By Claire McCullough
Throughout the late 2000s and 2010s, D.C. Studios had been on a downhill slide compared to their competition.
The characters and story lacking depth that was once present in their original comic book forms is partially to blame, and no character demonstrates this shallowness more than Superman. D.C. and thus, the public had ultimately forgotten the heart of the Superman comic books.
Since his origin, Superman represents the struggles of immigrants. Though Superman does not wear a mask, he’s recognized as two different people in the same world. In Superman (1978), he’s the all-American mild-mannered reporter, Clark Kent, who left his home in Smallville, Kansas for the big city of Metropolis to become a journalist.
In Superman II (1980), he tries to embrace his Kryptonian culture while simultaneously trying to do what he believes is best only to receive mixed reception. Superman’s story has always been about hope. Hope to be accepted, hope not to hide and hope to be the best version of yourself.
James Gunn’s Superman revives that old soul. Superman is adored until he intersects himself into foreign and the public together learn, via Lex Luthor, that Superman’s parents originally sent him to earth to reign as a dictator.
Superman had no knowledge of his parents’ true intentions, but the unknowing public turns against him. The plot point mimics the xenophobia people still experience about immigrants today. Comforted by his adoptive parents Martha and Johnathan Kent, who teach Clark that he gets to choose his path, and that no matter what his birth parents intended, he is fulfilling his own purpose through his dedicated heroism over Metropolis.
Gunn includes many characters from the D.C. comic book universe such as Guy Gardener (Green Lantern), Halkwoman, Mr. Terrific, Metamorpho, Krypto and Lex Luthor. The film already has Clark and Lois established as a couple, so the story avoids the stereotypical drawn-out romantic tension present in many superhero movies.
The film is quite humorous compared to many other D.C. movies. Despite the Kents being the emotional climax, they were only ever in the film two times before, so the buildup feels slightly underwhelming. However, that seems to be the film’s only glaring problem.
Gunn’s inclusion of characters from the wider D.C. universe implies the possibilities of stories of their own in the future as the film only scratches the surface of these other characters. Superman (2025) may just signify D.C.’s first steps back to their characters and worlds complex roots.
The positive reception of “The Batman” (2022) and now Superman signals the hopeful beginning of a new D.C. cinematic universe that strives for the whole and not the hallow of the chaxracters and the worlds.
