I hadn’t planned to watch James Gunn’s Superman. But when right-wing pundits like Ben Shapiro began slamming it as “Not. Good.” and conservatives called it “too political,” I looked at them as positive reviews and knew I had to watch the movie.
Superman wasn’t as openly political as I was expecting (and hoping) after all that buzz. I went in ready for something more direct, but what I got felt much more nuanced. Honestly, I would’ve liked it to be a bit more explicit, but I enjoyed the way it handled things.
Still, some people, especially conservatives and Zionists, found it preachy and accused it of pushing an agenda, even though the film doesn’t call out anyone by name. But you know how it goes, sometimes when the shoe fits, wear it, Cinderella.
Even James Gunn acknowledged that Superman might land differently depending on your politics. But he wasn’t apologetic about it. As he put it, there will be “jerks” out there who find this Superman offensive just because it’s about kindness.
Gunn’s Superman is humane
That brings me to one of the things I loved about Superman. It was how deeply human this Superman feels. He’s not just the “Man of Steel”; he’s a man who loves, who gets scared, who wakes up unsure but still tries to do the right thing.
When he says, “That’s being human, and that’s my greatest strength,” it lands with real emotional weight. Saving a squirrel in the middle of a battle, instead of “aura-farming”? Taking a common man’s help to get up? That’s my type of Superman.
And many of the online critics who can’t handle this more vulnerable Superman? It’s not surprising that most of them are men. Patriarchy has conditioned us to fear emotional expression in male heroes. But this movie rejects that. This Superman is vulnerable. He is humane. And he believes kindness is the new punk rock.
My favourite part of the film is the emphasis on Superman’s identity as a global immigrant. Gunn leans hard into this. Lex Luthor’s xenophobia is unmistakable, and it’s terrifyingly familiar.
Luthor isn’t some abstract villain. He looks like the people we know: a charismatic billionaire who thrives on hate, seizes land, and manipulates the public. His personality feels uncomfortably real.
Is Superman pro-Palestine?
Now, coming to the most discussed aspect of the story: is Superman pro-Palestine?
I’m a little skeptical about that. Borivia definitely resembles Israel, especially since they showed the US as its ally.
Of course, it comes across as anti-Israel in the sense that the movie very clearly talks about how invasion is wrong. And that scene between Superman and Lois Lane, where he yells out: “people were going to die,” honestly felt like exactly how many of us feel about the genocide in Gaza.
But Gunn has never publicly made any pro-Palestine comments. So I keep wondering: was it intentional, or just a coincidence? I’m sure he recognized the parallels, but I’m not totally convinced it was a deliberate stance. That’s why I wouldn’t go so far as to call the movie pro-Palestinian exactly.
Sure, Jarhanpur looks like it represents people who are Muslim and oppressed. But to be fair, the US’s default image of an “oppressed, poor nation” is usually some Middle Eastern or South Asian Muslim country, so it could be read either as a genuine call for empathy or a recycled trope. It’s complicated.
Let’s also not forget that in the comics, the countries are actually meant to be somewhere in Europe. The leader’s accent in the film also points in that direction. So in that way, it feels more like Russia invading Ukraine. And Gunn even said he didn’t base the story on any specific real-world conflict when he wrote it.
Still, the film got audiences thinking and talking about genocide, displacement, and state violence. That’s a win.
The characters and casting were spot-on
David Corenswet’s portrayal of Superman felt like Superman. Nicholas Hoult absolutely nailed Lex Luthor. He was chilling, charismatic, and exactly the kind of villain that feels way too real. Mr Terrific was, well, terrific. And Kyprto was obviously adorable. Superman’s “John Wick” moment was a treat to watch.
I love that Lois Lane wasn’t reduced to just a romantic interest; she’s portrayed as a real journalist. The interview scene between her and Superman was, for me, the best moment in the entire movie. As a journalist, I loved how she called Clark out on his journalistic ethics. She questions him hard, and it clearly rattles him. She even challenges him on the conflict of interest, reporting on himself, knowing the questions ahead of time.
And then there’s Superman’s visible frustration, being criticized for stopping a war, which just adds another emotional layer to the scene. For me, that whole scene was an absolute chef’s kiss.
But I especially loved Sara Sampaio’s character. At first, she came off like the stereotypical “pretty but dumb” woman, but the way that flipped was brilliant. She ended up being one of the most helpful characters in the story.
It was a great reminder of how often people, especially women who fit a certain beauty standard, are underestimated. And Lex Luthor clearly underestimated the wrong person.
Also, I really appreciated how the film showed Superman’s bond with his adoptive parents. It was warm, genuine, and sent exactly the right kind of message.
Superman has always been political
Anyone accusing James Gunn of “politicizing” Superman clearly hasn’t been paying attention for the last 80 years. This character has always been political, and even I, someone who hasn’t read Superman comics much, knew this well.
He was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, two Jewish kids of immigrant parents, as a symbol of hope against fascism in the 1930s. He’s worn a Pride cape. He’s fought for climate justice. There’s a reason Clark Kent is a journalist.
The scene where Lex Luthor’s monkeys spam the internet with anti-Superman comments plays like a joke, until you realize it's basically a mirror of the discourse happening online right now about the movie.
The storyline of Superman is honestly pretty basic; it’s straightforward. But there’s something genuinely enjoyable and captivating about the movie. It’s the kind of movie that will stick with you if you’re adopted, an immigrant, or someone who cares about what’s happening in Gaza.
This Superman isn’t just a savior from the sky. He feels like he is one of us. And in a world where kindness feels radical, that might be his greatest superpower.
