Review: James Gunn’s ‘Superman’ is the hero we need in a cynical age

A new DC Cinematic Universe has taken flight with James Gunn’s “Superman.”

While critics from both sides of the political aisle argue over whether the film is “woke” (it’s not), I want to highlight a more meaningful — and largely overlooked — message at the heart of the story: the power of kindness in a cynical, chronically online world. Based on the knee-jerk backlash the movie has inspired online, it’s a message we clearly need.

Some have called this version of Superman ‘weak,’ but I see something else — something that’s been missing from many past iterations: humanity.

While this “Superman” couldn’t be more timely — it explores themes of individuality, idealism in the face of public scrutiny, cancel culture, and life in a social media-saturated society — it ultimately uses these themes to emphasize the timeless traits that have allowed the character to endure for almost a century.

Hassled hero

“Superman” centers on a younger Clark Kent (David Corenswet), who has been active as Superman for just three years. While beloved by many, others see him as a wild card and potential threat — especially after he intervenes in a war between two fictional nations, Boravia and Jarhanpur.

Superman protects the defenseless people of Jarhanpur from Boravian forces, but his actions anger the U.S. government, which fears conflict with Boravian allies. Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult) seizes the moment, convincing the military to back his surveillance program, “Planet Watch,” as a pretext to go after Superman. He even unleashes a swarm of mind-controlled monkeys to flood the internet with anti-Superman propaganda — #supers**t trending like wildfire.

Meanwhile, Clark’s girlfriend and Daily Planet reporter Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan), who knows his true identity, challenges him to explain his actions in a professional interview. It’s a complicated, very modern kind of pressure.

Here to help

What makes this Superman compelling is that he’s not driven by politics or power — he just wants to help people. All people. He doesn’t weigh the geopolitical consequences; he sees someone in danger and acts. That impulse, that moral clarity, is what defines him. It’s also what gets him into trouble.

This instinct is rooted in a message from his Kryptonian parents — a message that, when finally decrypted by Luthor, reveals their true plan: They hoped their son would one day rule Earth and repopulate it with Kryptonians. Even Superman didn’t know this. Suddenly, even his most selfless actions come under suspicion.

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  Eric Charbonneau/Warner Bros /Joe Maher/Getty Images

‘Weakness’ or humanity?

Some have called this version of Superman “weak,” but I see something else — something that’s been missing from many past iterations: humanity. He’s not a flawless, all-powerful icon. He’s relatable. Grounded. Fallible. And when the world turns on him, his powers offer no protection from the sting of media outrage or public mistrust. Stripped of certainty, he holds fast to one thing: hope. Hope for a kinder world.

That perseverance — trying to do good even when it’s hard or unpopular — feels deeply human. Isn’t that what we all wrestle with? We want to be seen, to be understood, to be forgiven when we mess up. Especially in the age of cancellation, when any misstep is dissected in real time by a million strangers. Superman, in that sense, becomes a stand-in for anyone who’s tried to do the right thing and gotten burned for it.

There’s even a quiet Christ-like quality to his vision of the world. In one of the film’s most touching scenes, Lois and Clark reflect on their “punk rock” upbringings:

Lois: “You think everything and everyone is beautiful.”
 Superman: “Maybe that’s the real punk rock.”

It’s a simple exchange, but it captures everything about this Superman. Like Christ, he sees not the brokenness of humanity, but its beauty and potential. He chooses to love us anyway. He chooses kindness — an underrated value that could very well heal our culture, breaking through our biggest political divides to help us realize we are all human beings made in God’s image.

Daring to believe

And that kindness changes people. Superman’s example inspires Metamorpho (Anthony Carrigan) and fellow Justice Gang members Guy Gardner (Nathan Fillion) and Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced) to stand up for the innocent people of Jarhanpur. Meanwhile, Mr. Terrific (Edi Gathegi) joins Superman in stopping Luthor’s plot to destroy Metropolis.

Despite everything — public outrage, alien expectations, media spin — Superman doesn’t abandon his ideals. He doesn’t lean into resentment or vengeance. He chooses instead the simple truths taught to him by his Earth parents, Jonathan and Martha Kent (Pruitt Taylor Vince and Neva Howell). In the words of the former: “Your choices. Your actions. That’s what makes you who you are.”

James Gunn’s “Superman” resonates because it dares to believe the best in people. No matter your politics, race, or religion, most of us are doing our best — even when we fall short. And if that’s considered “weak” or “woke,” we should ask what we’ve really come to expect from our heroes.

If kindness is the new punk rock, then maybe punk rock is what will save the world. And who better to lead that charge than Superman?