Superman

By Joanna Langfield

James Gunn’s re-boot isn’t always super, but man, it sure does get the franchise flying off to a pretty high start.

For those who like their superhero movies jam packed with eye candy, this one sure fits the bill. This flick is a lot. There are gargantuan city stomping creatures, waters that divide in an effort to conquer. And let’s not forget the bad men trying to take over the world, the winking pop culture references and the sobering notes of invasion, prison camps run by masked brutes as well as social media heat, echoing evil gazillionaire’s remarks about aliens who have invaded our homeland. Thank God there’s a dog, too.

Yes, this Superman is not afraid to make political points. Why should it be? When was it ever afraid to do so? Superman is, and always has been, an alien. Dropped in the American Midwest by parents from another planet who could no longer insure his safety. Gunn doesn’t shy away from any contemporary comparisons we may make of all this. But he is also true to the story’s origins. Haven’t all these pictures basically drawn from the idea of “We love Superman’’, “We are afraid of Superman”, ‘’Superman, we love you again’’?

And yes, he does re-kindle the romance between Superman and Lois, already in progress. And we also get some quality time with Lex Luthor, Metamorpho and Jimmy Olsen, who, apparently, now is a hunk. Or at least some think so.

I liked David Corenswet as the well-meaning, earnest Superman. And he makes for a very cute Clark Kent. Rachel Bosnahan shines as Lois and Nicholas Holt brings his simmering Lex Luthor to a fine boil. My favorite of the characters who emerge along the way was Green Lantern, thanks to a terrific Nathan Fillion. But please don’t ask me to remember more about who any of the rest of the characters were, or even all the pounding plot points. This movie is a buffet. Lots of big, fancy dishes and maybe too much to eat.