The Bite Magazine - Spring/Summer 2025 - Issue 37

bitefilms n James Gunn’s directed Superman, David Corenswet dons the cape with a disarming sincerity that feels reverent and revelatory. Rather than forge solely in the crucible of alien grandeur or America’s messianic hopes, there is an element of Kal-El, the Man of Steel’s name on Krypton, meaning star child, who aches to belong, balancing legacy and vulnerability in a world increasingly suspicious of benevolent power. Corenswet’s portrayal radiates Clark Kent’s small-town humility without dulling the magnetic resolve of Superman. It’s a per- formance steeped in emotional intelligence, echoing the quiet fortitude of Christopher Reeve with a contemporary emotional accessibility that reflects today’s thirst for flawed, feeling heroes. Gunn orchestrates a deft blend of earnest storytelling and genre-aware levity. He sheds the brooding nihilism that has long dominated DC’s big-screen ethos, opting instead for hopeful grandeur tempered with grit. The film reframes iconic tropes, notably the red-and-blue suit and the Fortress of Solitude, as extensions of Kal-El’s internal dilemma: whether goodness can thrive in a cynical world, or must it be compromised to be understood? Visually, the film adopts a bright, almost vintage aesthetic, evok- ing the silver age of comics while delivering action sequences with kinetic clarity and poetic symbolism. Hans Zimmer’s score returns with thematic motifs reimagined in primary keys, mak- ing familiar musical phrases feel fresh and uplifting. Rachel Brosnahan’s Lois Lane is sharp and unsentimental, lend- ing the central romance layers of professional rivalry and phil- osophical friction. Her chemistry with Corenswet crackles with admiration and challenge as both characters wrestle with truth, trust, and the burden of myth. Nicholas Hoult plays the fiendish Lex Luthor, with appearances from Hawkgirl, Green Lantern, Metamorpho and the adorable Mutt Krypton, the super dog. Narratively, Superman doesn’t upend the origin story so much as it recontextualises it. This film is more interested in emotional legacies than epic battles, although when action does erupt, it’s tethered to character stakes rather than pure spectacle. Ulti- mately, Superman feels like a story rediscovering its soul. It’s about saving Earth from destruction and erosion. Gunn offers a myth for modernity where kindness is not naïve, strength is not violent, and alienation is not the end of belonging, but the beginning of understanding. Release Date: 11 July 2025 www.warnerbros.co.uk/movies/superman Superman