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Edmonton Journal

Film review: James Gunn's Superman walks a fine line between triumph and tragedy

Sometimes, superheroes fight supervillains. And sometimes they fight an even more insidious force — critics. Last week, the Daily Beast broke a studio embargo and released its review of the new Superman movie five days early, calling it 'the final nail in the grave for the superhero genre.' Article content The review was taken down almost as soon as it was posted, but what of it? Are you really going to believe a publication that uses such mortally mixed metaphors? (Nails go in coffins, not graves!) Article content Then the Sunday Times of London leaked a piece that called Superman 'a triumph.' But this was part of an interview with writer/director James Gunn, and an interview is not a review. (Case in point: I was very kind to Mike Myers when I interviewed him about his 2008 comedy The Love Guru, but I subsequently recused myself from reviewing this execrable film.) Article content Article content So what do we know now that the embargo has lifted, the dust has settled, and we're all free to speak our minds? Only that Superman (the movie), much like Superman (the character), operates at the crossroads of hope and fear. It's not as bad as some reviews would have you fear. But it's not as good as Gunn's Guardians of the Galaxy movies would have you hoping for, either. Article content On the plus side: excellent casting in even the smallest roles. David Corenswet, an actor mostly known for his TV work, shines on the big screen as the Man of Steel, serving up a cocktail of gravitas, gumption and geniality that makes him a likeable hero, although I question Gunn's need to have him spell it all out so plainly in the film's final act. Show, don't tell! Article content Article content But he's just the tip of the casting call. There's also Rachel Brosnahan as the sassy Lois Lane (whose interview with Superman should be required viewing for journalists), Skyler Gisondo as the boyish Jimmy Olsen, Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor, and Sara Sampaio as Eve Teschmacher, a name that will ring in the ears of fans of the 1978 Superman, when Luthor's moll was portrayed by the wondrous Valerie Perrine. Article content Article content Article content There's lot more as well , which brings us to one of the film's biggest problems. It's too busy, and too full of characters who arrive with little backstory and minimal explanation. Article content Gunn has said he didn't want to show baby Superman rocketing to Earth from Krypton, and that's understandable, but the sudden appearance of Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl, Nathan Fillion as Green Lantern, Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific, Anthony Carrigan as Metamorpho, and more — well, it's a lot of characters to keep track of over the film's 129 minutes. (And that's a solid 129 minutes; there are two disappointing post-credit scenes, the second of which will keep you in your seat until the bitter end.)