A review of the latest “Superman” blockbuster movie
If since the 1980s, three actors can portray Spider-Man and no less than six can play Batman, then I guess we can have four representations of Superman: Christopher Reeve (1978-1987), Brandon Routh (2006), Henry Cavill (2013-2021) and now David Corenswet. More significantly, we have a new writer and director James Gunn, who did such a fine job with the “Guardians Of The Galaxy” trilogy, and has done a major rebranding of the caped crusader.
We are plunged straight into a geopolitical crisis with Superman controversially supporting the fictional nation of Jarhanpur against the much stronger fictional invader Boravia (more than a shade of Ukraine and Russia here), while somehow losing a fight for the first time and being rescued by a cute addition to the world of Krypton.
Rachel Brosnahan plays a feisty Lois Lane and Nicholas Hoult is the baldy nemesis Lex Luthor in an extensive, and sometimes confusing, character line-up which includes various super-powered men and women and a range of winsome robots (look out for one designated 4 who would rather be called Gary).
It’s all rather silly, but fast-paced and witty with plenty of action and special effects, so I enjoyed it well enough and it’s been successful at the box office.