It’s a bird. It’s a plane. It’s not like other ‘Superman’ films

With a K9 sidekick, a sense of humor, and a Man of Steel who says “dude,” 2025’s “Superman” might not be the Superman you expect, or even want. But for our modern times, it’s the “Superman” we all need.

Don’t expect another origin story in the latest version of "Superman," which opens in U.S. theaters Friday.

After 87 years with Superman as a household name, we know about the doomed planet Krypton, Clark Kent growing up on a Kansas farm, Lois Lane, and how glasses can be a convincing disguise.

Audiences are now accustomed to superhero movies after nearly two decades of Marvel dominating Hollywood.

Filmmaker James Gunn, who wrote and directed 2025’s “Superman,” appears to be well aware of these facts. He was tasked to find a way to make Superman a fresh experience for audiences and has produced a Man of Tomorrow — a film apt to kickstart a long sought after (successful) DC cinematic universe.

“Superman” immediately drops you into a city that isn’t surprised to see a man with a red cape flying around. A giant fire-breathing dragon is just the sort of thing that wanders into Metropolis.

This allows the movie to simply be an adventure without forcing audiences to buy in to yet another superhero pitch. This is another chapter in the life of Clark Kent, who we already know — a mild-mannered reporter who sneaks away to save the day, but finds out that things can get complicated, fast.

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With this approach, Gunn has delivered a surprising experience with Superman that can overcome superhero fatigue and give DC Comics a chance to compete with Marvel on the big screen. Even the score to the film feels familiar, yet new.

This should come as no surprise to fans. Gunn managed to turn the Guardians of the Galaxy into three of Marvel’s more popular movies (a superhero team that practically nobody knew about outside of hardcore comic book nerds).

He did the same when he turned another niche character, Peacemaker, into a successful streaming series. Each time, his recipe involved a self-aware brand of humor and stellar soundtracks.

Gunn does something similar with “Superman.” Expect plenty of laughs.

A different kind of Superman

The movie begins shortly after Superman (played by David Corenswet) is severely injured in battle. It’s the first hint that this Superman isn’t the god-like figure many expect.

The story focuses on the classic rivalry between Superman and evil genius Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult). Luthor uses all his smarts and corporate might to not only beat down Superman, but to smear his reputation, and influence public opinion for personal gain.

He does this with the help of super villains, corrupt politics, and sci-fi mayhem.

Superman fights back with the help of some super friends, Krypto the super dog, and some journalist moxie (thanks to Lois Lane played by Rachel Brosnahan and Jimmy Olsen played by Skyler Gisondo).

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And yes, Krypto the super pup is indeed in this movie. It’s not a character many would expect in a live-action comic book movie, but somehow it doesn’t come off as cheesy as it sounds.

That’s what this movie excels at — using characters that hardcore fans will know, but movie audiences will be unfamiliar with.

Hawkgirl, Cat Grant, Steve Lombard — there are a range of characters that show up without any introduction. They simply weave right into the film, because again, this isn’t an origin story that has to explain who, what, when, and where.

Another good example is Mister Terrific, who film audiences likely won’t recognize, but comic fans will be excited to see (after this movie, however, audiences will be asking for a lot more of Mister Terrific).

There’s also a Green Lantern in this movie. Hal Jordan? No. John Stewart? Nope. It’s Guy Gardner, a brash lantern few would expect to land in a live action film (based on his haircut alone). Nathan Fillion pulls off this role with comedic flare.

Audiences have not seen this version of Lex Luthor before, either. The Luthor in “Superman” is as evil and murderous as he is smart.

Audiences also haven’t seen a Superman like this, who despite having great power, still struggles to win the day. The result is a Superman story that feels personal, adventurous, fun, and emotional.

“Superman” also taps into comic book lore that has been largely ignored in other films. Much of the sci-fi spectacle comes from the 1980s and '90s era of Superman comics.

This material could be jarring to movie audiences who are only familiar with Superman as a boy scout / Christ figure who doesn’t use robot servants to keep the Fortress of Solitude tidy.

This Superman persona is also closer to his 1938 roots as a brawny do-gooder willing to rough up corrupt politicians (this original Superman also destroyed factories that didn’t respect workers and beat up husbands who abused their wives).

“Superman” can be watched at a surface level as a simple funny, adventurous, sci-fi ride for a couple hours. But “Superman” can also be viewed with some depth.

Throughout Superman’s history in comic books, radio, TV, and film, his moral compass has remained constant. At times, opening a comic book was like opening a mirror to society.

Gunn’s “Superman” doesn’t hit you over the head with such a mirror. But like all good speculative fiction, there are subtle metaphors.

“Superman” explores themes of xenophobia, online lifestyles, and influential rage media that masquerades as news. This will entice film and literary nerds who love saying things like, “I appreciated the metaphor” at parties filled with MFAs.

We can expect that there will be debates over whether Corenswet can truly carry the weight of Superman. Perhaps some fans won’t like this cinematic take on the comic book material.

These arguments, however, won’t be able to stop the success of “Superman.” After decades of movies that never truly evolved the character, Gunn has managed to transport Superman’s moral compass to our era and make it palatable for modern viewers. This is a Superman that 2025 can relate to.

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It’s also a “Superman” movie that DC desperately needs. Despite being home to some of the biggest superhero names (Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, etc.), this comic book company has struggled to succeed on the big screen.

Sure, DC has had some super wins, but its movies are more known for being super bad. Even the recent films helmed by filmmaker Zack Snyder proved to be more niche and divisive than widely appealing.

DC needed a movie that large audiences could enjoy. That’s why the comic book company brought in Gunn, with the hope he could deliver a hit with mass appeal. He has.

This is DC’s best opportunity to establish a cinematic universe that audiences can get excited about, and perhaps even rival Marvel’s movie dominance.

“Superman”

4/5 stars

Screen or stream? Screen. Go see this movie in the theaters so you can cheer, applaud, and laugh alongside everyone else.

Rated PG-13: There is the usual comic book fighting, but there’s also some swearing and even murder.

Good for kids? Yes. Aside from the mature content mentioned above, there is plenty here for family fun. Parents, however, should be warned that kids will insist upon adopting a dog after watching the movie.