James Gunn's highly anticipated Superman movie hasn't even hit theaters yet, but it's already igniting major debates.
Some critics are calling the reboot "woke," tone-deaf, and stuffed with clichés. Others are praising it as a heartfelt return to what the character was always meant to be.
With early reactions already dividing netizens, Gunn's version of the Man of Steel might be one of the most controversial yet.
Highlights
- James Gunn's Superman reboot is being slammed by critics who call it too political and "woke."
- Early reviews have criticized the film's tone, plot, and portrayal of the Man of Steel.
- Others praised the movie for reintroducing kindness and optimism into the character.
- James Gunn has defended the film's values, stating that Superman represents decency, morality, and hope.
Early reviews tear into the movie for being "woke" and full of clichés
Image credits: Warner Bros./IMDB
Among the harshest criticisms was a review from The Daily Beast that was published before the movie's embargo was lifted, which described the film as "the final nail in the grave for the superhero genre."
The review called out the script as convoluted and humorless, and it also stated that the movie's character development was subpar.
Image credits: Warner Bros./IMDB
Most of all, the review claimed that the Superman film's plot was filled with "fanciful nonsense that soon renders the entire affair superficial and silly."
"Just as the seemingly indestructible Man of Steel is fatally weakened by kryptonite, so too is the once-unbeatable superhero genre gravely threatened by audience fatigue," the publication wrote.
Image credits: Warner Bros./IMDB
David Corenswet's portrayal of Superman also came under fire, with critics mocking the character for being a "woke" checklist of cringeworthy cliches, according to the Daily Mail.
Even Variety's Peter Debruge threw shade at the film while reviewing a completely different one.
Image credits: Warner Bros./IMDB
Debruge praised the buddy comedy Heads of State by calling it "no sillier than Superman and a lot more entertaining."
Scott Menzel, a movie reviewer, also stated that "James Gunn's Superman feels like he tossed every Superman comic and his entire filmography into a blender and hit purée."
Image credits: Warner Bros./IMDB
"Think of it as if James Gunn's Suicide Squad had a baby with James Wan's Aquaman with a little bit of Guardians of the Galaxy sprinkled on top," the reviewer wrote.
James Gunn and some comic book fans are defending the film for its message
Image credits: James Gunn/X
Director James Gunn is standing firm in defense of his creative choices. In an interview with The Times of London, he said the movie is absolutely about values, kindness, and morality.
Gunn explained that Superman's journey is a story about an immigrant searching for a better life, driven by compassion and principle. Gunn also had strong words for critics of the film who take issue with its message.
Image credits: James Gunn/X
"Yes, it plays differently, but it's about human kindness, and obviously, there will be jerks out there who are just not kind and will take it as offensive just because it is about kindness. But scr*w them," Gunn stated.
Image credits: @amuse/X
"My reaction to the backlash is that it is exactly what the movie is about. We love our immigrants.
"Yes, Superman is an immigrant, and yes, the people that we support in this country are immigrants, and if you don't like that, you're not American," he said.
Image credits: Warner Bros./IMDB
Some comic book fans also pointed out that Superman has always been “woke” due to his characterization.
While the negative reviews grabbed headlines, many others are seeing the film through a completely different lens.
Image credits: Fernando Gallo/X
The Sunday Times offered a glowing early review, calling Gunn's version "a triumph" and praising it for finally giving Superman the film he deserves.
"Brandon Routh is forgotten, Henry Cavill is boring. Nobody seemed to know what to do with Superman until now," the Times wrote.
Image credits: Warner Bros./IMDB
Netizens argued that the movie might miss the superhero's core themes
Social media users have been split about the early reviews of Gunn's Superman film, though some social media users cautioned that the movie might be missing the core message of the superhero.
Image credits: James Gunn/X
"The new Superman film is a flop; test audiences panned it, and instead of fixing the product, the studio is resorting to the old 'bigotry' blame game," an X user wrote.
Image credits: Warner Bros./IMDB
"The 'Superman is an immigrant' point is a misunderstanding of the character. Yes, he is technically a refugee, but he came here because his planet exploded. He was then raised with middle-America values," another user wrote.
Image credits: Warner Bros./IMDB
"Superman should actually be about the most powerful entity known to man being a good, decent, and hopeful person because he was raised with good old-fashioned midwestern values by a pair of farmers… Crash landing in Kansas is key to the story," another wrote.
Image credits: Warner Bros./IMDB
Regardless of the differing sentiments on the movie, there is no doubt that the buzz surrounding James Gunn's Superman is noteworthy
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