Superman (2025) Review

I don't think its too big to say that this is one of the biggest and most important films to come out in recent memory as a whole Studio really is bargaining on it to launch their new superhero universe that DC hope can finally rival their more successful rival Marvel Studios. I had the chance to see Superman on Friday and I wanted to reflect on the film and now here is my review for the film. The premise of the film sees Superman attempt to prove that he is on Earth for Truth & Justice when Lex Luthor attempts to take him down by any means necessary. 

Main Character

David Corenswet takes over the role as The Man of Steel and he was amazing in this film and truly encapsulates what I imagine Superman to be. He is the most natural successor to Christopher Reeve and he balances the cheesy nature of the character with the more serious and darker elements of the character. I really enjoyed this portrayal of Superman and Cornswet really nailed it here. 

Supporting Characters

Rachel Brosnahan plays Lois Lane and I thought she was also fantastic here. Her chemistry with Corenswet is great and I really believed in their relationship and their dynamic. Though she isn't the main part of the film she gets her time to show her journalistic prowess and she is great in the role.

Nicholas Hoult plays Lex Luthor and honestly this is probably my favourite depiction of the character. Hoult is amazing throughout and you really sense the hatred that he has for Superman and it doesn't come across as silly because of the awesome performance of Hoult. 

We also get The Justice Gang of Mr Terrific played by Edi Gathegi, Green Lantern played by Nathan Fillion and Hawkgirl played by Isabela Merced. They actually played a larger role then I thought they would. I thought Hawkgirl was cool but she has the least to do out of the three. Terrific & Lantern are real standouts here and are amazing additions to the film, this is the best versions of these characters that we have ever seen and they added way more here then I expected. 

This film has a lot of other smaller characters who all do great jobs, especially Pruitt Taylor Vance as Pa Kent who really delivers on his small role here to make it truly memorable. 

Story

The film makes some interesting choices in terms of Superman's story and they were all welcomed by me as I really enjoyed the story. It really focuses on the difference between Superman's Alien nature and his humanity and it does a great job at it. Lex as an antagonist really adds to this story and it just highlights that Superman may be god like but he has issues just like other people. It is a really satisfying narrative and I truly liked it. 

Script

I thought the film was really well written. This film isn't too cheesy but has some really funny moments in it that fits with the idea of the film. It also knows when it can pull on the heart strings and surprisingly it equally does well at this with some great character moments. 

Style

This film has some really entertaining action sequences. Especially the ones involving Superman, Mr Terrific & Green Lantern with some great variety. My only complaint, is that some of the actions CGI isn't that great and really shows the CGI. Also there is a slight pacing issue with the film, it takes a while to get going and drags a small bit in the middle but I am really picking at things now. 

Overall

Overall, Superman is a fantastic Super hero film that had me smiling from ear to ear while I watched it. I love the characters and the universe that James Gunn has built here. It really is worth a watch and is a fantastic start to this universe and it is now down to DC to keep this going. 

Rating - 9/10

Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021) Review

After 4 years, a social media campaign and countless trailers we finally have Zack Snyder's Justice League in all of its 4 hour glory. It is crazy that a social media campaign really convinced Warner Bros to release this film and I am glad after his personal tragedy that Zack Snyder got the chance to make this film they way he wanted. I watched the film today and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees a group of people with remarkable abilities coming together in order to save the world from an ancient evil. 

Main Character

I have always said that I really like Ben Affleck as Batman and I think he is great here. He is back to being a more serious character but you see more clearly here how the character has progressed since the events of Batman V Superman and Affleck does that well. He isn't given a real standout action scene but he is given a consistent amount of decent action and Affleck still has the physicality of Batman to make that seem realistic despite being the only member of the team without powers. Gal Gadot is back as Wonder Woman and I think anybody disappointed by Wonder Woman 1984 will be very happy to see her being a real star here. Gadot is a real glue that holds the heroes together and she does it really well and she really shines in the action scenes, she is the main one who shines in the action scenes and that is a real highlight. 

Supporting Characters

In the original version of Justice League, I thought Ray Fisher did a decent job as Victor Stone/Cyborg but he is so much better here and is easily the best character in the film. He is the real heart of the film and we learn so much more about Victor and the pain that he has and continues to go through in his new form. His role is larger and provides some real depth and delving into his personal life does a great job in telling his narrative. Ezra Miller is Barry Allen/The Flash and he is a fun member of the cast, he is clearly the comic relief of the film but he never becomes too much and unfunny, he has his serious moments but he works well as part of the group and is a nice addition. Jason Momoa is back as Aquaman and he is also a lot of fun here, we get a bit more of his backstory and it does work better here and make him feel like he has some development that links to his solo film. Henry Cavill is also back as Superman and he is okay, honestly he isn't in this film that much but he has some really standout moments and though he is less charming then he was in the theatrical cut he is still good here. The real surprise though is Ciaran Hinds as Steppenwolf. In the theatrical cut he was such a dull villain but here is a terrifying physical presence that has an interesting character arc and he was a great opposition for the Justice League here. 

Story 

The overall story isn't too different to the theatrical cut but it is handled much better here. The characters are just given way more development time here and it does make you care about them and the way they develop as a group. The film has a much larger scale and for the most part it does work, it doesn't feel too shoehorned in and fits the overall feel of the film and what could have been the future of the DCEU. 

Script

The script is good, there is plenty of drama here and we see the characters go through some things that especially with the longer runtime makes you care. There is also humour sprinkled in here mainly from Miller, Momoa and Jeremy Irons as Alfred which does lighten the film at times when it very much needs it. 

Style 

The one thing you can say about Zack Snyder is that he makes great looking films and this is another one of them. The action scenes are great and filmed really well to really encapsulate the epic nature of the characters and the film that we are seeing. Now the one major glaring issue is that this film is 4 hours long and it really shouldn't be, I appreciate the majority of the new content but there are clear parts of the film that could have been cut and it would have provided a better pacing, 3 hours is surely long enough, Avengers Endgame did it and I think this film could have done it. 

Overall

Overall, this is a fantastic film and a Fantastic experience. This is a much improved version of Justice League and what it does is make me want to see more of Snyder's vision for the DCEU. 4 hours is a big commitment so I think only fans will do it but I would say give it a chance, it is a lot of fun. 

Rating - 9/10

Superman (1978) Review

So today is July 4th and for me there is no other character in film history that makes me think of America is that of Superman, more specifically Christopher Reeve's Superman. So to honour the day I thought I would watch and review his first film in the role - Superman. The premise of the film sees a young alien sent to Earth from his dying planet Krypton, he becomes their first superhero as Superman.

Main Character

So as mentioned Christopher Reeve plays Superman and he is perfect for the role at this time. I love his difference between Clark Kent and Superman, as Clarke he is this bumbling and timid reporter, whereas as Superman he is charming, charismatic and heroic. It's similar to Christian Bale's Batman as this feels like two completley different performances and they both hit the mark fantastically. Plus if you get someone who just looks like Superman then Reeve is perfect and I love his rendition of the character. 

Supporting Characters

The great Marlon Brando plays Jor-El and even though he doesn't know how to say the word Krypton he is great here. He just brings his star power and charisma to the role and even though he isn't in the film long he is very memorable here. Gene Hackman is here as Lex Luthor and he is on the right side of being cheesy and maniacal, he is over the top but he pulls it off and it makes him a fun villain and antagonist for Superman here. Margot Kidder plays Lois Lane and I thought she worked for this role, I thought her and Reeve had good chemistry and it made it a nice duo in this film. 

Story

The story is good here, seeing this man having to choose to show off his powers is well handled and I liked how the reporter link is used to get him out into the public. But I must be honest Lex Luthor's plot is hilarious in this film, it makes no sense and it just feels like he is being a bad guy for being a bad guy's sakes, also the ending of the film is quite abrupt and feels very easy for Superman. 

Script

The script is very of it's time, it is cheesy and over the top but it works to a certain extent. It is not great but it does enough. There isn't anything particularly memorable which holds it back from it being a truly memorable script.

Style

Now the style of this film is pretty iconic, the suit is perfect, seeing him fly is great and my goodness the John Williams score is breathtaking and possibly the greatest ever made. But this film hasn't held up that great, it amazes me that this film came out roughly the same time as Star Wars as the effects are nowhere near that level. Plus this film's first act is a bit slow and it takes an hour for us to even see Superman in all of his glory. 

Overall

Overall, this is an iconic film. It does a good job and still holds up in some elements, but if you haven't seen the film then unless you are a Superman fan then maybe this might not be for you.

Rating - 7/10

Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice (2016) Review

After watching Man Of Steel I knew I was coming to this film, I remember when this film was announced and I must say this had to be one of the most anticipated films of all time as it finally saw Batman and Superman on screen together, so here is my review for Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice. The premise of the film sees after the destruction Of Metropolis in Man Of Steel, Bruce Wayne comes out of retirement as Batman and decides he must take down Superman, while Lex Luthor comes up with his plan to manipulate both of the heroes. 

Main Character

Ben Affleck was cast as Bruce Wayne/Batman for this film and I thought he did a brilliant job, he totally owns the role of Batman in this film and for me maybe even became my favourite Batman in this film. Even though his motivations are harsh I totally understood where he came from and why he felt the need to do the things he does. He is also fantastic in the action scenes and is easily the best Batman in terms of action that we have ever seen. Henry Cavill reprises his role as Superman and I was really disappointed with his character in this film, Cavill tries but you can tell Zack Synder cared more about Batman and basically saw Superman as a side attraction. His character doesn't have as much to do and you don't get a fair amount of a story compared to Batman and I wish he had been better treated after Man Of Steel.

Supporting Characters

Jeremy Irons plays Alfred in this film and I thought he nailed it in the film, he is a more hardcore and militarised version of the character and his relationship with Affleck is really well handled and I thought they had great chemistry. Diane Lane and Laurence Fishburne has smaller roles in the film and they add some real humans in the film which was nice to see, but the rest of the characters didn't really work. I liked Amy Adams in Man Of Steel but I thought she was poorly used in this film, her whole side plot is incredibly mundaine and it feels like she was more of a damsel in distress whch didn't suit her character. Gal Gadot makes her first appearance as Wonder Woman and she is fine in the film, the issue I had was that her character didn't need to be in the film and felt a bit out of place. Then we get to the performance that really annoyed me and that is Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor, he is just an over the top joke of a character. The character of Lex Luthor is a commanding intelligent presence but this version is an awkward, socially inept character that feels out of place in this pretty serious film. 

Story

The story involving everything to do with Batman is interesting, he gets the time to shine and the interesting motivations in the film, making everything he does the best part of the film. But everything to do with Superman wasn't very interesting at all and dragged the movie down, plus the Luthor's plot is insane and literally makes no sense at all. But the worst part is that this film tries to do so much with its story that it tries to set up future films to the detriment of the story, it reminds me of Iron Man 2 in that it has greater moments but is just really unfocused and all over the place, plus the ending of the film felt like a cheap move that didn't quite work for me. 

Script

Again like the other parts of the film the drama involving Batman works in the film, mainly because he is known for being a darker character, I know I said I liked the tone of Man Of Steel but I thought the Superman in this film would be a bit more hopeful but he is probably more depressing in this film then he was in the first film. Also this film tried humour with Lex Luthor and it really doesn't work, as I said earlier he feels like he is in a different film and it doesn't work. 

Style

The one thing I will say about this film is that the film's style looks incredible, the action scenes are brilliant. The fight between Batman and Superman is handled in a really great way and it involves easily the greatest Batman action scene in any movie ever, plus this film has my favourite Batman suit in it. Yes this film has over the top action scenes compared to other Batman films but it works for this film and feels appropriate for what we are watching. 

Overall

Overall, this is a very disappointing film, it has its moments of utter quality in it but the best way I can describe it is an enjoyable mess. For me if you are a fan of Batman then this film is worth a watch but other then that it may not be exactly a film to rush to watch.

Rating - 6/10 

Man Of Steel (2013) Review 

With Zack Snyder hosting a watchalong tomorrow and Justice League coming to Netflix next week I decided it was about time to catch up on my DCEU films starting with the Superman origin film Man Of Steel. The premise of the film sees a young man who finds out he is an alien with special powers as he must stop members of his race from destroying his new home of Earth. 

Main Character

Henry Cavill plays Kal El/Superman and I think he is great in the role, to start off he really looks the part as Superman, he is very believable in the role and does a great job. Through flashbak scenes and his cureent day story you see his character really develop, I think the issue in the past is that Superman has been seen as above humans which makes him hard to root for and that is here but he just feels more human. He seems to be on the back foot for the majority of the film and as it's his first days on the job he struggles throughout which helps build his character.

Supporting Characters

This film has a legit supporting characters, Amy Adams plays Lois Lane in the film and I thought she did a good job, she is a pretty strong independent character and her relationship with Superman feels more mature then the average comic book romances and feels appropriate for this film. Michael Shannon plays General Zod and he was a great villain in this film, he is menacing and strong but also has interesting motivations that made him a memorable villain for me. Laurence Fishburne, Kevin Costner & Russell Crowe have smaller but memorable roles and really add something to the film.

Story

The story is a really interesting origin story for Superman, it looks at how the world would really react to a superbeing if they came to Earth in an effective way. The flashbacks documenting his earlier life do a great job of fleshing this part of the story and really adding dome emotion to the characters and the film. The characters motivation's are all well done and as mentioned seeing the average person react to Superman this way is really something we haven't seen before. Now there is something that happens towards the end of the film that has proven controversial amongst the fandom but I thought it reall worked effectively if you accept this is a new type of Superman for a new generation.

Script

The script has some great drama in it, it deals with things in a more complicated way then you would accept in a Superman film but it works very well. Though I will say this film is incredibly somber, there is pretty much no humour at all which feels weird in a Superman film and sometimes the dialogue is a bit rigid but overall it does a decent job.

Style

This film's style is the most action packed of any Superman film ever, the action scenes are really exciting and fit the God like characters really well, there is plenty of destruction but it fits the story well and can lead to stories in the future. 

Overall

Overall, this is a fantastic origin film, it takes Superman in a different direction and does a great job in setting up a future for the character. 

Rating - 9/10