Another DC reboot? Why? Like so many films in the DC universe, this one is spectacle over substance. It’s big, loud, and visual, more Roland Emmerich than Richard Donner.
Corenswet manages to pull it off, barely. The character is retooled for modern audiences with sarcastic quips and self-aware smirks, but I’m not sure this personality befits the character. The oddly amateurish and frumpy costume doesn’t help, either. We never get a clear sense of whether Corenswet’s physique matches the role, or if it’s all padding. Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane is serviceable but underwhelming. She lacks the charisma and spark Margot Kidder famously brought to the role. Someone like Emma Stone might’ve brought a bit more edge to it. Nicholas Hoult is fine as Lex Luthor and showcases a flawless American accent, but the character lacks depth. Why is he so evil?
Action is flashy but weightless. CGI dominates, but there are zero emotional stakes. Krypto’s animation is especially floaty and glidey. Haven’t we solved that problem by now?
The film’s tone swings wildly. There’s silly humor (Superman saves a squirrel?), goofy additions (Krypto? Random robots?), and unexplained new elements that feel like they exist solely to boost merchandising and VFX budgets. Supergirl’s tacked-on appearance near the end is particularly cheap, insulting to the character unless subsequent movies featuring Supergirl will be goofball comedies.
Strange little touches, like a dramatic pause to put bread in the toaster and several baseball references. Is James Gunn a fan?
But it’s not all bad. The opening title graphic and end credits pay nice homage to the original 1978 Superman, and that at least shows a little reverence for what came before.
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