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Indian Express
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
James Gunn gets his Superman right, he's awesome and predictable all at the same time
The cinema hall was filled with quite a varied demographic — Kids who were over the moon when handed the 3D glasses, parents who were glad they could take some time off from their work, and some random wanderers who were wary about DC taking another crack at the most iconic character of all time (sorry Batman). But James Gunn achieved something in the first 5 minutes of the film, which the previous films didn't even aim for — the need to show this all-powerful alien as just a human being, flawed, weak, broken, but determined. Superman stands for hope, and David Corenswet shoves so much of it down your throat that you finally understand why every kid who ever pretends to be a superhero wears the red cape; it's like why every kid always draws a red race car. Because Superman is the original saviour, and everyone after that is just an imitation (I mean, Homelander is just Superman from Injustice). Gunn and Corenswet made no attempt at reinventing the wheel; all they did was tell the story which has existed forever about the man in the sky who looks over all of us. When we first see Superman zoom through icebergs and blast off towards Metropolis, something changes within the viewer. Suddenly you aren't the accountant for that big firm, or a critic (yours truly), or someone worried about the presentation they have to give tomorrow. You turn into a kid, a child who wants nothing else but to become that person on the screen because the narrative pulls at certain rusted strings of your heart. Gunn's obsession with leaving nothing to the imagination and putting it all out there works spectacularly, portraying a very human Superman without relying on Clark Kent. It is a commendable feat. He doesn't need to take off his cape for you to believe that he is vulnerable. The suit, the single twirled hair strand, and the character's inherent need for saving everyone (I mean, he dived towards the ground at supersonic speed to save a squirrel), all these things make up a very convincing argument that we never needed a shirtless Henry Cavill looking for clothes (he stole those, by the way; no one talks about that). Cavill was great, and his charisma as a supreme metahuman will forever be appreciated, but I think it's time to acknowledge the fact that the narratives were never able to handle his gravitas. He was the singular part of the frame which made sense, and everything around him was just underwhelming. ALSO READ: Justin Bieber album Swag review: Bieber needs to take notes from Pritam and keep it simple Gunn already knows that people will show up for Superman; it's like Indian producers betting on Shah Rukh Khan. If he is in the film, people will come because, well, it's the guy from Swades (probably not what people say), and Gunn knows that he doesn't need to build any more hype; what he needs to do is elevate everything around the character. Lois, the Justice Gang, the perfectly written character of Jimmy Olsen and, of course, the mad scientist Lex Luthor – these are all characters that don't take anything away from Superman but rather add to his lore. They help make the story more layered and feasible; they help you connect with the audience. In a child's mind, Lex becomes the guy your parents tell you about when they need you to sleep; Mr Terrific becomes your best friend who sits with you in school; Lois is the love of your life, and in turn, you become Clark Kent and Kal-El at the same time, ready to take flight right there in the cinema hall. The gripping story, which jumps from act to act as swiftly as turning the page of a comic, is paired with amazing songs, which, in all honesty, was expected of Gunn. Music is one of the most important instruments in film, as it can express so much without words, and understanding that was one of this film's greatest assets, as the original Superman theme by John Williams plays in all the perfect moments, and the scale of the composition changes with the scene and what is required. You can't just slap the same theme everywhere, but if you play around with the number of instruments and tweak the pomp and frills for the more subtle moments, you have in your hand a fits-all-size background score. As Superman takes on Ultraman, The Engineer, a Kaiju from Pacific Rim, and Luthor himself, he tries to balance his complicated relationship with Lois Lane (the Gen Z were truly dialled in during this), and both David and Rachel Broshanan pull off the iconic interview scene insanely well as they give an insight into the minds of both a journalist and a superhero, who think they are doing the right thing, as their respective definitions tear through their actual relationship. But we do get to see a more hands-on Lois, as she teams up with Mister Terrific and does her best to save her beau, and Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific is a superhero performance for the ages. Remember how I told you that Gunn made Superman better by elevating everything and everyone around him? Well, Mister Terrific was the main ingredient of that perfect dish. He is quick and smart and does not shy away from acknowledging his own greatness, and his narcissism doesn't seem all that bad when you pair him up with a character like Guy Gardner, played by Nathan Fillion. The star who has voiced several animated characters in the past, some with a connection to the superhero world, achieved the full-of-himself persona of Guy right to the tee. Guy, in some ways, is like the Peacemaker; he wants justice to be served but cannot for the life of him think about anything apart from that. His beliefs of what is right and wrong are somewhat skewed, but he still tries his best to expand his sensibilities (even though that bowl cut makes it pretty hard). ALSO READ: Jurassic World Rebirth movie review: Scarlett Johansson, Jonathan Bailey film keeps heart both pounding and beating Now this film also has some of the classic superhero movie problems that arise in all narratives that deal with powerful individuals muddling the line between being a hero and playing a god. Jarhanpur, which is a fictional country from DC Comics, is 'saved' by Superman, an act that lays the foundation of the entire story, but the portrayal of the people of the country is problematic. Tattered clothes, crippling poverty, and that trademark yellow tint, which makes the entire thing kind of questionable. Now one could argue that Gunn was trying to adhere to the original literature, but could he have handled it in a more tasteful way? Definitely. This brings us to the biggest problem with the movie, and, in my opinion, the only one) — Gunn makes no attempt at reinventing the wheel and stuck to what he knew about the characters, which in turn did something the director was probably not hoping for. Because the film feels like a comic book issue, it's predictable and linear, as there are no real twists or moments that make you wonder whether Superman will be able to beat the odds. Then because the director has to focus on several different characters, trying to give any real depth to any one of them is difficult. In Gunn's attempt to tackle such a famous story and character, he ends up making a film which creates problems for itself. You feel like a kid while watching it, but you soon realise that maybe adulthood is better. You love the various different characters, but all of these great heroes and villains are taken away from you too soon. Maybe this story could have been a duology; maybe this movie just wanted to give us context about the new DC. Even so, with all its flaws and problems, Superman comes off as a genuine attempt; ironically, Gunn can be accused of trying to be something his protagonist wants to be, a human. A human being who keeps making mistakes but still doesn't feel like stopping. It's an engaging watch and, in my opinion, just the thing DC needs to kick things off in this new era. People seem to forget that the previous reigns made multiple films, both stand-alone and ensemble, and still couldn't get it right, so you can't really complain when the new kid on the team fails to complete his century while the veterans struggled to even get off the mark. It's supposed to be entertaining, and it does a beautiful job at that, and I am sure that Gunn and DC are going to figure out the cracks in the system soon.
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Xbox Games Showcase 2025: Invincible Fighting Game Makes Its Gory Debut
Following the immense success of the Amazon Prime Video animated superhero show, Invincible, now in its third season and featuring talent such as J.K. Simmons, Steven Yeun, Gillian Jacobs, Aaron Paul, Simu Liu and more, many fans were thinking that a fighting game based on the property, à la Injustice, would be a match made in heaven. Skybound Games and their in-house studio, Quarter Up, which specializes in fighters, are of the same opinion as, during the Xbox Games Showcase, they unveiled Invincible VS, an appropriately brutal, bloody and frenetic, considering the adapted material, 3v3 tag fighter. Surprisingly, Invincible VS the trailer does not actually show the game's tag system in play, instead opting to cut to a different fight altogether in order to convey that effect, but, fighting game fans can probably expect a twist on the feature that made titles such as Marvel vs. Capcom and Dragon Ball FighterZ so beloved within the fighting game community. The comparison to these two fighting game tournament mainstays does not end here, either, as Quarter Up seems intent on delivering a game of 'tournament-quality', assuming one that would be featured during EVO, the biggest fighting game tournament in the world. What's more, Quarter Up has also partnered with the team behind the animated show for a story mode for Invincible VS. No more details are yet known about this story mode, but as the trailer shows, fans can rest assured that Omni-Man, together with Thula and Black Samson, will likely be throwing fists with Invincible, who is joined up by Atom Eve and Red Rush, across a variety of locations such as a city (presumably New York or Chicago), snow-capped mountains and even the surface of the Moon as part of the game's narrative. Invincible VS will release on Xbox Series X/S, Game Pass, PlayStation 5 and PC in 2026. Be sure to check out all of the other announcements from the Xbox Games Showcase
The National
30-05-2025
- General
- The National
If we find a way to measure compassion, can we use it to solve global problems?
The adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development by United Nations member states in 2015 marked a bold global commitment to reimagine a future shaped by justice, equity, peace and sustainability. The agenda's 17 Sustainable Development Goals, or SDGs, have led to critical action on climate change, health and education. Yet progress remains uneven and fragile. Over more than forty years of working to protect children, I have seen the harsh reality and can say with certainty that no group bears the weight of injustice more than children. They are disproportionately affected by poverty and conflict, and in many parts of the world, they are pushed into exploitative labour, denied the chance to go to school, face poor health outcomes, and lack access to clean water and nutrition. These are not isolated challenges but interwoven injustices that rob children of their rights and freedom. Despite many initiatives undertaken and millions of dollars spent, last year's UN Sustainable Development Goals Report found that the world is on track to meet just 17 per cent of these SDG targets. I feel deeply ashamed that we have betrayed our children yet again by missing this year's target of achieving SDG 8.7 – a commitment to ending all forms of child labour by 2025 as part of a broader effort to end slavery, trafficking and forced labour, including child soldiers. Our promise to leave no one behind now seems hollow. Even before the Covid-19 pandemic, the world was off track with respect to Agenda 2030. It is appalling that in 2021, the number of child labourers worldwide increased from 152 million to 160 million. These are not mere numbers – these are children who have been denied justice, who are not free to enjoy their childhood, and who have work tools in their hands instead of books and toys. These are children who we have left behind. We have created so many borders, walls and wars. The effect of conflict on children is catastrophic and often irreversible. Children do not create wars, insurgencies or natural disasters nor are they responsible for any other humanitarian crisis. Nevertheless, they end up caught in the crossfire, often literally. More than 47 million children have been displaced by conflict and violence. Do we really want to pass on this legacy of fear, helplessness and violence to future generations? In 2021, the number of child labourers worldwide increased from 152 million to 160 million As a buzzword, the SDGs remain popular. Corporations, civil society groups and the media have embraced SDGs, often aligning their goals with them. But what real progress are we making? How can we claim to have achieved anything if we leave our children behind? For me, the yardstick of progress is that every child receives their fair share of resources under an umbrella of supportive policies and social protection. Why have we failed? The gap between those suffering from problems and those who can solve them is vast and continues to grow every day. We lack the moral accountability and the responsibility to bridge this gap. As global connectivity grows, we are seeing a paradox emerge in the global political environment between aggressive politics, aggressive faith, and aggressive capitalism that is fostering a hyper-competitive and commercial society. Our behaviours have increasingly become transactional; often, we do only what will benefit us, even if it is at someone else's cost. The real, long-term solution is for us to remind ourselves, constantly, of our capacity for compassion. Based on this philosophy, I founded the Satyarthi Movement for Global Compassion (SMGC) last year, which calls for action in a world plagued by inequality, conflict and injustice. We need to 'globalise' compassion. What do I mean by this? The quality of compassion is traditionally perceived – and has been preached for ages – as a soft, gentle emotion. It is, in reality, a powerful force with transformative power. It is like the air we breathe. Without it, humanity will fail. Compassion is the only force that will unite us and allow us to look beyond our differences. A definition of compassion based on my humble experience of almost half a century's struggle for liberty, dignity and justice for every child is that it is the force born from feeling the suffering of others as one's own, a force that drives mindful and selfless action to end that suffering. We need more of this in the world if we are to achieve the SDGs. To increase the capacity of something, you need to be able to measure it in the first place. We are in the process of developing Compassion Quotient (CQ), which aims to measure individuals' compassion in a similar way to measuring their Intelligence Quotient (IQ) or Emotional Quotient (EQ). Using a multidisciplinary approach, we are developing a comprehensive framework to measure and enhance the level of CQ in individuals and organisations. One of our goals at SMGC is to integrate compassion, as a measurable and cultivable trait, into educational curricula and leadership programmes. We also want to develop indices and metrics to assess compassionate action at a policy level, so as to eventually mainstream the idea of compassion being a guiding principle in global governance. Compassion is essential to ending suffering, and while many leaders speak of it in their speeches, it is time we turn those words into action and hold ourselves accountable. We no longer have the luxury of merely showing intent. We have no choice now but to act with compassion and urgency. Collectively, the world has never been wealthier – economically, intellectually or technologically. It is clear that we need to redefine our approach to life and society. We must build compassionate leadership in all walks of life, whether it is education, the judiciary, governance, or healthcare. This evolution in our thinking would benefit everyone, but, again, most of all, it will benefit our children, who will one day be leaders in their own right, responsible for taking these ideas forward. I refuse to accept that, with all the resources at our disposal, we cannot ensure their freedom, safety, health and education. If we do that, they will be better-placed as adults to ensure it for the generations to follow.
Metro
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
Mortal Kombat 1 DLC is officially over as developer teases next project
NetherRealm has confirmed there will be no more DLC characters for Mortal Kombat 1 following disappointing sales. Mortal Kombat is still the best-selling fighting game franchise in the world, but the latest entry fell short of its usual sales expectations. The latest game, titled Mortal Kombat 1, was a reboot of the series set in a new timeline, where classic characters like Raiden, Sub-Zero, and Johnny Cage possessed reworked origin stories and aesthetics. While the game itself was mechanically solid, it clearly didn't connect with fans in the same way as its predecessor, Mortal Kombat 11. The latter managed to sell over 15 million copies during its lifetime, whereas Mortal Kombat 1, as of January this year, has sold 5 million. After rumours emerged last year of an early cut to DLC support, developer NetherRealm has confirmed there will be no more extra characters or expansions for Mortal Kombat 1. 'We are hearing players' requests for continued game support of Mortal Kombat 1, and, while we will continue to support Mortal Kombat 1 through balance adjustments and fixes, there will not be additional DLC characters or story chapters released from this point on,' a post on X reads. 'We understand this will be disappointing for fans, but our team at NetherRealm needs to shift focus to the next project in order to make it as great as we possibly can.' We are hearing players' requests for continued game support of Mortal Kombat 1, and, while we will continue to support Mortal Kombat 1 through balance adjustments and fixes, there will not be additional DLC characters or story chapters released from this point on. — Mortal Kombat 1 (@MortalKombat) May 23, 2025 The last DLC character for Mortal Kombat 1 was the T-1000 from Terminator 2: Judgement Day, which rolled out in March following last year's Khaos Reigns expansion. Earlier this month, a definitive edition combining all the DLC was released. NetherRealm hasn't announced what its next project actually is, but a dataminer recently suggested the studio is working on the next entry in the Injustice franchise. multiversus shutting down is an injustice, then doing it all again is another injusticeleaving me without any leaks is yet again another injustice — MultiverSusie (@multiversusie) May 17, 2025 In a post on X earlier this month, dataminer MultiverSusie, who is known for MultiVersus leaks, wrote: 'MultiVersus shutting down is an injustice, then doing it all again is another injustice. Leaving me without any leaks is yet again another Injustice. 3.' More Trending If true, this would be the first entry in the series since 2017's Injustice 2. The series takes place in an alternate reality within the DC Universe, where Superman has become an evil tyrant, and features a roster of fighters ranging from Wonder Woman to Black Adam. Prior to Injustice, NetherRealm developed a DC crossover fighter titled Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe, which was released in 2008 on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Rumours of a new Injustice game have floated around for years, but the timing might be right for a new instalment to coincide with DC's revamped cinematic universe, which starts with Superman this summer. Email gamecentral@ leave a comment below, follow us on Twitter, and sign-up to our newsletter. To submit Inbox letters and Reader's Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use our Submit Stuff page here. For more stories like this, check our Gaming page. MORE: Nintendo Direct set for around Switch 2 launch claims insider MORE: The Last Of Us season 2 was a mixed bag and I'm worried about season 3 MORE: Resident Evil 9 began as 'open world multiplayer game' as insider reveals scrapped sequel
