By Tim Estiloz
Arguably, the most famous comic book superhero of all time is Superman. The worldwide familiarity with Joe Shuster and Jerry Siegel’s soaring crimson caped creation dates back nearly 90-years; when he first graced the pages of Action Comics in 1938. That’s a lot of comic book readers and new Superman fans within that span of time.
Over the decades, the basics of championing truth and justice; mixed with a hefty helping of kindness and compassion have been the bedrock of Superman’s noble character that we’ve all known and admired since childhood. Although, depending on various generational adult politics, the whole fighting for “The American Way” part has had both its ups and downs.
Nevertheless, Superman is a character that we reliably hold up as a fictional yet ideal symbol of all that’s good and right. Though many an actor has donned the familiar red and blue tights and cape on TV and film; no one has quite surpassed the overall brilliant aura of decency and relatability that Christopher Reeve so indelibly established when he took on the role in 1978’s “Superman: The Movie”.
For many, Reeve’s portrayal is the gold standard that many aspire to replicate, but few totally succeed.
Which now brings us to director James Gunn’s new reboot of the Superman film franchise aimed at capturing some of Reeve’s magic, charisma and fun: while jettisoning much of the dark, brooding and heavy seriousness that arguably burdened director Zack Snyder and actor Henry Cavill’s stewardship of the Superman brand, most notably in 2013’s “Man Of Steel”.
Full disclosure, I was a huge fan of Cavill’s more grounded and, in my opinion, more realistic approach to the character and the circumstances ( and actors ) that inhabited that particular world.
However, I went into this new “Superman” with a genuinely open mind to enjoy what Gunn has relentlessly huckstered over the past couple of years as a return to the comic book’s true roots via numerous interviews and a constant stream of photo leaks from the film sets while in production. I was suspicious why Gunn felt he needed to promote ( or hype ) the film so heavily while in production if he was totally confident in his product.
First, the good part for the absolutely hardcore, die-hard Superman ( COMIC BOOK ) fans from the past 30-years or so. This film is definitely for you. It fulfills your wildest dreams with an almost never-ending stream of fan-service references and Easter eggs pandering to your deepest heartfelt desire for the most vague encyclopedic ( or Google ) trivia culled from decades of Superman stories.
If you’ve ever wondered why people don’t recognize Clark Kent as Superman just because he’s wearing glasses; James Gunn now has the answer for you. Superman has been wearing ( ready for it ? ) “Hypno-Glasses” all these years to fool Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen and the gang into thinking they’re seeing a weaker, more frail looking Clark Kent.
Gunn, who also wrote the screenplay for this film, explains this and other obscure ( and mostly forgotten ) bits of Superman lore as… “Well, it’s IN the comics!”
Fair enough. However, referencing every possible bit of Superman canon to shoehorn into one roughly two-hour film is a bit much for the average moviegoer to easily digest within this narrative.
“Superman” ( the film ) begins literally with a groan, a whimper and a feeble whistle; as Superman ( the hero ) comes crashing down to Earth after having been beaten to a bloody pulp while battling off-screen a giant android that’s either the military agent of a faraway warring nation or perhaps, secretly in league with Lex Luthor ( Nicholas Hoult ). In any case, this Superman ( David Corenswet ) has several moments of vulnerability in this film ranging from violent beatings to being paralyzed by kryptonite. At the start, as you’ve seen in the film’s trailer; Superman has to be rescued by his fluffy, perky pooch with a cape, Krypto.
Meanwhile, Luthor is scheming to jump start a war between two fictional Middle Eastern nations that could lead the world to turn against Superman ( as the ultimate “Illegal Alien” or immigrant in the film’s storyline ) and result in him being captured and imprisoned in another dimension where Luthor houses his own group of personal enemies and undesirables.
In this world, Superman isn’t the only unique character with special powers. It’s also populated by a group of “Metahumans”, a group of whom go by the name of the “Justice Gang”. Though the permanence of that moniker is a topic of bickering dispute among the group’s members.
They consist of the winged, literally screeching Hawkgirl ( Isabela Merced ), Green Lantern AKA Guy Gardner ( Nathan Fillion ) sporting a ridiculous looking blonde Moe Howard, Three Stooges hairdo and the leather jacketed tech whiz Mr. Terrific. ( Edi Gathegi )
Apparently, in this universe, the presence of these costumed metahumans are as ubiquitous as fat pigeons in Manhattan and their battles to save the city are pretty much taken in stride by the populace. When a giant scaly kaiju creature attacks downtown Metropolis, Superman and the “Justice Gang” team up to defeat the monstrous menace. The stunned pedestrians and bystanders stop to applaud, cheer and move on when it’s all over, as if this happens every day.
By the way, watch for the kaiju monster among all the other licensed Superman toys at your local Target soon. This film is a merchandising bonanza.
Of course, no Superman film is complete without relationship drama between Superman and Lois Lane ( Rachel Brosnahan ) In this film, it’s quickly established that these two have been dating incognito for several months and that Lois knows that Clark Kent is really her super-powered Romeo or vice versa. Between kisses, they bicker over the moral ethics of him involving himself in the aforementioned faraway war in the Mid East; though Superman doesn’t see the problem. To him, it’s a matter of simply saving lives.
Meanwhile, the two nonchalantly discuss their relationship issues at night in a darkened high rise apartment; while barely noticing outside that the “Justice Gang” are battling a floating giant neon jellyfish above the skyline. Apparently, Superman really doesn’t need to be on the job 24/7 with his ever present metahuman pals to pick up the slack.
Now, if all this wild, disjointed exposition seems a bit much to you; well, you don’t know the half of it.
With this film, director James Gunn has created a scattershot mess jammed with far too many superheroes and inconsequential trivia; and far too little character development or plot explanation. The first half hour of this film moves at a breakneck speed from scene to scene, barely allowing the events to register. Such abrupt narrative may work from drawn panel to panel in a comic book format; but a film storyline needs some measure of connective flow and pacing.
David Corenswet may have the chops to present a convincing Superman, but you won’t see conclusive evidence of that in this movie. He tries, via Gunn’s direction to channel some of Reeve’s relatability and strength, but if that ability is even present, he’s never given a full chance to portray it substantially.
Instead, Gunn turns full attention to trying to force feed the entire DC cinematic universe that he’s been tasked with rebooting by jamming multiple superheroes down the audience’s throats in one single film. With “Superman”, James Gunn tries to accomplish in one film experience – what it took Marvel nearly a decade to successfully accomplish by acquainting everyone with each character individually and specifically with care.
In a film with the title “Superman”, the titular character is almost relegated to playing second-fiddle in his own movie to a variety of secondary DC Comics superheroes… including the aforementioned Mr. Terrific.
Who is Mr. Terrific you might ask?
… Exactly!
Unless you’re a whiz at a DC Comics game of “Jeopardy”; you’ll be totally lost in this film that’s made strictly for trivia-minded fanboys and fangirls.
Toss in another elemental shape-shifting metahuman named Metamorpho in another subplot; plus, a James Gunn penned massive character shift for Superman’s Kryptonian parents, Jor-El and Lara that puts them on an questionable ethical par with villainous General Zod from the previous films, and you have a big confusing mess.
Did I mention Supergirl ( Milly Alcock ) makes a last minute cameo as a drunken frat-girl type?
Gunn has had great past success with his three “Guardians of the Galaxy” films and one “Suicide Squad” film. However, all of those films featured a multi-character ensemble working as a team with witty banter being a hallmark trait among them. One wonders if Gunn is possibly a “one trick pony” director uncomfortable with straying from that ensemble formula to concentrate on a film featuring only one central key character.
Rachel Brosnahan does a decent job of capturing Lois Lane’s grit as a reporter; but her ambivalence about being in a relationship gets a bit tedious. Nicholas Hoult comes across as more annoying than menacing and malevolent in his turn as Lex Luthor. His histrionics about conquering Superman wears thin quickly.
Only Nathan Fillion offers something interesting as the ego-centric braggart Green Lantern / Guy Gardner with a pompous swagger that’s equal parts irritating and endearing.
Tolerant wives, girlfriends and others “not totally into” comic book lore will be incredibly confused, bored or both – as director James Gunn assumes the general audience will just readily accept this scattershot hodgepodge of inside info, trivia and backstory without question nor explanation.
“Superman” is like watching a two-hour inside joke… and having no clue about the punchline.