‘Superman’: Critics say the James Gunn film is ‘overstuffed but enjoyable’ in upbeat first reviews

James Gunn’s Superman has officially arrived, marking not only a fresh reboot but also the first chapter of Gunn’s DC Universe. With David Corenswet donning the iconic cape, Rachel Brosnahan stepping into the role of Lois Lane, and Nicholas Hoult offering a fresh take on Lex Luthor, the film has drawn a wide range of reactions, mostly positive, from critics.

David Rooney at The Hollywood Reporter describes the film as “very much a comic-book action-adventure but one with a warm human heart.” He acknowledges some structural issues, writing, “Gunn’s screenplay can certainly be faulted for piling on too many elements, making it at times seem lumpy and overstuffed. But what matters most is that the movie is fun, pacy and enjoyable, a breath of fresh air sweetened by a deep affection for the material and boosted by a winning trio of leads.”

At Variety, Owen Gleiberman offers a slightly more measured take. “The super-busy quality of Superman works for it and, at times, against it. The movie rarely slows down long enough to allow its characters to meditate on their shifting realities. That’s one reason it falls short of the top tier of superhero cinema (The Dark Knight, Superman II, The Batman, Guardians). I’d characterize the film as next-level good (a roster that includes Iron Man, Thor, Batman Begins, Captain America, and the hugely underrated Iron Man 3),” writes Gleiberman.

Richard Roeper at RogerEbert.com highlights Gunn’s thematic intentions but ultimately finds the film lacking emotional weight. “There are a number of well-executed, dialogue-driven scenes sprinkled among the CGI mayhem and the existential wailing and the chuckle-inducing cameos, and writer/director Gunn admirably leans into the narrative of Superman as the embodiment of the classic American immigrant story—but this first entry in the new DC Universe left me with a cinematic fast-food vibe. You enjoy the flavors well enough, but you’re left feeling as if you’ve consumed a familiar, empty-calorie (relatively) Happy Meal.”

Meanwhile, Maureen Lee Lenker at Entertainment Weekly singles out Corenswet’s performance as a major strength. “Corenswet is a marvel as Superman/Clark Kent, seemingly born for the role (remarks upon his resemblance to Reeve far predate his casting). He layers a patina of boyish charm with a quiet intensity and intelligence, making Superman's All-American, cornfed upbringing a symbol of his genuine decency.” However, she’s less impressed with the film’s script: “If only that narrative weren't mired in paper-thin geopolitics, a carousel of characters whose names we barely have time to register, and an assumption that superhero shorthand will do the work of good story development.”

Superman currently has an 86 percent "fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a 71 percent "generally favorable" score on Metacritic.