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There was no doubt that the DC movies needed a hero. A comic book franchise built around its endless amount of heroes and villains continued to meet endless hurdles thanks to poorly run studio management as well as a lack of a plan for how all its separate films would or could come together for an event type films that could match its biggest rivals. But when Warner Brothers decided to do a major revamp looking for a new studio head for DC they believed to have found their own superman in James Gunn. Gunn and his producing partner Peter Safran took over DC hoping to totally start from scratch with their new DC Universe. This was led with the promise of less confusion and most importantly never greenlighting a film without a completed and approved script that services both itself and the entirety of Gunn’s overall vision. In other words Gunn has become DC’s own real life superman. So I guess it makes sense for his first major theatrical release out the gate to be the man of steel himself. SUPERMAN directed by Jamess Gunn is a beacon of bright light that not only puts some life back in a tired genre it also radiates of the timely optimism and kind hearted nature we could all use right about now. It is also a film that just totally loves comic books. Ripped from the pages of the Silver Era of Superman, it is a film that unapologetically wants to be goofy, has a plot centered around pocket universes and knows its heart relies in the unconditional love of a dog. SUPERMAN may have the weight of the entire new DC Universe on its shoulders, but its great success comes not from its world building or getting us ready for the next fight, but rather knowing its biggest kryptonite is the hate in the world so instead it chooses to fight back with kindness and that impossible to resist Clark Kent smile.

Nobody needs to see Krypton blow up again. Even if you have never picked up a comic most to all our familiar to Superman once known as baby Kal-El was sent to earth after his home planet was destroyed only to land in Kansa….blah blah blah, look Gunn doesn’t want to do the origin story and neither do you. Instead SUPERMAN lets us know that super beings known as Metahumans have been living amongst us for three years and Superman (David Corenswet) has been welcomed into the world. That is until he goes “political.” Superman has interfered himself in the ongoing conflict between the fictional nations of Boravia and Jarhanpur. The fight may be fictional but the battle for maintaining safety for Jarhanpur’s homeland well lets just say its welcoming to see a big studio movie take some kind of stance even if it is behind very disguised doors. But Superman’s involvement puts everyone at risk causing him to lose a battle against the very shiny armored Hammer of Boravia. After getting his ass kicked and literally falling from the sky Superman retreats to his fortress of solitude. The moment we meet David Corenswet as Superman he is hardly a god, beaten to a pulp and relying on the kindness of the rough playing Krypto, Corenswet as Superman feels more than human making it all the more comforting when we see him as his alter ego Clark Kent jumbling his way at his day job at the Daily Planet newspaper. It takes no time to accept Corenswet as both Superman and Clark, as a performer Corenswet has both the landmark performance of Christopher Reeve in front of him as well as an on slew of other men that donned the cape some better received than others. But Gunn as a screenwriter has such a knack for allowing human behavior to fully embody all his characters no matter how strange or powerful they are. It is the kind of confident writing that allows Superman to deliver lines stating that being kind is punk rock (because it fucking is). Superman is secretly dating hard hitting journalist Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan) and while it may seem like a behind closed doors steamy romance Lois is not going to just allow Superman to fly her off her feet. Instead her always on the clock journalistic integrity has Clark having to defend not just his actions but the unethical decisions to only allow Superman to be interviewed by Clark for the Planet. “You literally know the questions in advance” she lets him know in one of the film’s bests scenes defending how important journalism is today even when it must question those that mean well. Brosnahan holds Lois Lane in such a strong manner that there is not one second of doubt that she is actually the only person who can truly go toe to toe with the Kyptonian. Brosnahan and Corenswet’s chemistry between its more intimate moments from playful banter to aggressive frustration carries some of the best chemistry since Tobery Maguire’s Spider-Man helped save Kirsten Dunst’s Mary Jane Watson from slipping in the high school cafeteria all those years ago.

But even with his dream girl Superman’s troubles are never far. Because no matter how much good Superman does it is never enough to win over the hateful Lex Luthor. (Nicholas Hoult) Lex aided with his own metahuman The Engineer (Maria Gabriela de Faria) and billion dollars’ worth of high-tech is determined to prove to the world that Superman is nothing but an alien fraud sent to destroy us. Hoult as Lex is everyone’s biggest fear that can fully realize that the tech billionaires of today will most likely be our undoing. Hoult plays Lex as the whiny little man he is but make no mistake he is still a large threat to Superman, and while Lex is aided by tech and a slew of devoted lackies Superman learns to seek help through a mismanaged “Justice Gang” that includes arrogant Green Lantern Guy Gardner (Nathan Fillon), beyond genius Mr. Terrific (Edi Gathegi who is well, absolutely terrific) and an eager Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced). Gunn has his hands full establishing these characters while also making the film feel lived in. It strikes the balance well as the film does often feel like a promise of more to come it never relies on return. In fact its confidence in knowing how charming and well thought out its plan is, seems to be enough to make you want to learn more about this trio, whether it sticks the landing in later films and shows is left to be seen. But there is no denying SUPERMAN throws a lot at you and all above Superman finds himself in a subplot involving fan favorite Metamorpho (Anthony Carrigan) and a prolonged fight sequences that plays like a white water rafting sequence amongst a dying pocket universe, oh yea and a crying alien baby . Henry Braham shoots these sequences using his favorite Stabileye Nano, a miniature camera designed not just to follow the motion but often times play catch up giving us neck turning angles that become the eyes of every movement Superman makes. It is a style that works well here as it allows the action to always feel like an actual comic book or even Saturday morning carton where you basically expect the actual words “swoosh!” to appear on screen. All this aided by John Murphy’s score that remixes John Williams iconic score and it becomes more than easy that not only can a man fly but he can be just a good man to all.

SUPERMAN knows it is the movie of today and even seems prepared for the rejection. In fact in some meta sort of way it’s expectation of hatred plays as a counterpoint to Superman’s optimism. Superman and especially good farm boy Clark Kent doesn’t understand why the world and especially Lex doesn’t allow him to do good. A midpoint reveal helps defend Lex’s fears but still Superman, even when faced with ethical line crossing believes in the right thing. As a film SUPERMAN knows its good natured but also understands today’s world is as hostile as ever often with good reason and others not so much. Its not a film that tells you to just do the right thing while the world outside burns but rather one that sees the world burning and is so determined to put out the fire with love. It is a film that loves every aspect of its own creation, one where its entire ensemble gets great love. Hell its even a film that has you crying for Lex Luthor’s girlfriend Eve Teschmacher (Sara Sampaio), an often after thought of a character that this time around gets a developed subplot involving well yet another character doing the right thing. This compassion and integrity, like most Gunn films, is once again rooted back to parents. And Gunn loves parents of all kinds, biological and even more so adoptive. Ma and Pa Kent (played respectively by Pruitt Taylor Vince and Neva Howell) bring such tenderness and a reminder that Superman has always been a child of Earth. To reject him and call him an alien is just purely unamerican. And even if the time spent in Smallville is short SUPERMAN seems to find its basis in that the decisions we make is what defines us. Plain and simple and yet often feels otherworldly so much so that even an indestructible man needs a reminder. Superman may save the day but it all begins with Clark Kent. Gunn knows this and chooses to make his film and possibly entire new universe around simply starting at the beginning and remembering to always be kind. Only then can you look to the skies and fly Up! Up! and Away!

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SUPERMAN WILL BE RELEASED IN THEATERS JULY 11