“You trust everyone and think everyone you ever met is beautiful.” Lois Lane
“Maybe that’s the real punk rock.”
(Superman, 2025)
On July 11th, 2025, James Gunn’s highly anticipated “Superman” (2025) hit theaters internationally. Comic book lovers and lifelong fans stormed cinemas with both excitement and hope.
For years now, the Marvel vs. DC debate has dominated comic book culture, with fans divided over tone, storytelling, and the portrayal of characters. And over a decade ago, Zack Snyder’s Superman introduced a darker take on the “Man of Steel.”
Though visually striking, Snyder’s version left many questioning whether the essence of Superman had been lost. What was missing was not grit or power (because Henry Cavill’s portrayal of Superman was nothing short of commanding), but rather, a heart.
With “Superman” (2025), Gunn delivers the long-overdue course correction, opening a new chapter in DC’s legacy that reclaims the character’s core not as a “savior” sent to Earth, but as a participant in humanity. He strips back the Christ-like connotation that has clung to the character for so long, and instead asks: What does it mean for someone with infinite power to still choose empathy and moral clarity?
The story follows Superman (played by David Corenswet) having just thwarted an aggressor nation, from invading its smaller neighbor, Jarhanpur. But instead of gratitude, he meets growing suspicion from the U.S. government and open hostility from Lex Luthor (played by Nicholas Hoult), a manipulative billionaire who sees Superman and metahumans as a threat to human dominance.
Luthor turns the public against Superman and creates a clone of him, using Superman’s own strength against him. A black hole rift gets triggered by Luthor’s reckless ambition, putting the entire city at risk. As expected, the world is saved by the end of the movie.
But Gunn’s film is not really about saving the world. It is a given that Superman will save everyone in the end, because that is how superhero movies work. It is about holding onto compassion and humanity. It is about choosing kindness, even when it feels like no one else will.
While other versions of Superman focus on what he can do, Gunn shows the world what Superman should do. He does not stand for wealthy and powerful countries invading and imposing their will on weaker ones. He does not stand for ignoring small moments of vulnerability, like a tiny squirrel in danger. And when it is time to face the consequences of his actions, he steps forward, even if it means turning himself in for something as simple as saving the “not even that good of a dog” Krypto.
However, this simple message, which also happens to be the core of the character, has been receiving some backlash, particularly from right-wing critics branding him as “Superwoke.” Many see the character’s refusal to support imperialistic actions and his emphasis on accountability and kindness as politically charged, accusing Gunn of pushing a progressive agenda.
But what they fail to acknowledge is that this is the real Superman. He is a character that always stands for the underdog, like when he fought against domestic violence in Action Comics No. 1 in 1938 (the world’s introduction to the character), when he fought racists in Superman Smashes The Klan in 1946, or when he defended undocumented workers in Action Comics. No 987.
Gunn did not rewrite Superman. He returned him to his roots. This is a hero who doesn’t pick sides based on politics or profit. He chooses the right thing to do, even when it is inconvenient. To frame empathy and anti-violence as partisan is to admit just how politicized decency has become.
In the end, “Superman” (2025) is not trying to reinvent the wheel, but it is reminding us of why the wheel mattered in the first place. Choosing to see the good in others becomes the most radical act of all, and in the words of Superman himself: “maybe that’s the real punk rock.”
I loved this!!