Bruce at the Movies: Superman 2025
Golly... Wow, just wow.
Caveat Emptor
First let’s start this off with, I don’t go to movies often especially in the theater. At home we tend to stick with short documentary shows -currently Classic Time Team (yes, we’re old) we only have one TV (tiny by today’s standards) and are still working on which streaming services we will use cost effectively. Currently that’s Apple TV and Prime. Both because these services are connected to other stuff. So spectacles and special effects aren’t what either Sue or I focus on.
Do I go to see it in IMAX, or 3D, or Super IMAX 3D with sprinkles on top? Actually, I pick a regular screening, no visual bells and whistles. I recall seeing Indiana jones and the Temple of Doom in a matchbox Theater in the mall and then seeing it in THX in Westwood a week later. It was a different movie. My thought is if it is a good movie barebones, then it’s only going to get better with all the added stuff. The last few films I’ve seen on airplanes so you know how fancy the presentation was there.
Alamo Drafthouse is located across town, but I decided to try it out… food, libations, and a movie. In Indiana a 30 minute drive across town is a deal breaker for many folks. The theater was very nice and they had a large selection of beers on tap, including one of my favorites Zombie Dust. For the record there were maybe 15 people in the theater at 3:30 on a Thursday… so it was nice, but also quiet.
Alamo Drafthouse also had an exclusive popcorn bucket which I understand is a thing for super duper blockbuster films. Therefore I bought one. Of course popcorn is an additional fee, but Alamo offers a bottomless bucket and it’s served in a different bowl so you don’t get your exclusive bucket messy.
So I sat down 30 minutes before the film started and a bunch of awesome Superman stuff was being shown. This included an original Fleischer Studios cartoon: Superman vs. The Arctic Giant. and other silly versions of Superman from TV and other cultures. All this before the trailers.
Look! Up on the Screen!
Let’s cut to the chase with a simple- YES, you should go see this movie. James Gunn has a way with telling a story that encompasses so many parts. The Superhero aspect is just one characteristic and not the main point. He also uses humanity and humor in places to help move the story along. It definitely is the start of DC heading in a different direction in film. I no longer need to bring a flashlight to see what is happening on the screen.
This is not an origin story the film starts with a bit of explanation. 3,000 years ago - metahumans appear on Earth. 30 years ago - Kal-El’s Rocket crashes near Smallville. 3 years ago Superman first appears. Then we start pretty much with the sneak peek from 3 months ago - Superman with Krypto and the Fortress of Solitude scene. Which makes it great for those who complain about trailers giving away too much.
Congratulations! You’ve now seen about the first 4 minutes of the movie!
This isn’t so much as a Superhero film as more of a character driven story dealing with a man figuring out his place in the grand scheme of things. Where does Superman’s humanity fit in as a Kryptonian? Think of it as Nature vs. Nurture. The big question we all ask ourselves “What really makes me, me? I think of my life and how my upbringing influenced who I am, but also how I fought against some of those bits and bobs to become the weird geek I am.
Superman in the end does what he has done over the decades… inspires. Not only the other heroes, but the people and maybe even the audience.
Sadly some with plot points of this film art imitates life. Superman is seen as an evil alien immigrant his actions being spun to promote a negative narrative. No matter how much good he does Superman is not believed. Social media bots influencing the public opinion - Cecil really liked this aspect. Narcissistic megalomaniacs thinking only their viewpoint is the correct one. An Alligator Auschwitz on steroids created by someone who not only will profit by it, but can also be used to make people disappear. For those of a certain political leaning this film definitely takes sides. The actions of those who support Superman vs. those who are quick to react not to actions but to media.
As for the other heroes involved… they don’t take away from the main story and do a good job supporting it. It demonstrated Superman’s future influence over the actions of his colleagues. I think of what happened in Elseworld’s Kingdom Come when Superman goes into seclusion and the Superheroes don’t have a moral compass. I was happy to see Cincinnati’s Union Station as the Hall of Justice. I just wish Batman would show up and slug Guy Gardner… but that’s a story for another day.
This is fiction, basically because the Daily Planet reports things and the public believes it and other news agencies cover it without questioning and no one is claiming it is “fake news.” Remember those halcyon days when journalism reported the facts and the news and not the spin? When you didn’t get your news from Social Media.
All in all I really enjoyed this film. It was an escape from the real world and full of positive messages and hope. If you have a chance go and see it. You don’t need an exclusive popcorn bucket, or fancy theater, but I’m sure it’s even better in IMAX.
Was it a perfect movie? No- that doesn’t exist, but it was good enough I don’t have buyers remorse which I have had many times when I go to a movie. I’m also consider spending another pile of money and maybe seeing it again.
Pop Culture Happy Hour had a nice review also…
Superman And What's Making Us Happy
Next: The Fantastic Four; First Steps… which after Superman I’m actually thinking I might go and see in a theatre.
Things that made me go “Huh?” red herrings, and thoughts on why some people are upset about this film.
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James Gunn is great at putting Easter Eggs and Red Herrings for the ones who would know. I liked the portal into another dimension and calling his Superman clone (before we knew it was a clone) “Ultraman” making us think we might be dealing with Earth-3. The only thing is Ultraman would have been three steps ahead of Luthor and not needing instructions on how to fight.
Huh? Supergirl makes an appearance at the end… wouldn’t she had been aware of Kal-El’s reason for going to Earth? You know the missing portion of Jor-El and Lara’s message. In the comics she wasn’t put into a rocket until she was a teenager. She would have been aware and told more than “protect your cousin.” And So why didn’t she say anything? Or at least questioned why he wasn’t following the Kryptonian/his parents plan? That said, at the end I felt like I did reading the end of Kingdom Come when Kal puts the Clark glasses back on and starts plowing in the Kansas earth. He had decided what who he was in his soul and the updated video of his parents shows it in a wholesome way. Maybe I missed a line saying they had uncovered that the translation of the garbled transmission had been altered by Luthor and the experts who had analyzed it were wrong about the validity. Experts had been wrong before when it came to Luthor’s intentions.
Faceless troops disappearing people and putting them in a prison that is literally off the grid. Too close to reality? scary part is this film was written before the last election.
As I said before and being from the Midwest, the use of the Cincinnati Union Station as the newly minted Hall of Justice was a nice touch.
Having Superman ignore a dimensional monster that is fighting the “Justice Gang” in the background was a nice way for Superman to show he knows others are capable of helping out.
The look on Superman’s face when Mr. Terrific killed the giant monster said so much about Superman’s character. He was visibly distraught. We all know Superman’s character which was why the Snyder version didn’t play well with many after he killed Zod. Superman always sees the best in everyone- even the villains- like Batman- killing isn’t supposed to be an option. Hawkgirl’s “I’m not Superman” was very telling.
One thing that tugs at the heartstrings is the music… the weaving in and out of the original John Williams theme was wonderful. A friend mentioned this on Wednesday after seeing the Tuesday evening screening. That iconic theme just brings up the feels… it’s like watching a Star Trek film and the TOS theme pops up… it just has a way of pushing the right buttons at the right times. The other music… I just think of what Guardians of Galaxy did for Blue Swede.
Yes, there were a few points when the audience was being given social cues in the manner of having the story hit us upside the head with a 2x4. Sadly, subtlety doesn’t see to work in today’s society.
A public easily manipulated by (I did love this) an infinite number of monkeys at keyboards posting and commenting on social media.
One part that sticks with me was Mali, the guy targeted by Luthor after helping Superman. He is courageous, beaten, with a gun to his head, telling Superman to not answer anything- Mali’s fate was sealed. Proving the evil Luthor is capable of. Later on when the elites that have been imprisoned start yelling for the guards trying to gain favor by turning Superman in as he tries to escape with Metamorpho’s help. Only thinking about themselves. So telling of the current world we live in. No wonder a certain segment of our society are upset over this film and how they may be seen. If you don’t like the way your philosophy is portrayed to others… maybe you should change your philosophy instead of trying to pretend and state that it is “normal.” Cue the social media monkey farm to make sure it looks like the public supports being evil.