(A repost from my own site)James Gunn’s first contribution to the relaunch of the DC Cinematic Universe was last December’s MAX TV series, Creature Commandos. I wasn’t thrilled. Now I’ve seen the Gunn-written, Gunn-directed Superman movie and I’m much happier. Fair warning, there will be some movie spoilers below.
Debuting in Weird WarTales #93, the Creature Commandos were three GIs who had been transformed, scientifically, into versions of the Big Three Universal monsters, a werewolf, a vampire and Frankenstein’s creature. They were sent into the European Theater of Operations on dangerous missions, with the military gambling they’d freak Germans out simply by their presence. IIRC, the ugliness of war and the willingness of the high command to treat people as cannon fodder was a constant subtext.
I was puzzled why Gunn would pick them for his first production — they’re far from a name to conjure with — but watching the first episode I understood. In this take, Amanda Waller, having been banned from recruiting regular people, even criminals, for Task Force X, has recruited freaks held in government custody: The G.I. Robot, Dr. Phosphorus and Frankenstein’s Creature, among others. The vibe between them is very much that of the Guardians of the Galaxy, a gang of outcasts making a found family of sorts (the premise also reminded me a lot of Monsters vs. Aliens).
The trouble is, while I enjoyed the Guardians of the Galaxy movies I didn’t feel any need to listen to the same kind of banter for seven episodes. It wasn’t bad banter but I could not get into it. I did wonder whether that was a bad sign for the DCCU going forward.
Superman 2025
It turns out no. I was very satisfied with Superman (2025), starring David Corenswet as Superman/Clark, Rachel Brosnahan (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) as Lois and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor.
The plot has Luthor steal the message that Superman’s parents sent with him to Earth. The hologram is so fractured Superman’s only been able to hear the beginning, which appears to encourage him to help humanity. Among other attacks on the Man of Might, Luthor’s tech team cracks the complete message and publicizes it: Jor-El and Lara wanted Superman to rule humanity, break them to his will and impregnate enough Earth women to start the Kryptonian race over again. The world turns on Superman (“He probably has a secret harem already.”) and he finds himself questioning the reason he does everything or anything. Fortunately the Kents (Pruitt Taylor Vince, Neva Howell) are there to remind him his roots and his values come from Kansas more than Krypton, giving him the strength to rise up and renew the fight.
And in case you’re wondering, Gunn has said that the translation is accurate, not a trick by Lex. His parents wanted Kal-El to be Brightburn, but they failed.
The first thing that stands out about Superman is that it isn’t an origin story. Thank god. It was done as well as possible in the Chris Reeve Superman, badly in Man of Steel, and I doubt there’s anyone going to this movie who doesn’t know it. This takes place three years into Superman’s career, he’s already dating Lois, Luthor is his mortal foe. Nobody’s going to be confused.
The big rewrite of the origin — Jor-El and Lara aspiring to conquer Earth through their son — didn’t shock me much. It’s a good character problem for Superman but ever since John Byrne’s 1986 reboot—— Krypton has been an unpleasant place, either coldly scientific or militaristic. Jor-El and Lara were the exceptions; having them turn out rotten too isn’t that catastrophic.
The cast is good. Corenswet’s excellent as the good-hearted alien (“Maybe that’s the real punk rock.”), Brosnahan makes a somewhat harder edged Lois and Hoult nails Luthor as an arrogant techbro. His motives for destroying Superman are partly profit (I won’t detail the scheme) and partly jealous resentment that people look up at the Man of Might as a greater hero. My only reservation is the way Gunn writes the Kents as (in the words of Blazing Saddles) “the salt of the Earth — you know, morons.”
Much like the MCU, the movie seeds for the future. Along with Superman Metropolis’ Hall of Justice is home to Green Lantern Guy Gardner (Nathan Filion), Mr. Terrific (Edi Gathegi, more serious and competent than the Arrowverse version) and Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced — and why not Hawkwoman, I wonder?) as the “Justice Gang.” We later meet Metamorpho in Luthor’s pocket-universe prison. The opening screen crawl says metahumans have been a thing for 300 years. There’s a mural in the Hall of Justice showing that history, though I don’t see anyone who fits being the ur-meta of 300 years ago. This is not a deal-breaker; embracing figures from DCU history such as Super-Chief, Miss Liberty and Max Mercury is a plus. More broadly, there’s no doubt the DCCU is going to be very comic-book going forward rather than the toned-down version we get in too many Marvel movies.
More like this please. Covers top to bottom by Joe Kubert, Curt Swan, John Byrne and Bob Brown.
“Krypto — fetch the toy.”
Fraser was born in England, but spent most of his life in the Florida Panhandle. He'd be there still if he hadn't met his dream woman and moved to Durham NC to marry her. In between writing fantasy short stories and film reference books, he reads, watches movies and cooks. He blogs more frequently at frasersherman.wordpress.com
I guess we are on different wavelengths. It’s a fair point that the Kents are decent, compassionate people but my wife TYG had the same reaction to them I did.
James Gunn’s first contribution to the relaunch of the DC Cinematic Universe was last December’s MAX TV series, Creature Commandos. I wasn’t thrilled. Now I’ve seen the Gunn-written, Gunn-directed Superman movie and I’m much happier. Fair warning, there will be some movie spoilers below.
Debuting in Weird War Tales #93, the Creature Commandos were three GIs who had been transformed, scientifically, into versions of the Big Three Universal monsters, a werewolf, a vampire and Frankenstein’s creature. They were sent into the European Theater of Operations on dangerous missions, with the military gambling they’d freak Germans out simply by their presence. IIRC, the ugliness of war and the willingness of the high command to treat people as cannon fodder was a constant subtext.
I was puzzled why Gunn would pick them for his first production — they’re far from a name to conjure with — but watching the first episode I understood. In this take, Amanda Waller, having been banned from recruiting regular people, even criminals, for Task Force X, has recruited freaks held in government custody: The G.I. Robot, Dr. Phosphorus and Frankenstein’s Creature, among others. The vibe between them is very much that of the Guardians of the Galaxy, a gang of outcasts making a found family of sorts (the premise also reminded me a lot of Monsters vs. Aliens).
The trouble is, while I enjoyed the Guardians of the Galaxy movies I didn’t feel any need to listen to the same kind of banter for seven episodes. It wasn’t bad banter but I could not get into it. I did wonder whether that was a bad sign for the DCCU going forward.
The plot has Luthor steal the message that Superman’s parents sent with him to Earth. The hologram is so fractured Superman’s only been able to hear the beginning, which appears to encourage him to help humanity. Among other attacks on the Man of Might, Luthor’s tech team cracks the complete message and publicizes it: Jor-El and Lara wanted Superman to rule humanity, break them to his will and impregnate enough Earth women to start the Kryptonian race over again. The world turns on Superman (“He probably has a secret harem already.”) and he finds himself questioning the reason he does everything or anything. Fortunately the Kents (Pruitt Taylor Vince, Neva Howell) are there to remind him his roots and his values come from Kansas more than Krypton, giving him the strength to rise up and renew the fight.
And in case you’re wondering, Gunn has said that the translation is accurate, not a trick by Lex. His parents wanted Kal-El to be Brightburn, but they failed.
The first thing that stands out about Superman is that it isn’t an origin story. Thank god. It was done as well as possible in the Chris Reeve Superman, badly in Man of Steel, and I doubt there’s anyone going to this movie who doesn’t know it. This takes place three years into Superman’s career, he’s already dating Lois, Luthor is his mortal foe. Nobody’s going to be confused.
The big rewrite of the origin — Jor-El and Lara aspiring to conquer Earth through their son — didn’t shock me much. It’s a good character problem for Superman but ever since John Byrne’s 1986 reboot—
— Krypton has been an unpleasant place, either coldly scientific or militaristic. Jor-El and Lara were the exceptions; having them turn out rotten too isn’t that catastrophic.
The cast is good. Corenswet’s excellent as the good-hearted alien (“Maybe that’s the real punk rock.”), Brosnahan makes a somewhat harder edged Lois and Hoult nails Luthor as an arrogant techbro. His motives for destroying Superman are partly profit (I won’t detail the scheme) and partly jealous resentment that people look up at the Man of Might as a greater hero. My only reservation is the way Gunn writes the Kents as (in the words of Blazing Saddles) “the salt of the Earth — you know, morons.”
Much like the MCU, the movie seeds for the future. Along with Superman Metropolis’ Hall of Justice is home to Green Lantern Guy Gardner (Nathan Filion), Mr. Terrific (Edi Gathegi, more serious and competent than the Arrowverse version) and Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced — and why not Hawkwoman, I wonder?) as the “Justice Gang.” We later meet Metamorpho in Luthor’s pocket-universe prison. The opening screen crawl says metahumans have been a thing for 300 years. There’s a mural in the Hall of Justice showing that history, though I don’t see anyone who fits being the ur-meta of 300 years ago. This is not a deal-breaker; embracing figures from DCU history such as Super-Chief, Miss Liberty and Max Mercury is a plus. More broadly, there’s no doubt the DCCU is going to be very comic-book going forward rather than the toned-down version we get in too many Marvel movies.
More like this please. Covers top to bottom by Joe Kubert, Curt Swan, John Byrne and Bob Brown.
“Krypto — fetch the toy.”
I think you’re underrating the emotional intelligence and integrity of the Kents, here – Pa’s a mush, but he’s no moron!
Also, if you didn’t cry while watching each of the Commandos’ origins, we’re on different wavelengths.
Weasel got a tragic backstory!!!
I guess we are on different wavelengths. It’s a fair point that the Kents are decent, compassionate people but my wife TYG had the same reaction to them I did.