Finally, Superman
Film
As sure as the sun rises in the East and sets in the West, I find myself in awe of James Gunn's comic book character juggling. Every time he puts out a new comic book movie (CBM) I take the form of a broken record, spouting my admiration for making me emotionally invested in all sorts of oddballs and misfits. From Polka-Dot Man in Suicide Squad to Rocket Raccoon in his Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy, Gunn has always had a penchant for putting the strange supporting characters as the secret protagonists. When he, and Peter Safran, were announced as co-leads of the new DC Studios rebirth, along with the announcement of Gunn helming a new Superman film, there were a couple foregone conclusions. First, there would be a plethora of zany side characters from the depths of DC comics that would you would become irreversibly attached to. Second, Gunn would bring his bright, silly and comic book accurate vision to deliver the best Superman adaptation in decades. Both of these materialized in Superman where Gunn constructs a tremendous summer blockbuster and revitalizes the Superman character, adding in a wild ensemble of supporting characters that can be a gift and a curse for a slightly chaotic script.
Dropping us directly into the fray-a welcome departure from what's become an overwrought cliche of superhero origin stories-Gunn's script wastes no time introducing the titular character. Superman (David Corenswet) reeling from a fight with a supposed meta-human from Boravia, a country whose invasion of the neighboring Jahranpur was spurred by the big blue boy scout, poses an interesting new dynamic. Here exists a world where Superman can in fact take a beating and lose but also we're not wasting time worrying about the what-ifs of Superman's powers. Where Zack Snyder's Man of Steel, outside of its seismically serious tone, focused on the world adjusting to the existence of Superman, James Gunn's Superman, in an oft inconsistently jovial tone, reframes Snyder's thesis. Now, Superman is adapting to the world around him. Which poses some very interesting and fresh layers of moral and emotional complexity to the man of steel. Echoing one of my favorite Hayao Miyazaki films Princess Mononoke we're bound to ponder how can someone be just and fair in an unjust and unfair world. Yet just as Superman struggles to make his heroic intentions understood by a skeptical world, Gunn's film sometimes struggles to clearly communicate its own ambitious vision.
Both character and film face the challenge of explaining complex realities to audiences unprepared for exposition in place of spectacle. While I certainly appreciate the brevity of setup in the film, allowing this exciting new turn the proper space to breath, there is a sacrifice of expositional dialogue needed to explain little odds and ends. From Superman's Robot No. 4 (Alan Tudyk) explaining Superman's mission from his parents to a henchman of Lex Luthor's (Nicholas Hoult) describing the maniacal billionaire's under-explored hatred of Superman, these instances of exposition feel incredibly forced. These abrasive moments of over explaining off-screen occurrences ultimately distract and muddle the substance on-screen.
Superman's greatest weakness has always been his inability to say no to those who need help, and Gunn's film suffers from the same heroic flaw. While Gunn's new world looks and feels familiar, at times the excess and narrative bloat with his coterie of caped crusaders to advance the new DC Universe isn't completely balanced. Guy Gardner/Green Lantern (Nathan Fillion), Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced), Mr. Terrific (Edi Gathegi) and Metamorpho (Anthony Carrigan) are a classic James Gunn support group and bring a lot to the table. But there's only so much food at the table, and there can be too many mouths to feed in a breezy two hour and nine minute runtime.
That being said, the performances are all terrific. Corenswet embodies the ethos of Superman perfectly. Embedding his charisma and energy into the character, combined with the new bright and hopeful aesthetic of Superman creates a phenomenal version of the super-hero, the likes of which we haven't seen since Christopher Reeve donned the cape. Not to mention Nicholas Hoult delivers a feverish performance as the arch-rival Lex Luthor, which even in its underwritten and unexplored state, serves well. But the real show-stopper of the film is Gathegi's Mr. Terrific. Even with limited screen time he steals each and every scene, devouring your attention and leaving no crumbs. And even as I may not fully digest the quantity of characters, the quality of the visuals are ravishing. James Gunn has a reputation for collaborating with the same people, which pays tremendous dividends here. From costume designer Judianna Makovsky to cinematographer Henry Braham, the understanding this team possesses of one another and the overall vision is the real super-hero team. Together they've created a new aesthetic of comic book movies that's colorful, bright, and reflects the silliness of comic book sensibilities. It never takes itself too seriously, but it seriously looks amazing.
Even if there are elements to Superman that didn't entirely work for me, it is abundantly clear how much the character and world means to James Gunn. Prior to Superman's release, Gunn had posted multiple updates about the tragic passing of his father, and how he often didn't fully understand James but read comics beloved by his son in the hope of furthering their bond. Not to mention James' brother revealed to him that the film's release date happened to be on their father's birthday. It became apparent that Superman means something more to James, something not only reflective of the past but hopeful for the future. A beautiful imitation between art and life that can feel serendipitous. And even without that extra information, the heart beat of Superman resonates phenomenally. A beautiful, albeit short, moment between Clark Kent and his father (Pruitt Taylor Vince) highlights Gunn's personal flair for the film, imbuing his own experiences and connecting with any son or father in a bit of gorgeous tearful acquiescence.
Despite a narrative and tonal imbalance, Superman is still above and beyond the best DC film in decades. It's introduction of a brand new universe that's so positive and full of hope just like Superman himself is a fantastic fresh step forward in a world that's rife with comic book fatigue. Gunn once again establishes himself as a director with an entertaining vision and as quite possibly one of the best comic book movie writer/directors working today. The film is imperfect, but so is its titular character, which is exactly why it works. Within these imperfections, James Gunn does his best work, highlighting those very same oddballs and misfits that demand our attention and steal our hearts time and time again. Giving us all hope, for not only a better world, but for the perseverance of the power of cinema and its person-ability.
Froth
I was recently in Boston for a wedding and was lucky-very lucky-that the welcome party took place in Trillium Brewing Company, a magical place I'd always wanted to visit. It's an incredibly difficult task to only highlight one of the wonderful brews I had there but it feels appropriate that my absolute favorite is the choice here. Congress Street is their flagship American IPA that is as bright as it is delicious. If you're finding yourself relishing in the colorful new world of James Gunn's Superman then a good pour of Congress Street is bound to enhance your experience. There's a great backbone of citrus flavors that's complimented by some pine and melon flavors, lending some intriguing layers. Even if its at a somewhat hefty 7.2% ABV it still has a light and easy drinkability, thanks in part to a subtle biscuity accent that keeps it afloat.
And now I can't wait to throw in some other Trillium brews for other articles, all for the hopes of making the pilgrimage back East to try even more of their wares.
