Superman (2025) Review
- Matt Hill
- Oct 27, 2025
- 3 min read
Updated: Nov 3, 2025
Runtime: 2h 9m Genre: Superhero/Adventure Release Date: 11th July 2025
Plot: After three years out as a hero, Superman (David Corenswet) is known the world over, but his latest challenge may be too much for him as he's caught up in an emerging civil war, whilst Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult) is hellbent on destroying him.
Thoughts
There's no denying that James Gunn's latest Superman movie has had an enormous weight on its shoulders. The new Superman tale needed to be an entertaining outing whilst simultaneously relaunching the DC cinematic universe after Warner Bros.' previous attempt came to an underwhelming end in 2023. So, does this latest Superman tale reach its lofty heights? Or is it a failure at launch?
Superman wastes no time setting up this new world. In the opening moments, we're treated to a crash course in the current state of Superman's world and status, skipping the well-known origin tale, throwing us into a pivotal moment in Superman/Clark Kent's life as he crashes out following his first defeat. It's a welcome shift that pulls away from retelling an origin tale even the uninitiated will be accustomed to, getting us right into the action whilst simultaneously setting the stakes of his latest threat.
From that moment, Superman never lets up. It hurtles along at a nice pace, despite the odd drop, and even when the action subsides, it keeps you gripped with dialogue that explores characters and helps cement relationships and agendas you're interested in seeing unfold. That's a credit to the writing and direction of Gunn; that's not to say there are moments of slowdown or imperfections, but for the most part, Superman proves to be a fun romp that you can't help but get swept up in.
A lot of that fun can be attributed to Coernwswet and Hoult. Both of whom do an incredible job bringing DC's beloved heroes and villains to life. Coernwet's Superman embodies a classic Superman persona, which made Superman a hero that so many people aspire to be, through his actions, charm and humanity, which is cleverly showcased by a great interview scene between Clark and Lois discussing Superman's controversial actions. It's a great performance and helps cement the hero as what many of us loved about him
On the opposite side of the coin, you have Nicholas Hoult's Lex Luthor, whose one-man warpath against Superman is matched by his calculating mind and a performance that cements Luthor as a great villain but also magnetic to watch as he navigates through his plan with anger and revelry.
That's not to say Corenswet and Hoult are the only great performances. Nathan Fillion's Guy Gardner is a likeable douche you can't help but enjoy. Meanwhile, the untameable Krypto steals the show with his chaotic cuteness, whilst Mr Terrific shows us why he's the powerhouse hero we didn't know we needed, as he interjects moments of laughter alongside one of the film's best action sequences.
It's not a complete homerun, though. With so much going on, the film can feel a bit cluttered and busy. I had that worry from the initial trailers, and whilst it's manageable rather well throughout, there's still a feeling of bloatedness that can't be escaped. It doesn't undermine the experience all that much, as the main conflict between Luthor and Superman remains the film's focal point, but at times it feels there are one too many threads being pulled together that could have been snipped a little for more focus.
There are also the odd parts where the story's evolution feels a little too structured/forced rather than an organic unravelling of the plot. It's not major, but the sequence did stand out a little because of it. It still provided the film with some action and comedy, but it didn't quite slot into the film as smoothly as it should have. It's not really a big issue, but it's something that stuck out during both viewings.
In a Nutshell
Superman is a great time, it's as simple as that. Coernswet embodies the red and blue admirably, with great heart and charm, whilst Krypto frequently steals the show as a new fan favourite. It may not hit the dazzling heights we had all hoped for, but it's still an entertaining ride that continues to cement faith in this new DCU project.
4/5
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