Exploring ‘Superman’: Beaming like a dawn that’s here to stay

"Superman", the first film in the rather promising new DC Cinematic Universe reboot, is above all a callback to the good old days. Its director, James Gunn, who is also navigating the new DC terrain alongside Peter Safran, delivers a movie rooted in the heart and essence of the comic books we grew up reading, and true to his words, especially "Superman: Birthright", "All-Star Superman", and "Superman for All Seasons". On top of that, Clark Kent's look and sensibilities in the movie are so unapologetically canonical that they conjure comforting whiffs of growing up watching "Smallville" and the iconic animated series "Justice League Unlimited". Having acknowledged as much, I will abstain from comparing it to the previous iteration of DC, which Zack Snyder helmed for the most part. There is simply no point in dredging up past committed creative choices that were transparently communicated and developed, while they lasted.  

The garnish of superheroic elements aside, Gunn's "Superman" duly symbolises standing for an oppressed nation (Jarhanpur) on the verge of being occupied by the tyrannical ruler of Boravia. Granted, it is a smaller component of a larger scheme puppeteered by Superman's most popular archnemesis, Lex Luthor, to stop the titular "illegal immigrant" — but a white filmmaker tossing in a storyline that mirrors Israel's occupation of Palestinian territory, in a film poised to reach nearly all of America, and beyond, deserves a bow. The powerful instant of a small boy from Jarhanpur picking up a makeshift flag with Superman's emblem, believing the superhero will save him, mirrors how much of the world longs for Palestinians to be freed. Gunn, however, is reported to have stated to The Times of London that the script was written before October 7, 2023 — the day of the Palestinian group Hamas's surprise attack on Israel, followed by Israel's sustained aggression on Palestinian territories since then. Therefore, this subplot's narrative would have felt more meaningful had it been intentionally written in. So how much of that bow the makers are deserving of remains a big question.

The film poignantly touches upon US President Donald Trump's immigration and deportation crackdown by stripping hundreds of thousands of immigrants of legal status. Gunn unflinchingly admitted to this factor amid the myriad of interviews he has sat for. The crackdowns, resulting in undisguised hostility, as per news reports and video and pictorial evidence, are about as pronounced as reports and visual media coming in from the genocide taking place in Gaza. Yet, the director committed to one claim, the former safer option, contrary to the latter, riskier one. In the film, when Malik "Mali" Ali (played by Dinesh Thyagarajan) selflessly backs Superman while at death's door himself, the moment not only highlights the inherent goodness and simplicity of immigrant workers but also illustrates a hardworking man who stands for righteousness. Atrociously enough, the moment pinpoints how immigrants easily become one of the more vulnerable victims of deliberate wrongdoers. 

Right off the bat, the narrative of the consequences of Superman saving the people of Jarhanpur is set, as are the lived-in players. Writers James Gunn, Jerry Siegel, and Joe Shuster waste zero time diving into origin stories, and the film is better for it. The overall story, wrapped up in the all-too-familiar cat-and-mouse chase between Superman and Lex Luthor, subtly nudges characters in place and introduces establishments that affirm DC's groundwork for the foreseeable future. These include minute components — like reintroducing the logical reasoning behind Clark's hypno-glasses, casually alluding to Superman's and the other mutants' drastically different ways of dealing with bad fellas, and Superman saving the life of a single squirrel while on the job of saving Metropolis, to name a few. Refreshingly, The Daily Planet and its employees finally play a vital role in a live-action rendition of "Superman", after what feels like too long.

I first saw David Corenswet when I chanced upon Netflix's "Hollywood" and "The Politician" series, back in 2020. His piercing blue eyes and squared-off jaw, among other sharp facial features, instantly reminded me of Henry Cavill, and I really thought he could one day play Superman. Today, he is Superman. Sure, an actor embodying the Man of Steel needs to exude a certain form of disarming charm, as he does. Then again, over time, I've also observed that genuine fanboys often make for great superhero casting, and Corenswet ticks off that unofficial requirement as well. He has come a long way — from voicing interest in playing Superman early in his career to now representing the new DC Universe as its face — and he hits the nail on the head with his performance. Remarkably, Corenswet's ability to switch his voice and demeanour between Clark and Superman hasn't been portrayed in a film so diversely since Christopher Reeve's portrayal.

Corenswet's chemistry with Nicholas Hoult (Lex) takes the cake, even surpassing that with Rachel Brosnahan (Lois Lane), and this significantly bolsters the film's promise to stay true to the source materials. Hoult, embodying Lex's maniacal obsession with showing Superman his place, hits closest to the Lex in "Justice League Unlimited". Both Hoult and Brosnahan portray their characters to the nines, making for the perfect addition to the film centred around them. Krypto the Superdog, who finally makes his grand live-action debut on the big screen, steals the show for pet lovers everywhere. He symbolises Gunn's enduring affection for animals, especially his own pet Ozu, who plays Krypto. Of the other mutants, Edi Gathegi as Mr Terrific grabs triumphant attention as a character rarely explored in live-action, and Nathan Fillion taking on the role of the eccentric Green Lantern, Guy Gardner, is nothing short of hilariously well-placed. Although I must admit that, as an impassioned Hawkgirl fan myself, I am still awaiting a fleshed-out adaptation of her for the silver screen.

I didn't think Gunn had it in him to tone down his penchant for narrative silliness, so amply sprinkled throughout the "Guardians of the Galaxy" trilogy, "The Suicide Squad", and "Peacemaker", but he outdoes himself. He puts forth scathing realities serving as grounded breathers in his otherwise pacy film: The flagrantly stupefied way in which Lex's team operates Ultraman—like desensitised gamers ruthlessly attacking an opponent—and the enslavement of technologically advanced monkeys to spearhead and disseminate his hate propaganda on social media can be interpreted as a commentary on how haters unleash loathing on public figures simply because they can. The debate of whether metahumans should engage with world politics is also tactfully underscored for future world-building gears within DC's cinematic universe. Most amusingly yet judiciously, the story takes a seemingly superficial female character (Eve Teschmacher, played by Sara Sampaio) and proves that she isn't someone ineffectual. Eve knows the game and the stakes of being close to Lex with an unmistakable way out, and she most certainly deserves better than the true-to-form popular flirt Jimmy Olsen. 

Aside from the effectively chosen songs from existing artists—a quality Gunn seems to have a knack for—the instrumentals did not hit. I believe DC could have partnered with a musician as powerful as Hans Zimmer, if not Zimmer himself. The extended interior inside the artificial pocket universe that Lex created to imprison prisoners, while enslaving otherworldly aliens for himself, looks an awful lot like the diverse planets belonging to the MCU, particularly Gunn's "Guardians of the Galaxy" trilogy. Hence, a lot more emphasis should certainly have been placed on differentiating the visual effects from those of other existing superhero worlds. All things considered, the first movie of the new DC cinematic universe soars, like the Big Blue Boy Scout himself, only to peter out into the distance. However, it instils radiant hope within us, like a successful film that lingers long after one is done watching it. Hopefully, more of the Justice League members will swoop in to repeatedly reappear alongside him just in time for all of us.

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