reviews and meta
A rambly review of the new Superman movie (with spoilers!)
Introduction & Expectations
Okay, so I want to preface this by saying that I’ve only watched Superman once. Even though it’s been hours and I’ve thought a lot about what I want to say, it was still just one viewing, so there might be details I missed or misinterpreted. And obviously, this is just my opinion. A casual review, I guess.
I also only watched the trailer one time a few weeks ago, but I’d seen people posting about it, getting super excited. I saw the initial reactions, everyone was so pleased with it, praising it so much, so I had high expectations going in. And I feel like that might be part of why I ended up feeling… a little disappointed? I liked the movie, I enjoyed watching it. I think it’s fine. It’s okay. Honestly, it’s better than most superhero movies that have come out recently, and way better than the DCEU’s version of Superman. But it wasn’t anything extraordinary or amazing, it didn’t wow me.
Also, since I study sociology and I’m really into political philosophy, the politics in the movie were super interesting to me. That aspect might matter more to me than to some other people. A lot of viewers probably just enjoyed the action scenes and the drama, and that’s totally valid, but I was most invested in the characters’ relationships and in analyzing how the politics were written.
I also know there have been a bunch of Superman adaptations recently, My Adventures with Superman, Krypton, Clark and Lois, so I’m curious how those compare to this movie. If you’ve seen any of them, I’d love to hear your thoughts.
What I Liked
Anyway, I thought I’d start with what I enjoyed the most.
First of all, I love Lois and Mr. Terrific. They’re probably my favorite characters in the entire movie, and their interactions were amazing. I also found Krypto really cute. Making a dog, an animal, a secondary protagonist was an interesting choice, and I liked it, though I do wish Krypto had fewer scenes. The bit where Superman calls for him every time he’s in trouble got a little repetitive.
I thought the acting in general was solid. Clark’s actor totally delivered. And the casting of Luthor was fantastic. I hated him as a character, but I loved the acting. Actually, I really liked that I hated him. At first, I even started shipping him with Superman because he’s so obsessed with him, but Luthor was so horrible that eventually I just couldn’t. I want to write a Superman/Luthor slash fic based on this movie someday, but for Clark to actually end up with Luthor, I’d have to either change the plot completely or make it a really dark fic… so probably not doing that anytime soon.
I liked that Luthor was aware of his own envy. And even though I heavily disagree with him, he kind of had a point about how if people rely on Superman too much, technological progress might stagnate, and society could shift in unhealthy ways. We might end up in a My Hero Academia-type situation, where people expect heroes to do everything and stop taking responsibility for their own communities. And yeah, we as the audience know Superman is good and his intentions are pure and noble, but people in-universe don’t know that. What if one day he wakes up and decides to take over the world? Obviously, that doesn’t justify trying to kill him or literally anything else Luthor does, but it’s still a valid fear to explore.
Oh, and I thought the cloning subplot was funny. Cheeky comic reference? A hint at a future Kon appearance? I’m down.
My favorite scene was probably when Lois was interviewing Clark as Superman in their home. Their back-and-forth and chemistry were fantastic, and just overall, their relationship was really well done. I also loved the scene where the Justice Gang was fighting a giant jellyfish while Lois and Clark were having a serious heart-to-heart. It started out funny, and then when the conversation got serious, the camera kind of stopped focusing on the jellyfish, but it was still there in the background. I really liked the contrast between this chaotic superhero fight and the emotional conversation, it was such a cool way to frame the scene.
And I really liked that Clark and Lois hugged instead of kissing after that conversation. Kissing is usually framed as an exclusively romantic gesture in our culture, so I think the hug was meant to show that they care about each other not just romantically, but also as friends and partners. I thought that was such a sweet and symbolic choice. A hug honestly worked better there than a kiss.
I liked the scene where Clark talks to Pa Kent. When I was watching it, I thought, “Oh, that’s cute,” but also, “Wow, this is actually combating some toxic masculinity ideas.” They hugged and had a genuine emotional conversation and I liked that. I liked the message that you’re more than just your parents’ expectations, that your path isn’t determined by your upbringing, and that your chosen family really matters.
I liked how the movie tackled the subject of superheroes in society, both in big and small ways. You had world leaders debating what to do with metahumans, but then you also had scenes where people saw a huge battle happening and just carried on with their day, because stuff like that happens all the time. I loved those little touches, they really helped build a believable world where superhero chaos is normalized.
And the easter eggs! I loved them. The Jitters coffee shop, Stagg Industries, the road sign pointing to Gotham, it all made the world feel more real and connected. It felt lived-in.
I liked Supergirl at the end, I think that was a reference to Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, and I’m really curious what they’re planning to do with her in future movies.
I think the overall message, about hope, doing good, and believing in people, was also important. The punk rock scene stood out to me because it didn’t mock punk like a lot of media tends to. And honestly, to do real mutual aid, which I think is super important in the current political climate, you kind of have to trust people and believe in goodness and community and just genuinely want to help. So I appreciated that message a lot.
I also wanted to talk about the Justice Gang. Obviously, I’m most into Batman comics, so I don’t know much about Green Lantern, Hawkgirl, or Mr. Terrific. If you’ve read their comics, I’d love to hear your thoughts! I’ve recently seen some posts about Guy Gardner on my dash and I’d really like to know how much his portrayal in the movie was comic accurate and whether his fans liked how he was handled there.
Like I said earlier, I really liked Mr. Terrific. He’s probably my favorite character overall.
When it comes to Hawkgirl, though, that’s where one of my criticisms comes in. Mr. Terrific had a big role in helping save Superman alongside Lois. Green Lantern had a distinct personality, some solid quips, and generally more screen time. But Hawkgirl? She kind of felt like she was just there. They were all supposed to be on the same team, but other than killing the head of state of Boravia, I’m not sure she did much else. So that’s something I wonder about. Also, speaking of that moment, does Hawkgirl kill in the comics? Is that in-character for her? And are the teams she’s affiliated with (or the ones Mr. Terrific and Guy Gardner are part of) generally okay with killing? I’m just curious, especially as a Jason Todd fan.
Another thing I’ve been wondering is why James Gunn chose these three characters specifically - Guy Gardner, Mr. Terrific, and Hawkgirl - and put them on a team together. It feels like an unusual combination. I’d love to hear from fans of those characters or maybe see an interview where Gunn explains his reasoning, because it’s definitely an interesting choice.
And while we’re on the topic of Hawkgirl, I also wanted to bring up Eve and, more broadly, how Gunn handled the women in this movie. Lois was great. Hawkgirl and Ma Kent could have had more to do, but they were fine. Eve, though… okay. I actually really liked that she hid important information in her selfies, it showed she wasn’t just airheaded, but smart and resourceful. That was a great detail. But I feel like her general manner was exaggerated in a way that was clearly meant to be annoying. Like, the audience was supposed to be on Perry’s side and go, “Yeah, I wouldn’t want to date her either.” And I didn’t like that. It felt like yet another example of the media mocking women who care about how they look or who enjoy traditionally feminine things. So yeah, I liked that she was clever, but I didn’t like how much the movie leaned into that stereotypical “dumb blonde in pink” trope, the idea that a woman who dresses a certain way must be vain, shallow, clingy, or stupid.
Politics & Themes
Anyway, the politics. If I had to describe it in one sentence, it would be: “very American liberal.” I liked that it tried to be progressive, it wasn’t apolitical or right-wing, which I appreciate. I saw very clear parallels to what’s happening today: Luthor as an evil billionaire, the U.S. government invading another country to steal resources, billionaires aligning with foreign powers because they care more about profit and personal interests (in this case, killing Superman). Then there was the monkey troll farm, and the pocket-dimensional prison where people were illegally detained at the request of various parties, it all felt topical, interesting, and important.
Especially with Gunn outright calling Superman an immigrant, and then showing the violence of his arrest, the way they tortured and mistreated him, all under the guise of “protecting America”, in a movie released during the ongoing wave of violent ICE raids and abuses… I think portraying that was a bold move, and I support it.
But I mean, it’s a superhero movie made for American audiences, so I kind of get it.
Okay, now the big thing: Superman intervening in foreign affairs. One man, no oversight, making global-impact decisions. That’s… a lot.
I liked how he was characterized. He just genuinely wants to do good, stop a war, save lives. For him, saving people is more important than politics or the long-term consequences of his actions. And I liked that the film was in conversation with other superhero stories, like Captain America: Civil War and some of the more recent comics, which ask how much authority superheroes or vigilantes should actually have.
However, I didn’t really like how the war plot was handled. It was super straightforward, oversimplified, and kind of hammered the point into your head.
I know why they made up fictional nations, but I keep wondering what they’re actually meant to represent. Boravia is obviously coded as vaguely Eastern European, fine. But what is Jarhanpur supposed to be? The name doesn’t sound Eastern European, and the country is shown to have a lot of darker-skinned people, which would be rare in most actual Eastern European nations (like, say, Poland, which is like 90% white). There's also this layer of “exoticism”, they're shown fighting with “primitive” weaponry, which made me wonder: is Gunn trying to blend aspects of the Russian-Ukraine conflict with elements of Palestine or other Middle Eastern countries? Those are two very different geopolitical conflicts, with distinct histories, causes, and cultures and mixing them wasn't a good idea. But the ambiguity kind of points that way.
That said, I also think the Boravia/Jarhanpur conflict wasn’t supposed to be a direct allegory at all. It feels more like a generic “foreign conflict” backdrop rather than any specific one. It’s barely explored in depth, just a simplified narrative device to show Superman doing something controversial that pits him against the U.S. government. Like, a U.S.-friendly dictator being backed by American money and interests? That’s very real and very common. Same with the imagery of invading a poorer country with less advanced technology. But they keep it so vague that it could be a parallel to a lot of real-world conflicts just because of that lack of specificity.
They even talk about Jarhanpur having an oppressive government, but we never learn anything about that government, or even see the people of Jarhanpur actually resisting or fighting back. They’re just kind of passive victims, which tends to happen when a movie doesn’t want to complicate the hero narrative. It’s frustrating, because showing them doing something would make them feel more like real people with agency.
I think Gunn wasn’t really interested in exploring a realistic political conflict between nations. What he was interested in was using the setup as a way to stage a clash between Superman and Luthor with Luthor acting as a proxy for state power, or representing the political status quo. I think he was trying to tell a universal story about power, interference, and moral responsibility, and I’m pretty sure he even said something along those lines in an interview. And that’s fair! But I still have mixed feelings about the way this “universalizing” approach flattens out real-world nuance. Especially now, in the current political climate, oversimplifying these dynamics feels… off. Not necessarily malicious, just clumsy.
And while we’re talking about Boravia, I have mixed feelings about the way the Boravian leader was portrayed. On one hand, I liked that they showed him as incompetent and ridiculous, it parodies the self-important image tyrants often try to present, and honestly, a lot of world leaders are clowns. But on the other hand, it also felt like it was minimizing the seriousness of real-world political conflicts and the serious impact those tyrannical leaders and their decisions have on the lives of thousands of people. Like, yeah, it’s a satire, but if you’re drawing parallels to real situations, it can come off as flippant. So again, mixed thoughts.
And one of the themes that stood out to me immediately in the movie was imperialism. The scene where people are chanting “Superman” and waving the Superman flag honestly illustrates it perfectly. I really recommend reading the short essay “The Imperial Superhero” and watching Princess Weekes’ video about how sci-fi can’t get rid of its white savior problem. Because yeah, this movie does not critique that trope at all. It’s basically like: what if one white man from America swoops in and saves those poor, primitive people from a tyrannical (vaguely Soviet) government? Wouldn’t that be great! /sarcasm
I really didn’t like how that was handled. And since it was such a central part of the story, it seriously affected how I felt about the movie overall.
And then there’s the question of what Superman actually does in this war. On one hand, yeah, great, he stops an invasion and prevents what was pretty clearly heading toward genocide. That’s obviously a good thing. But on the other hand, both of the major superhero interventions in the film feel very temporary. They stop this one war, this one villain, but the larger political systems, the imperialist motivations, the arms deals, the propaganda machines, are all still there. The conditions that led to the invasion in the first place haven’t really changed. So what now? Are superheroes just going to hang around indefinitely, trying to enforce peace? Is that the new status quo? The movie doesn’t seem interested in exploring that kind of follow-up, it’s just like, “Yay, Superman stopped the bad guys!” and then the credits roll. That unresolved tension kind of lingered with me.
Another thing I found interesting was the role of news media, especially with both Lois and Clark being journalists. But the way people go from loving Superman to hating him based on one talk show with Lex, and then back to loving him again because of one article? Very funny. In my opinion, It’s very different from real-life situations, where most people tend to be indifferent and don’t hold such extreme opinions. But again, it’s a superhero movie, so this is a small thing.
Also, I know Tom King was involved in some way in the production. I heard he suggested making Clark’s glasses a hypnosis device, which… yeah. We all know it works better when they’re just normal glasses. So I’m curious how much of his worldview made it into the movie, especially since he seems to be pretty prominent at DC lately.
So yeah. I like that the movie had progressive, or at least center-left liberal, politics. I didn’t love how it handled those politics, but, well… as someone said, “baby’s first steps into activism,” I guess.
Final Thoughts
If I had to rate this movie, I’d give it a 7/10. I think the message it’s trying to send and the stance it takes are genuinely important right now, and I’m glad it exists. I enjoyed watching it, and despite all my rambling criticisms, I think it was fine.
fandom spaces and bigotry
fandom is such an interesting space when you look at who participates in it. queer people make up the majority of fandom, particularly within fanfic communities. fanfic censuses and the shared experiences of people in fandom both support that.
but even though fandom is queer, only about fourth of it is trans. most people in fandom are also white, able-bodied, american or european, and (presumably) middle class, though there’s less concrete data on that last part.
racism, ableism, and classism are still very much present in fandom spaces. and when that gets pointed out, the response is often something like “but fandom is a space for marginalized people!” which, sure. but what that usually means in practice is that it’s a space for marginalized cis queer people, and often only certain kinds of queerness at that.
another thing i think about a lot: a lot of fanfic writers are women (surveys put it at around 40%-50%). so you’d think misogyny wouldn’t be as big a problem in fandom. in my opinion, there’s arguably less overt homophobia in fandom than in general online spaces or in the society at large, or at least it’s not as vitriolic. but misogyny? it still shows up constantly, and it’s rarely addressed. like with other forms of prejudice, pointing it out often leads to strong backlash. and i’ve lost count of how many times i’ve heard, “i can’t be misogynistic, i’m a woman!” used to dismiss criticism or deny that something someone said was misogynistic.
of course, which bigotry is more prominent is difficult to measure and different forms of discrimination manifest in different ways. how visible certain prejudices are can also depend a lot on how personally affected you are by them.
fandom censuses:
AO3 Demographic Survey 2024
Over*Flow: Fan Demographics on Archive of Our Own (2023)
The Fansplaining Shipping Survey (2019)