Superman (2025)

⭐8/10

My latest foray into the superhero slop fest! I know this genre has really died down, but it's funny to me how this isn't even the latest superhero movie to come out. They are still trying very hard to keep the slop flowing! 

Honestly if it wasn't for my years of investment into this specific superhero, painful hours with my new girlfriend trying to show enthusiasm for the fourteenth episode of Lana and Clark switching bodies, I don't think this movie would have meant anything to me. But I thought this was a super faithful adaptation of the Superman IP. It's corny! It's campy! It is all very silly and lighthearted, but the central message is clear: Clark is a good person. 

I loved the introduced premise in this movie, obviously one that has massive parallels to today. If there is a person with all the power in the world, how would you go about solving the various world conflicts? There are obviously complexities, and I don't exactly think this was the most in-depth think peice. But it doesn't have to be! If you are good and have a conscience, you protect the vulnerable and stand up to bullies. 

I think that's the beauty of Superman and the lesson Zach Snyder completely fails to understand. Clark is a good person, raised by plain, good-natured country folk, and when you put that on a grand scale, it looks like Superman saving squirrels and waiting for dogs to finish peeing before you save them. It's a simple lesson, and crazy that it took so long to make a movie that reflects that. 

I still wouldn't really call this a great movie though. It's full of plot holes, and all a little dumb. I will say that the Marvel-y humour worked for me here more often than not. It also just didn't always look great which was surprising for something of this scope and budget. But the music was good, it was a fun watch, and probably something worth 2 hours of your time. 

Good stuff. I do also appreciate this movie taking on a super relevant, controversial, politically-charged issue without really holding back. I mean they could have just named the villain Netanyahu. Speaking of which, what a year Isabela Merced, filling out the liberal bingo card by killing him and being in Last of Us in the same year!