have hope for this character and for DC beyond Batman. The future is extremely bright and I cannot wait to see what happens next.