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Superman 2025 is Moving Audiences to Tears
Words by Emma A. Walker
Superman (2025) is moving people to tears, it’s not a sad movie by any means it’s just that good. The Superman franchise and characters needs no introduction, something director James Gunn knew having the film begin 3 years into the man of steel’s Superman journey. By skipping some of the rudimentary elements audiences already know like an alien baby sent from krypton, his Smallville upbringing and the beginning of the “clois” relationship, we are catapulted into modern day Metropolis. We are greeted with all the usual suspects and key components of a superman story, characters like Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan), Lex Luthor (Nicholaus Hoult) , and obviously Superman/Clark Kent (David Cornswet). In settings fans are familiar with like the fortress of solitude, the Daily Planet, and even the Kent’s farm. The familiarity is married with Gunn’s fun, unique spin on the unruly Krypto and the Justice Gang, providing a fun balance of comic relief. The key to this film’s success is not trying to re-invent the wheel by creating an unrecognizable superman, it's frankly doing the opposite. The performances in the film feel so incredibly true to each character, specifically Cornswet nails it, as our confident, caring, and inspiring superman. At its heart is possibly the most comic accurate film showcasing what the Superman character represents. Gunn pulled from some of the most discussed superman comics like All-Star Superman (Grant Morrison, Frank Quitely), Superman for All Seasons (Jeph Loeb), Superman Birthright (Mark Waid) and more. Creating a comic in motion and a Superman that's filled to the brim with hope.
Themes in the film include immigration, an incoming war, and tech billionaires' role in politics. These heavier themes are not only incredibly relevant in our current political climate but it’s handled with a balance of comedy and hope providing some much needed belief that good can and should persevere. These elements aren’t just inspired by modern problems, but rather they’ve always been a part of Superman's story. He is literally an alien from another planet and has always championed the oppressed. It’s rather ironic that conservatives are calling the film “woke” when the messaging in the film is to stand up for the people that need it most, and be kind to each other. If they’re aligning themselves on the side of Lex Luthor, the tech billionaire interfering with foreign affairs, they should think about what that says about them rather than hating on a movie that’s messaging is about hope and kindness towards others.
Superman is eliciting an emotional reaction for multiple reasons. For the hardcore fans of the character, it surpassed expectations of a fandom that had become increasingly disappointed in previous Superman iterations. Fans have shared in posts and reviews their reactions: “Now this is the real superman”, “I haven’t felt hope from a superman movie like this in decades” and “I have never cried tears of joy over a superhero film”. It’s a combination of our current political issues being mirrored by the film, and the joy superhero films are supposed to create. Darker, morally gray heroes still exist and they can coexist but Superman is a symbol of hope and always should be. This film single handedly ended superhero fatigue with audiences and we are officially in a new era of the DC comic universe, and the future looks bright thanks to James Gunn.
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