Great Scott! A Superman review for James Gunn’s new DCU movie apparently was accidentally released early, and it’s not good.
The Daily Beast broke the July 8th embargo set by Warner Bros. for those outlets that got to see press screenings.
Their review is titled: “The Terrible New ‘Superman’ Movie Is the Final Nail in the Grave for the Superhero Genre.”
The review is said to have been up for five minutes before the Daily Beast took it down, but the review is gaining waves and going viral on social media.
Screenshots have surfaced online (see below), where the Superman review blasts Gunn’s flick, which introduces fans to David Corenswet as the new Man of Steel and is meant to spearhead the DCU.
You can also read a review from an industry insider who offers fans the opinion that fans will either love it or hate it.
What does the Superman review say?
The Daily Beast review harshly criticizes James Gunn’s Superman, calling it an overstuffed, chaotic mess that fails to revive the superhero genre. Key points include:
The film is overcrowded with characters (heroes and villains) that are thinly developed. Supporting roles like Maxwell Lord, Supergirl, and Mister Terrific are introduced without much substance.
Despite sharp visuals and the use of John Williams’ Superman theme, the movie lacks emotional depth and feels superficial and silly, much like the criticized versions of Justice League.
The story is fragmented, tossing Superman from one bizarre situation to another (in media res) without clear narrative cohesion. Plot points include an interdimensional prison, a partnership with Metamorpho, and saving a giant-headed infant.
Gunn’s humor, praised in Guardians of the Galaxy and The Suicide Squad, falls flat here, aside from some light moments with Krypto the Superdog.
David Corenswet’s Superman is described as charming but slight, overshadowed by Christopher Reeve and Henry Cavill. The film’s CGI-heavy action further weakens his impact.
The tone swings from Snyder’s dark approach to a bright, cartoonish style that the review calls a “Saturday morning cartoon come to overstuffed, helter-skelter life.”
Superman himself is reimagined as a laid-back, well-meaning optimist who says “dude” and saves squirrels, rather than a Christ-like figure.
The review concludes that Gunn’s attempt to refresh the DC Universe falls flat, suffering from genre fatigue and failing to lay a strong narrative foundation.
Worth a mention is that this is only one review for James Gunn’s new Superman and obviously won’t represent all the reactions and reviews. However, it is alarming.
The Daily Beast Superman review has also been saved on Archive.org.
Superman review screenshots:
Release info
James Gunn’s Superman flies into theaters on July 11.
Starring includes David Corenswet as Superman and Clark Kent, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor.
The supporting cast includes Edi Gathegi, Anthony Carrigan, Nathan Fillion, Isabela Merced, Skyler Gisondo, Sara Sampaio, María Gabriela de Faría, Wendell Pierce, Alan Tudyk, Pruitt Taylor Vince, and Neva Howell.
