James Gunn’s Superman (David Corenswet) has got to be my favorite live-action portrayal of Superman brought to the big screen. While Zack Snyder’s Superman (Henry Cavill) is a bit dark, brooding, and stoic, James Gunn’s version of Superman is more human and down-to-earth, focusing on hope and humanity, mental struggle, politics, and twists to create controversy for the main character. This is a great take and storytelling approach for a character already established and well-known to the audience and fans. I can’t remember the last time in a superhero movie that the hero goes out of their way to save civilians and even other lives like animals and aliens, where “saving lives” becomes the main priority instead of fighting a big bad evil villain or achieving some convoluted objectives set out by the movie. Nicholas Hoult also shines as Lex Luthor with a calm and calculated demeanor. I admit I was a bit skeptical when I first saw the casting, but I was pleasantly surprised to see a new, younger, and “rage-bait” Lex Luthor on screen. Nicholas Hoult, along with David Corenswet’s dynamic and charisma, owns every scene.

There are, of course, some aspects of the movie I don’t like, such as the Justice Gang, which could have been handled better. Mister Terrific and Element Man (Metamorpho) seem too much like plot devices for convenience’s sake to push the storyline. You can definitely see James Gunn’s effect in this movie with the colorful, vibrant galaxy scenes similar to those in Guardians of the Galaxy and the (sometimes excessive and childish) humor often associated with Marvel movies. I wonder if this is the first step in the comeback for the DC movie universe, but overall, this movie is a great standalone and a love letter to one of the most iconic superheroes of our generation. I highly recommend this movie—a solid 8.5 out of 10.