The 2025 film Superman, directed by James Gunn, best known for his work on Guardians of the Galaxy and The Suicide Squad, was released onto the streaming service HBOMax in September, marking a resurgence of discussion about the film. David Corenswet stars as Superman with Rachel Brosnahan starring as Lois Lane, both helping to bring the characters into the present day in a way that feels authentic while still feeling cinematic. Corenswet shows a very compassionate side of Superman and focuses on showing his lack of disillusionment with the world around him, not making him turn on others and instead showing care to even the smallest of creatures, including but not limited to the squirrel he rescues midway through the film. Framing Superman as a big and caring figure who struggles with his place inside and outside of the human population due to his alien origin showcases a common struggle among young people today. We see Superman at his most honest when we learn that the footage of his parents is almost entirely different from what had brought him so much comfort in the past, and this disconnect becomes a driving force in Corenswet’s portrayal of such an iconic character. When the world is cruel and filled with struggle, we have always been taught to look for the helpers, and this film explores what to do when you have those you are setting out to help turn their backs on you. So much of the film exists in a world that feels like the one we currently live in, with the only things out of the ordinary being the creatures and villains that Superman is fighting against. We see the family and community that Superman has through time spent calling his parents on his way to work, cooking dinner for Lois and moments in his childhood bedroom, all helping the audience to see the ways that Superman feels just like humans do. This is not, however, to say that Superman does not struggle throughout the film. That struggle is what truly showcases his vulnerability and human-ness in a way that feels so authentic to the struggle that many of us can probably relate to. Superman gets angry and feels shame, and these things make his character so much more much more successful in this adaptation versus other adaptations that have come before. By forcing audiences to confront the very real obstacles that Superman must stand up against, like violence and oppression, we are shown what the benefits to putting compassion above all else are. We are given a multitude of reasons why Superman should not do things and should not keep fighting for what’s right, but the reason that he continues to keep fighting is exactly what many would proclaim to be his greatest weakness, his humanness. At the core of this struggle is something that his father says, that it says much more about how Superman interpreted the original message from his parents than what the message actually said. The power that Superman holds is his compassion for others and the way that he sees the good in them, and that is far more meaningful than any criticism of the character suggests. This film not only showcased the power that an individual has when they act with compassion, but also encouraged a resurgence in nerding out and being authentically yourself, especially when that self is messy and awkward. When there are difficult things in the world, we as a society turn to entertainment in order to find an escape. The best entertainment, however, carries into a person’s day to day life afterwards. Superman does exactly that. It begs the following question: what if our greatest superpower is our humanity and compassion? What if we tapped into this human instinct to want to see the best in others and help even a little squirrel on the street? I think we should all say “Thank you, Superman” for such an important reminder.
James Gunn’s Superman And The Push For A More Compassionate Society
