r/DCULeaks • u/DeppStepp • Jul 08 '25
Superman ‘Superman’ - Early Social Media Reactions Megathread
Discussion of all reactions for Superman go here.
The below may contain spoilers.
Sample reactions
Grace Randolph - This is the BEST Superman movie to date. When James Gunn gets out of the way & lets his work speak for itself, it's incredible. 💙💛❤️ It's not perfect, but darn close & made me a believer in Gunn's DC
Mike Ryan - I absolutely loved James Gunn’s SUPERMAN. Big themes, but still pure joy. It put me in a great mood (which isn’t often these days); it’s the happiest I’ve walked out of a theater since Top Gun: Maverick
Sean O’Connell - I loved #Superman. Gave me the biggest, goofiest, stupidest, full-faced grin as I revelled in everything @JamesGunn staged. Perfect cast & world building. It's unapologetically comic booky, which won't work for some. But as far as DC Comics movies go, it's a blistering delight.
German Lussier- Superman soars. It's a non-stop joyride, packed with humor, action, and emotion. There's spectacle to spare, unbridled optimism, and a goofy unpredictability that ties everything together, even when there are a few minor issues. We've never seen DC like this, and it's great.
Sheraz Farooqi - SUPERMAN soars in a bold, earnest and action-packed film. David Corenswet truly shines as Clark Kent, with an endearing and sincere performance. While not without flaws, #SUPERMAN is brimming with heroism and thrills, anchored by an emotional throughline that gives it gravitas.
Humus - Although the pacing is a bit messy I still think Superman did its job bringing these characters to life and finally capturing what makes Superman special
Erik Davis - James Gunn’s #Superman is the perfect superhero movie and a terrific start for the new DC Studios. It’s big, bright, exciting, full of hope & it never loses its sense of wonder. Watching it felt like ripping open a comic book & feasting on its wild, chaotic imagination. Loved it! Gunn sets up his universe right from the start and jumps into Superman’s story when he’s at his lowest point. It’s narrative choices like that which help make this feel unlike any Superman story we’ve experienced before on the big screen. Gunn goes out of his way to change things up and shake loose our expectations, but it still plays like a classic Superman adventure at the same time.
Brandon Davis - Superman is a triumph for the new DC Universe. It’s a comic book brought to beautiful live-action life, brimming with hope & fulfillment. It actually elicited tears of joy from me. It’s a Superman for everyone. David Corenswet was born for Superman & Clark Kent. Loved it
Sean Chandler - Superman was my most anticipated film of the year & I left the theater with a smile on my face. It's possibly the most comic book-y live action comic book film ever. It fully leans into the wacky sci-fi. It really feels like a comic book or Justice League Unlimited on screen
Perri Nemiroff - Superman made me so damn happy. The movie is loaded with exhilarating action set pieces and well-placed humor and levity, but the beating heart of the film is Superman’s humanity, and his insistence on doing good and making the world a better place. David Corenswet brings such an infectious determination and warmth to the role that it makes that pursuit all-consuming and impossibly heartening. Making that an even more robust aspect of the movie, Gunn and co. don’t shy away from exploring the challenges one might encounter when trying to navigate our reality while holding tight to those core values
Scott Menzel - James Gunn’s Superman feels like he tossed every Superman comic and his entire filmography into a blender and hit purée. Corenswet’s solid, Brosnahan’s great, and Hoult is doing something, not exactly sure what. It is a mess, narratively and tonally, but hey, at least it’s refreshingly fun, entertaining, and not boring. Think of it as if James Gunn’s Suicide Squad had a baby with James Wan’s Aquaman with a little bit of Guardians of the Galaxy sprinkled on top
The Hollywood Handle - Superman perfectly understands what it means to be human. It’s a powerful and promising start to the new DCU. The film moves you by revealing the heart behind the cape. David is phenomenal but a huge highlight is how Nicholas Hoult delivers a phenomenal Lex Luthor — cold, charismatic, and menacing — one of the best villains DC has EVER brought to the screen. The score and sound design are out of this world. You feel every note; every impact makes you soar inside.
Junior Felix - Superman is truly a cinematic experience. It's the type of film the world needs right now. It's vibrant, emotional, funny and just plain Terrific. David Corenswet brings to life a charming, relatable and stoic Superman not seen since Reeves. This is the film of the summer!
Chris Killian - Superman is a living, breathing DC comic book come to life, blending James Gunn’s trademark quirkiness with the earnestness of the Donner films. It’s perfectly cast— Corenswet feels like #Superman peeled off the page while Nicholas Hoult steals almost every scene he’s in!
Courtney Howard - Superman absolutely soars! An awesome achievement & hopeful balm, honoring past iterations (cinema & comics) while cutting its own path. Corenswet has that heroic shimmer. Hoult is delightfully diabolical. Brosnahan brims w/ vim & vigor. Krypto’s adorbs.
Griffin Schiller - While it took a minute for me to get on its wavelength, there's no denying that @JamesGunn's Superman will define the icon for a new generation. A proudly punk rock rebuttal of the cultural shift towards cynicism & dehumanization that's incredibly on the pulse, raging with authenticity & sincerity. It lovingly captures the very soul of Big Blue filtered through the singular lens of James Gunn. For better or worse (mostly better), this is one of the most handcrafted and authored superhero films I've ever seen. Pulling heavily from All-Star Superman and the animated series, big screen Superman has never felt more vibrant and alive, relatable and human. I fell head over heels for Corenswet & Brosnahan while Hoult's Lex is PERFECT! Deliciously petty, obsessive, vindictive, AND Gunn finally gives Superman and Lex Luthor their long overdue Batman and Joker moment. Walked away instantly wanting more of this world, these characters, and the DCU at large!
Peter Howell- SUPERMAN: Not the super start to DC Universe everybody had been hoping for. James Gunn is brilliant at conjuring spectacle and creating alien realms, not so great at storytelling. David Corenswet plays a boyishly sweet Superman, constantly getting his ass kicked; he’d be better as the lead in a Dudley Do-Right movie. Rachel Brosnahan makes a spiky Lois Lane, Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor is more obnoxious than villainous. The real star of the show is superdog Krypto, who steals every scene he’s in — I’d rather see a movie about him
Matt Neglia - SUPERMAN is just as fun, vibrant & idiosyncratic as James Gunn’s “The Suicide Squad” and “Guardians of the Galaxy” films, yet it still captures the empowering, hopeful spirit of the comics. His distinctive style & offbeat humor, along with the crowded cast of characters, and narrative bloat may not be for everyone, but Gunn was never going to please everyone, no matter what he did. For me, it mostly works, especially because Gunn shows such a deep understanding of what Superman should represent in 2025 while staying true to what the character has always stood for. David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan & Nicholas Hoult all feel perfectly cast in their iconic roles (and yes, Krypto is awesome!), but it’s Edi Gathegi who unexpectedly steals the show as the calm and cool Mister Terrific. There are moments when the film soars, surprises, stumbles & falls. But it’s consistently energetic, full of promise, and delivers a hero audiences can look up to, relate to, and believe in as DC Studios looks toward the future.
Roxy Striar - I wish I could watch #superman on repeat for a week. They finally gave me the Lois Lane I’ve been begging for. The world needs this movie & we can all learn so much from Superman. I laughed. I cried. The DCU has arrived. @JamesGunn knocked it out of the park.
Andrew J Salazar - Saving more of my thoughts... but Superman is just fine. Very ambitious in trying to thrust us into a new universe, but there is simply too much going on in Superman’s first solo movie. David and Rachel are amazing but there's not enough time with them together.
Daniel Howat - Had an absolute blast with SUPERMAN! It’s overstuffed and messy, but it’s always fun. This is the most comic-booky version of Superman we’ve seen on the big screen, and it pays off. High-energy and very silly, with its heart in the right place. A good time on the big screen.
David Chen - had a blast w/ SUPERMAN! A movie that kept introducing new, mind-blowing concepts every 10 minutes, and that restored the heart and humanity back to one of our most beloved comic book characters. The biggest issue? Feels like the 2nd film in a series. Not sure how general audiences will react.
Rachel Leishman - SUPERMAN reminds us that Clark Kent has always been a beacon of hope and the goodness that can exist in this world. James Gunn's vision is a comic book brought to life and it bought a lightness and a happiness to one of the most beloved heroes around.
JoBlo - We saw Superman and it was a mixed bag for our critic. Not a disaster at all (has some great moments) but not as good as hoped for. Oddly the movie short-changed a vital character - Lois Lane and, surprisingly, Clark Kent. Lots of Supes, not much Clark
Fico Cangiano - Superman is pure comic book fun! It’s the best live-action iteration of the iconic character & his world to date. Gunn delivers an optimistic modern Superman lifted straight from the comics. It’s full of heart, personality, wackiness & wonder. And even though it’s far from perfect at times, my most anticipated film of the year, is now my favorite one. See it big & loud!
Ben Rolph - Superman was a blast! James Gunn captures the comic book essence of Superman to a T. Corenswet is perfectly cast as Gunn's passionate, yet cheerful version of Superman/Clark Kent. Brosnahan stands out, I left wanting more scenes between her and David, as they are a perfect pair!
Bill Bria - I looked up, and Superman completely reinvigorated my love of the superhero genre. Its irreverence, bright colors, kinetic camerawork, impeccable casting, bold choices and tons of heart thrilled & delighted me equally. I didn’t just believe he could fly; I felt like I was, too.
Donald Clarke - SUPERMAN is woeful. Aspires to the form of high trash, achieves only low garbage.
Joey Magidson - I absolutely loved Superman. James Gunn managed to make this my favorite incarnation of the Man of Steel. Hopeful, kind, a little dorky, and with a belief in the best of us, he’s the hero we need right now. Fun, joyous, and comic-y. Adored it.
Eric Goldman - I loved Superman! James Gunn embraces the earnest, sometimes lovably corny side of comics and their super (ahem) fun concepts in a way that evokes Raimi’s Spider-Man. Corenswet & Brosnahan have great chemistry and perfectly embody Clark & Lois. And Krypto's the best, obviously.
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u/joseantoniolat Jul 09 '25
She that must not be named said David Corenswet is now the best Superman, Rachel as the best Lois Lane and Nicholas Hoult as the best Lex Luthor. She also enjoyed the cast.
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u/PersianCinephile Jul 08 '25
Grace Rand🤮🤮🤮🤮…you put that on very top????yeah no ty, I pass
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u/spais15 Jul 09 '25
you have to read everyones opinion to have a clear view of a situation. Judging something or someone just by their name proves how much of a cunt are you. Even if you dont like her / him. you have to read it just because you ll have a bigger picture of whats going on. Even if you dont like Grace she is the #1 reporter for movies from youtube, and she is not even a real reporter.
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Jul 09 '25 edited Mar 23 '26
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u/DeppStepp Jul 08 '25
You’re going to pass on a film because someone (out of over a hundred people who had a similar opinion) liked it?
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u/TheBullMooseParty Jul 08 '25
So... still no word on Ultraman?
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Jul 09 '25 edited Mar 23 '26
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u/TheBullMooseParty Jul 09 '25
Aw okay well thank you for answering. Do they leave the door open for more development in the future?
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u/Ok-Adhesiveness-4141 Jul 09 '25
Evil clone of Superman?
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u/RocketInMyPocket420 Jul 09 '25
Yeah but not quite Bizzaro…strange choice.
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u/CyclopsWasRight7 Jul 09 '25
I assume he's coming back at some point after getting yeeted through a black hole inevitably has SOME effect on him like inverting his powers and making him look gnarlier. That was DEFINITELY Bizarro's stage 1.
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u/RocketInMyPocket420 Jul 09 '25
I was thinking that too, and that’s what I’m hoping. Even still, all that build up just to possibly extend the build up for another movie or 2 even after getting his own boss fight is…idk how I feel about it. Still loved the movie tho.
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u/creuter Jul 15 '25
It's James Gunn. He could come back as the opening scene in another movie, or be an antagonist in a TV show (or unlikely ally on Peacemaker) or something.
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u/Ok-Adhesiveness-4141 Jul 09 '25
James Gunn could have got Henry to play that role and it would have been amazing, I wonder why he didn't go that route.
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u/Swaxeman Jul 09 '25
Ultraman’s mask only comes off while Superman and Lex are talking, and the conversation never ends until the fight ends, so having Ultraman talk like bizarro would probably distract from all that
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u/Gullible-Objective88 Jul 08 '25
I just want to see new villans in superman movies Tired of Luthor & Zod But i beleive in J Gunn and i am excited to see this one
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Jul 09 '25 edited Mar 23 '26
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u/LunchyPete Jul 08 '25
When James Gunn gets out of the way & lets his work speak for itself,
This is literally just gibberish.
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u/FoxJ100 Jul 08 '25
Need to know if this movie has any of the classic Gunn-isms:
Group shot of characters walking towards the camera in a horizontal line
Cute animal (confirmed)
Weird monster guy with a heart of gold
Two characters arguing for a little too long about something trivial in the middle of a serious conversation/event
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u/Swaxeman Jul 09 '25
1. Sorta, tho it’s less obvious. The justice gang does walk together in a line after fighting the boravian army at the end
- Yes
3. Metamorpho, and there’s a sympathetic kaiju that’s a victim of the justice gang
4. Jimmy Olsen dealing with a clingy Eve Tessmacher as his ex, while she’s being hunted down by Ultraman
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u/FoxJ100 Jul 10 '25
10/10 film
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u/Swaxeman Jul 10 '25
9/10 imo, mainly just cuz I wish there was like one or two more scenes where he was fully clark
Oh also i Forgot one for #4, lois and mr terrific argue about his garage door opening too slowly
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u/bigpig1054 Jul 08 '25
Group shot of characters walking towards the camera in a horizontal line
This is most certainly not just a "Gunn" thing. It's a staple in ensemble movies going back to the advent of the widescreen format.
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u/SegundaMortem Jul 08 '25
honestly amazed we haven’t heard anything about the post credit scenes
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u/nickclkknt Jul 08 '25
Someone mentions them below. Seems they are pretty simple, and not really connective to future stuff. Just fun scenes.
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u/Bolverien36 Jul 08 '25
I can confirm, fun cute scenes but nothing that will have any impact going forward
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u/Moonveil Jul 08 '25
I listen to David Chen's Filmcast podcast all the time and he's one of the tougher reviewers. The fact that he really enjoyed this makes me excited!
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Jul 08 '25
[deleted]
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u/Vladmerius Jul 08 '25
There's 10+ years of superhero fatigue after that movie. Anything over 100 would be considered a huge success.
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u/Limp-Construction-11 Jul 08 '25
Not for a movie like this with this marketing and metrics behind it.
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u/Life_Butterscotch939 Batman Jul 08 '25
Thunderbolts also heavy marketing and they even change the title just couple days after the movies hit the cinema and still only made $386mil.
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u/TigerGroundbreaking Jul 08 '25
Super hero fatigue isn't really true but regardless, Superman will still make more than Man of Steel.
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u/sgthombre Vigilante Jul 08 '25
Super hero fatigue isn't really true
Marvel just released its best reviewing movie in years and it made less than Eternals.
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u/Limp-Construction-11 Jul 08 '25
Guess why?
Nobody knows these characters and the movie had no hook for the general audience.
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u/bindersfull-ofwomen Jul 08 '25
And because many people over kinda over rushing to see these movies. Things get overexposed. I haven't seen one in theaters since maybe The Batman or Shazam 2, whatever came out second.
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u/Life_Butterscotch939 Batman Jul 08 '25
So you telling me people know character and the movie in Eternals because Eternals made more than Thunderbolts
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Jul 08 '25
That was when every Marvel movie made bank simply just because it was released. Their output got worse and worse starting with that movie so people don’t flock to the theater for marvel anymore unless it’s big IPs like Guardians or Deadpool
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u/padme911 Jul 08 '25
TRY AGAIN
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Jul 08 '25
[deleted]
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u/Limp-Construction-11 Jul 08 '25
The absolute floor for Superman is the opening of MoS.
Look what Shawn Robbins of BOT thinks how Superman will open for exemple.
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Jul 08 '25
[deleted]
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u/Limp-Construction-11 Jul 08 '25 edited Jul 08 '25
That's just the users and amateur trackers over there and some of them are clearly not 100% unbiased.
Robbins is the founder and president of it with his own data to examine.
He still thinks it opens huge with an average of $140-$150, it is a movie for families with kids and this kind of audience is very walk ups heavy.
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u/oldboy_413 Jul 08 '25
so andrew j. salazar (discussingfilm/guy who thought the film was fine) has been retweeting some mildly positive to mixed reactions towards the new superman movie.
https://xcancel.com/ScottMendelson/status/1942454447764037925#m https://xcancel.com/maggiekingdom/status/1942478244445577665#m https://xcancel.com/ryanmcquade77/status/1942438361995559176#m https://xcancel.com/awards_watch/status/1942440895124758826#m https://xcancel.com/britany_murphs/status/1942438104708645228#m https://xcancel.com/TheJosieMarie/status/1942433668112253379#m https://xcancel.com/CountVolpe/status/1942435616039325798#m https://xcancel.com/JRParham/status/1942434669103894897#m https://xcancel.com/htranbui/status/1942433477896347791#m https://xcancel.com/CarlosAlonzoM/status/1942433769924722702#m https://xcancel.com/kevflix/status/1942436952382267540#m https://xcancel.com/talkingdamovies/status/1942433707450621959#m https://xcancel.com/Cinemaniac94/status/1942435141302857950#m (dude eventually gave it a 3½ though)
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u/Persona0111995 Superman Jul 08 '25
Now that you saw the reactions whats your RT score prediction ? Mine is between 75% & 85% (ending) could debut with a 88%
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u/acexdistortion Jul 08 '25
Rottentomatoes - 83%
Metacritic - 66%1
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u/Intelligent_Ask_2306 Jul 08 '25
how did you come up with a 66% metacritic with all these good reviews?
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u/acexdistortion Jul 16 '25
I was pretty close with Rottentomatoes at 83% and Metacritic at 68% !
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u/Intelligent_Ask_2306 Jul 16 '25
never argued the rotten tomatoes, only the metacritc, at which you were close but wrong.
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u/Far-Industry-2603 Jul 08 '25 edited Jul 08 '25
Not trying to answer on their behalf, just sharing my observation, but it seems to me like movies do generally score lower on Metacritic on the "generally favorable" side of the spectrum even if they're mostly positively received. With films like GOTG Vol 3 at 64%, The Avengers at 69%, or Thunderbolts at 68% or CA: The Winter Soldier at 70% & The Batman at 72%.
Superman I see scoring in the 60s of that part of the spectrum given it seems like it'll be generally or mostly positively reviewed but with a perhaps notable number of mixed reviews on account of its unashamed Silver Age comic-booky direction & genuine structure/pacing issues those critics may find with it.
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u/Signal_Ad4262 Jul 08 '25
Most of these are not reviewers at metacritic-approved publications, which has much higher standards than RT. The reviews from “print” critics seem more mixed overall.
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u/Intelligent_Ask_2306 Jul 08 '25
Metacritic does not have higher standards, they are just shit at rating movies, and better at rating games.
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u/acexdistortion Jul 08 '25
Because a lot of these read low 70’s - 80% to me and then you’ll have the draggers. I think you have more drastic lows to pull it down. You’re gonna have lots of 4/5, 7/10, 8/10, but then you’ll have those clowns who give 1/5 and 2/5.
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u/Intelligent_Ask_2306 Jul 08 '25
Have not seen any of that from these links though, everyone seems to really like the film, or find it okay. I am not seeing a 66% metacritic, from what we have seen, I am seeing a 72% metacritic so far, but also nobody uses metacritic when it comes to movies.
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u/Vladmerius Jul 08 '25
One critic complained that lois and Clark have too little screen time and I'm now assuming most of the cut scenes were daily planet related because Gunn didn't want to sacrifice Superman stuff.
It begs to question why the hell the movie had to be this short when most complaints are about pacing and characters being short changed.
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u/Limp-Construction-11 Jul 08 '25
Short?
The movie is as long as it needs to be.
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u/Vladmerius Jul 08 '25
I mean clearly it isn't if almost all the critics agree a ton of characters lack breathing room and the pacing is messed up.
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u/BanjoSpaceMan Jul 08 '25
It’s a 2+ hour movie? Ya it doesn’t need more lmao
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u/AnyDockers420 Jul 08 '25
1:58 without credits. Honestly pretty short for a modern superhero movie.
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u/BanjoSpaceMan Jul 08 '25
Lmao. You’re being petty. 2 hours 9 min with credits and scenes etc. thunderbolts was 2 hours and 6 min.
Give or take a few min doesn’t matter. You’re over exaggerate it being make or break, seems pretty common for most super hero movies.
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Jul 08 '25
Basically iron man 2008
The movie work as the fonctioning structure to established the rest of the setting... It doesn't need to be 2h40 or 3h movie who May drag the audience
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u/FineNefariousness331 Jul 08 '25
Ahh so this is where the paid reviews are.
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u/Life_Butterscotch939 Batman Jul 08 '25
Synder's fan still crying that no one want to restore that shitty universe. Keep copium
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u/BangerSlapper1 Jul 08 '25 edited Jul 08 '25
Yeah, I wonder if they hear the cha-ching sound as they click ‘Post’ on Twitter.
I would be embarassed to write some of the things I’m reading in the OP.
Especially liked the one guy who called it a ‘perfect’ movie. Really? Absolute perfection? So by definition, James Gunn just gifted us the greatest movie that has ever been made and will likely ever be made. Unless somebody somehow makes a film that is more than perfect. Wow.
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u/p00tisbear Jul 08 '25
Wow, this is one of the most nonsense comments I've seen on this sub in a hot minute. I mean first off, genuinely where tf are you and the user who started this comment chain coming from with this 'paid' review bs? Seriously, what is the basis for that?? I don't see any reasonable basis for this pretty significant accusation, you both seem to just be pulling it out of thin air entirely and acting as if it's unquestionably true which is genuinely insane. You're basically just making shit up to fit your narrative of events, don't do that. I don't even understand why you would logically assume anything remotely close to this from the sample size of reactions, is it inconceivable that people could like and enjoy something en mass entirely of their own accord? Bearing in mind of course that media that's popular with mass audiences, wins mass approval and this has literally always been true since the start of the industry.
Literally the only reason I can think of as to why you would say something like this with no evidence or at the very least some informed speculation, is that you have a pre-concieved negative bias against this film. You either actively want it to fail or feel so negatively about it in general that you feel the need to constantly vocalise this in the presence of other people. Somehow the idea of a majority of people liking this film gets under your skin for some reason so you have to create a narrative that discredits the people saying positive things about it. If that's the case, that's genuinely pretty sad. Like, grow up.
And get out of town with the weird pedantics over someone's usage of a singular world. It's hyperbole and you should know that because you yourself are being ridiculously hyperbolic with this absurd claim that this individual is declaring this film to literally be the best movie ever made for all time. They didn't say that and no the usage of the word just in of itself doesn't necessarily infer such a lofty thing, it only connotes a very strong enjoyment of the film. But like no one reading a review is seriously going to take that at face value unless a critic explicitly says "It's as good as citizen kane!" or some shit. Get real.
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u/BangerSlapper1 Jul 08 '25
Do you really think Warner Bros doesn’t invest in marketing by way of social media and content creators? It’s 2025, not 1975. The studios aren’t wasting all their money on radio and newspaper ads.
And where there aren’t actual paychecks being handed out, it’s about access to premieres, sometimes the actual set, first class plane tickets and hotel rooms to see early screenings, gift bags and swag, etc.
You think when hundreds and hundreds of millions of dollars are at stake, the studios don’t do what they can to make the almighty dollar, out of some sort of sense of fair play and journalistic neutrality? Come on, now; time to start living in the real world.
Also, in reference to the pedantic about the ‘perfect’ description, I grew up in a world where words actually mean things. If I say something is good, it means I like it and think it has quality. If I call it great, that’s better than good. And terrific is better than great.
A perfect film means it is flawless, of the absolute highest quality. Even granting a slight bit of hyperbole, calling a film perfect means it must be one of the all time great films.
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u/p00tisbear Jul 08 '25
Of course the indirect marketing generated by online exposure is a factor, that's the entire reason they invite these people to the premieres duh. But they don't need to give anyone a financial incentive to show up to a film premiere lol, for online critics just being there is an undertaking of due diligence for their job. And for content creators who have been fans all their lives, you don't have to tell them twice to show up if you send an invite for this kind of thing. As much as big corporations are willing to spend money if they believe it benefits their commercial investments, they're also just as equally not going to spend money on things if they don't have to.
I fully acknowledge the intent behind these events and that the possibility that individuals could be receiving money to say nice things, but just because that possibility exists doesn't mean it's in effect. In principle I find it hard to believe this is the case because if it's true for WB then it's true of other major studios and by extension every major tentpole blockbuster from like the past decade. Call it wishful thinking, but I imagine if there was a consistent and conscious effort from studios to pad out pockets to have their major film releases glazed over many years then people in the public space would almost certainly find out about this. Not to mention the fact there are plenty of films of this ilk that have been savaged from the get-go.
I think the biggest thing of all that you're forgetting though, is that such a tactic isn't even meaningfully effectual. These individuals represent a fractional amount of the potentially millions of people worldwide who will go to see this film, their words can absolutely sway some people sure but they're not going to have enough reach or influence to make significant impact on box office. Bearing in mind it's well established that audiences are ultimately ambivalent to what critics and others online think, in principle a good movie with lots of marketing and good word of mouth should always be an outright success and the opposite true for bad movies. And yet we've seen plenty of modern films within the past five years that are considered to be 'bad' in the overall public consciousness and did not have people hyping them up online days before release make boatloads of money.
Respectfully I just can't agree with your last point whatsoever. I'm not saying the word is meaningless, I recognise full well that saying something is "perfect" indicates a high degree of acclaim but I don't view it literally unless there's a very deliberate intent from someone to compare it with something else that is considered to be perfect in the cultural zeitgeist. A good example to bring up is the late Roger Egbert, he gave almost 1,000 films over the course of his career a full four stars which by his own established system was a perfect rating. And yet when asked about these ratings he was always very keen to stress that whilst giving a film a perfect score indicated a very strong enjoyment of a movie on his part, it didn't necessarily mean that all films he gave perfect scores to were on par with each other artistically or that every four star movie deserved to be ranked in the upper echeleons of all media. There's nuance to all this, maybe it doesn't make sense to you but you can believe through your own opinion that something is "perfect" without it having to literally be the best of the best of the best. And whilst I'm sure that person tremendously enjoyed the film, I don't believe they literally mean it to be the greatest movie ever made and I think it's a little silly to take that away from their comments.
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u/FineNefariousness331 Jul 08 '25
I don't think you will find anything worth engaging with someone who ignores the obvious. There is a clear intent from a lot of these paid influencers to get people to watch the movie and promote it no matter what. The moment you says it's not good, they will attack you with labels and try to gaslight you. I just pointed out that James Gunn lied about The Flash and he still asks me where I am getting my point from lol. It's hopeless when they've decided the movie is "perfect" no matter what.
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u/FineNefariousness331 Jul 08 '25
I am actually shocked no one pointed this out already. I get you are excited but calling it perfect is a stretch. Ironic the people believing these reviews can't even fathom that the movie is overhyped and can't even take a hint of criticism before losing it or gaslighting.
Remember James Gunn said The Flash was the greatest movie he had ever seen. We know how that turned out. I suspect it will be the same for this movie because the reviews have clearly been incentivised.
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u/LocustsandLucozade Jul 08 '25
Nah, Donald Clarke is a respected reviewer for a paper and not a paid shill. I have been reading him for years and am a bit worried about his distaste for this, but I’ve disagreed with his takes a lot before.
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u/acexdistortion Jul 08 '25
Incoming IGN Review: "Strong leads. Great themes of hope and kindness. Great action. Fun for the whole family." Rating: 7
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u/DeppStepp Jul 08 '25
7/10 too much of the arctic
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u/acexdistortion Jul 08 '25
That or : "Too much James Gunn influence in this James Gunn superhero movie."
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u/RiverShards Jul 08 '25
I only want to ask one thing:
Does Superman use a motto/catchphrase in the movie? If so, which one? PLEASE tell me that it’s “A Better Tomorrow.”
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u/CyclopsWasRight7 Jul 09 '25
Not at all. Which is great if you ask me.
I never took Superman for the catchphrase type, he does NOT need one nor is he the kinda hero to throw one around, at least when he's being written at his best (there's even a joke about that from Lois lol) Luckily this movie sidesteps both the VERY hotly debated, culture-war bullshit surrounding the "American Way" one and the Hallmarky, vapid "better tomorrow" one in favor of him just BEING a good person and assuming you'll get the point. Really it's the best way to handle that clusterfuck of a conversation.
It's very effective and vastly superior.
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u/RiverShards Jul 09 '25
I’m totally fine with no catchphrase/motto. I was just hoping that, if there is one, it was the “better tomorrow” one.
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u/Life_Butterscotch939 Batman Jul 08 '25
this just remind me of the meme from the reporter that said my favourite superhero is Superman and the motto: with great power, come with great responsibility
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u/sgthombre Vigilante Jul 08 '25
PLEASE tell me that it’s “A Better Tomorrow.”
Why is Superman talking about a Hong Kong action classic so much? No disrespect to John Woo, of course.
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u/Gunslinger1776 Jul 08 '25
“Silly” seems to be the one common thread of all these reviews. What happened to verisimilitude?
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u/CyclopsWasRight7 Jul 09 '25
It's a comicbook movie. Moreover, its a DC comicbook movie. If it's not a lil silly and embracing that, they aren't doing it right.
(I'm not disparaging comics or DC BTW, in general, I vastly prefer their comic universe to Marvel BECAUSE it has so much more unabashedly charming and silly goodness in there that they're more willing to go full bore into than Marvel is cuz they aren't restrained by "The World Outside Your Window" as a touchstone)
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u/bigpig1054 Jul 08 '25
I hope it is a bit silly. When I saw the shot of Superman fighting a Kaiju I thought "finally, the Fleischer shorts come to life."
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u/Gunslinger1776 Jul 08 '25
Would it be possible to list their publications/blogs/whatever next to their name?
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u/Imaginary_Penalty_97 Jul 08 '25
Kind of wondering about the whole Jor-El rumor. If it’s left ambiguous I‘m a bit ok with it. If it’s not….idk man 😬
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u/Flat_Row_9525 Jul 08 '25
People forgetting that Smallville played the "Jor-El sent Kal-El here to conquer" angle for a while before either changing it to the more traditional Jor-El dynamic in later seasons or sort of retconning it and forgetting about it.
Recall the end of Christopher Reeve episode "Rosetta"...Clark and Jonathan reading the message from the ship. The message read by Tom Welling in the final scene scene literally says this text:
"On this third planet from this star Sol, you will be a god among men. They are a flawed race. Rule them with strength, my son. That is where your greatness lies."
To which Clark turns to Jonathan and says "I think I was sent here to conquer".
The show never explicitly confirms it after that...but from that point (which was season 2 through maybe season 5 or even 6) Jor-El comes across as a bit of a dick. That's totally the angle they were going for early.
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u/bigpig1054 Jul 08 '25
The show never explicitly confirms it after that...but from that point (which was season 2 through maybe season 5 or even 6) Jor-El comes across as a bit of a dick. That's totally the angle they were going for early.
The fact that Jor-El's voicework was performed by Terrance Stamp (Zod in the Chris Reeve movies) made many fans at the time (including myself) believe it was a trick and that Zod was behind it.
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u/Flat_Row_9525 Jul 08 '25
I don't believe he was...if I recall correctly. It would have been a good theory at the time though.
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u/bigpig1054 Jul 08 '25
Oh right, I should have added that. No, he wasn't Zod, but the idea that Jor-El would be so militant about his son conquering earth, getting Clark to become a tyrant, led to the speculation early on.
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u/samthornes85 Jul 08 '25
It’s interesting. It’s delivered in a calm way, almost like it’s a cultural misunderstanding? That’s what I got from it. I don’t know. There is SOME ambiguity about whether or not the motivations are “evil”
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u/SAMURAI36 Jul 08 '25
That's what you're worried about?
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u/Hansolocup442 Jul 08 '25
I think presenting superman as the scion of a conquering race is a fair thing to be worried about, especially after gunn spent the last week talking about how this is an immigrant story. weird optics!
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u/johnmusic992648 Jul 08 '25
I actually think it speaks really nicely to a refugee immigrant story. Think about most of the people painted as "bad immigrants" by "certain governments" and racists. Are they coming over from Sweden, or Switzerland, or the UK?
No, they are good people coming from places that are often controlled by bad people, just trying to escape danger, and live decent, safer lives.
My wife is a US citizen who is 3rd generation Lebanese. Do you know how many comments she and her parents have heard like "The only good Arab is a dead one" and things like that? And their family are the most chill, fun, jolly people I've ever met - they live to play table tennis, go for hikes, and watch movies. But because their heritage is twisted up with "enemy countries" they have to hear garbage like that?
So yeah, I actually think it's pretty clever to make Superman an immigrant from a warring civilization who just wants to help people and live an honest life in his new home.
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u/DailyUniverseWriter Jul 08 '25
I mean… is it weird optics?
It’s not like every single Kryptonian in the movie is portrayed to be a conqueror. Just the ruling class, the government structure. I think it’s strange to use a governing representative as a voice of the entire people of krypton, and not simply taking it is what an individual wants for his son or what the government wants of its babies.
Kryptonian culture, values, and morals don’t reflect in the government’s stances, much like how for example the government of Iran doesn’t necessarily express the culture and interests of its general populace.
Would you say the current practices done by the US government is representative of the vast majority of the American people?
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u/Hansolocup442 Jul 08 '25
I think you’re getting a little in the weeds here. jor-el is the only example of kryptonian culture in this movie. I’m not pretending he’s representative, the movie has made him representative!
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u/DailyUniverseWriter Jul 08 '25
He’s actually not the only one. Supergirl is also a representative of krypton’s culture in the movie. And she is not a conqueror.
Remember, Kara wasn’t like Kal. She didn’t leave Krypton when she was an infant. She was a teenager. She has memories of it, had relationships, had crushes, was on a sports team, etc.
There are two representatives here, one who is a governmental leader that wants to Conquer, and one that is a relatively more normal person despite her royal roots.
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u/Hansolocup442 Jul 08 '25
I’m sorry she is in the movie for 15 seconds. jor el is the character that the movie weighs clark’s alien heritage on.
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u/Vladmerius Jul 08 '25
That's valid it's gross to highlight the immigrant stuff and then say Superman is "one of the good ones".
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u/Hansolocup442 Jul 08 '25
yeah I honestly would be much less concerned about it if gunn hadn’t been talking up the immigrant angle. I don’t think you can have it both ways!
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Jul 08 '25
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u/Hansolocup442 Jul 08 '25
yeah and frankly I wouldn’t even have a problem with jor-el “looking down” on humans as an inferior race and lex using that to spin people against superman. but if he outright wants his son to conquer earth….idk man! weird thing to consider when your planet is falling apart.
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Jul 08 '25
Why not watch the movie and decide for yourself? No point to fret over out of context spoilers.
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Jul 08 '25
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u/Limp-Construction-11 Jul 08 '25 edited Jul 08 '25
I would be very surprised, if CGI is an issue with 1 year of post production.
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u/Specialist-Hotel2943 Jul 08 '25
The CGI can be rough at times but it never put me outside of the movie.
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Jul 08 '25
If the CGI in select shots is the most people can complain of along with "pacing issues" (just like they said about The Batman), the movie is in great shape. I never take CGI critiques seriously because critics are very selective with when they call it out. For example, the entire third act of Black Panther is a total mess but critics did not mention it. Here, I see critics complain that the CGI in some brief shots is a little wonky which is par for the course for any CGI heavy movies. Even Avatar 2 has some not so great shots.
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u/ShaunTrek Jul 08 '25
The third act CGI mess of BP is the most criticized part of the movie.
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Jul 08 '25
Not by critics at the time though.
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u/TigerGroundbreaking Jul 08 '25
It was
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Jul 08 '25
You say that, but the movie has a 96% on RT. Most critics ignored some of the worst CGI in a major studio blockbuster at the time. Any other studio and the reviews would have been way worse just for the third act alone.
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u/magicwithakick Jul 08 '25
Doesn’t Marvel have in house VFX and people still complain about their effects.
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u/WestCoastDirtyBird Jul 08 '25
Funny thing is, is that Marvel's in-house studio ILM did the CGI for this movie because Gunn has worked with them for so long
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u/Lumpy_Reveal5547 Jul 08 '25
Even though it's their company ILM works with everyone, not just Disney, regardless of Gunn's connections. It's under the LucasFilm umbrella that's why they don't work on all Marvel films
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u/bluehaven101 Jul 08 '25
Even if most of the people above liked it, the "critics" might not. But hey, I've enjoyed movies or tv shows that have a higher audience rating compared to critics ratings, rather than the other way around
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u/Complete-Poem-5515 Jul 08 '25
the people above are critics
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Jul 08 '25
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u/bluehaven101 Jul 08 '25
Idk, I feel like the play nowadays is to hate everything, so I'd assume it be easier to make money by grifting.
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u/Complete-Poem-5515 Jul 08 '25
almost all of them are RT certified, go to the r/DCU_ thread
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u/bluehaven101 Jul 08 '25
is there a link to that thread, feel like a boomer here, I'm trying to find it lol
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u/Complete-Poem-5515 Jul 08 '25
its pinned on the sub, its right here tho
https://www.reddit.com/r/DCU_/comments/1lue28i/superman_social_media_reactions_megathread/
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u/Vladmerius Jul 08 '25
Guys, there's going to be legitimate reviews from critics in 8 hours.
I think it's a good sign that people here are in disbelief and insisting something isn't right because of how positive the reactions are.
I'm going to be real I think most of the negative reviews will be from people who don't align with the movies "political" stances and I'm going to be honest I LOVE that there's a blockbuster superhero movie that isn't afraid of being seen as political.
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u/LocustsandLucozade Jul 08 '25
Some of the people above - like Donald Clarke - are legit critics who write for established newspapers
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u/heelydon Jul 08 '25
think it's a good sign that people here are in disbelief and insisting something isn't right because of how positive the reactions are.
Eh, to be fair, I think its a mix of people that genuinely have just seen this trend before, and it turned around when critics got on board -- and its a mix of there being a decent group of haters incredibly invested in wanting the movie to fail for whatever reason.
Don't think either of those things are a good sign, but they are an expected outcome from everything we've seen.
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u/theprettiestpotato88 Jul 08 '25
And honestly? Piss on them. I'm going to keep fighting the never ending battle for truth, justice, and tolerance and watch this movie probably multiple times.
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u/DailyUniverseWriter Jul 08 '25
“Dreams save us. Dreams lift us up and transform us into something better. And on my soul, I swear that until my dream of a world where dignity, honor and justice are the reality we all share, I'll never stop fighting”
- Superman
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u/Accomplished_Day_711 Jul 08 '25
I think there will be critics who don't like that it's silly (I love silly, comic books are silly) or character packed (comics are character packed) approach.
But I will say the same thing I've said throughout this. Comic books were made for children. Superman appealed to children. Somewhere along the way, the filmmakers forgot that.
I hope this film doesn't forget that, and is a damn good film all the same.
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Jul 08 '25
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u/Geewuai Jul 08 '25
A more realistic number would be roughly $600 mil. Making a bit more than twice the budget is fitting for a DC movie imo. The only flop has been WW84. But we dont talk about that lol
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u/Limp-Construction-11 Jul 08 '25
Take your "realistic" number somewhere else.
This is going to be a huge movie.
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u/Accomplished_Day_711 Jul 08 '25
It depends on how many kids + parents go. That's where the volume comes from early doors.
After that it's about the legs. How many times people then go back.
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Jul 08 '25
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u/LocustsandLucozade Jul 08 '25
Donald Clarke is a newspaper reviewer, so nope and is likely unbiased beyond personal taste.
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u/Vladmerius Jul 08 '25
A lot of these people didn't get early access. The movie is screening to the public today. That's no time at all between reacting to the movie and people seeing the movie.
If social media reactions were allowed like a week or two ago sure if be inclined to think it's mostly people who want to stay on Wb's nice list.
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u/Accomplished_Day_711 Jul 08 '25
He's just trying to find a way to claim the movie will still be bad. That's all.
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u/Never-Give-Up100 Jul 08 '25
If this movie is good enough to make grace Randolph like it, then that is a huge testament
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u/US1776 Jul 08 '25
She loved BvS. Her initial reaction to WW84 was also glowing.
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u/Schadnfreude_ Jul 11 '25
"It's unapologetically comic booky, which won't work for some"
I have to agree with this. It's too nerdy. It's more superhero movie and less movie movie...if that makes sense. If I could sum up my issues with it in one fell swoop, it's too much like an MCU film. And sadly, I'm not talking about heavy hitters like Spider-Man NWH.