A superhero movie with heart.

Though I did enjoy the original 1978 Superman movie ("You've got me? Who's got you?" is one of my favorite movie lines), I always had a hard time getting into Superman stories. He's just too perfect. Too OP. Which is exactly why I loved Superman the 2025 edition - it made him vulnerable and relatable without sacrificing the core of the character.

The movie begins with Superman losing his first fight, just one of many setbacks he faces during the film. He's also getting heat for intervening when one big fictional country tried to invade its smaller neighbor, touching on similar themes as the MCU's Civil War storyline. How would world governments react to superpowered vigilantes with their own agendas? Probably not well.

This isn't an origin story (which is actually refreshing), but it's still a story of Superman figuring out his place in the world. It had an earnestness and heart that is often lost in modern superhero stories. Even though he's literally an alien, the movie's focus on humanizing Superman's experience is it's biggest strength. This is all reminiscent of the best parts of Wonder Woman, which I also loved. Also, tangentially, David Cornswet is one of the more convincing attempts at portraying Superman/Clark as believably different personas. It's not just the glasses—his whole bearing changes.

I also liked the movie's take on Lois. Amy Adams did a fine job in Man of Steel, but her Lois fell a little flat for me. Even though Rachel Brosnahan gets comparatively less to do plot-wise, she felt closer to the Margot Kidder version I liked as a kid. Smart, sassy (particularly in her interactions with the Justice Gang), and above all a dogged reporter. I loved the way she didn't hold back in her interview with Superman.

Nathan Fillion and Edi Gathegi were awesome in supporting roles as Green Lantern and Mr. Terrific, bringing a welcome levity to the film. And if it weren't obvious from the trailer, Krypto the super dog somehow struck the perfect balance of being adorable without being cheesy.

There's a bit of strong language, more realistic violence than your typical superhero flick, and a running joke about Superman's "secret harem" that put a damper on what would otherwise be a perfect family film. But for mature kids/teens it's got great characters and messages.