Why James Gunn’s Superman Missed the Mark: 5 Reasons I Felt Let Down
Ok, what can I say about Superman? He is perhaps the greatest superhero of them all. To me, he is an inspiration, an everlasting beacon of hope and goodness who captured my imagination the first time I picked up a comic and perused through its pages. He is the kind of character that resonated with me deeply. He showed me what humanity is, and despite all of his power and strength, he also exemplified humility and modesty. I have been a fan ever since then, when I was 8 years old and couldn’t get enough of him and his adventures. I consumed everything that had to do with Superman, be it animated shows, movies, or even games (I thought the character suffered and continues to do so in this genre). That is why I was hyped to watch the latest Superman movie by James Gunn. And I know that I am late to the party, but bear with me, for I am an old man who just recently got the time to watch it, but I discovered much to my chagrin that I didn’t like this movie at all. James Gunn, despite his touted status as a nerd and proponent of comic book mythos, completely ruined the experience. Read on and learn why I have issues with this movie right here.
Gunn made Superman Too Self-aware and Quippy.
One of the main criticisms that I have when it comes to Superman is that Gunn, for some insipid reason, brought the attitude of Guardians of the Galaxy and The Suicide Squad to a character who is usually more serious and, dare I say, mature. The humor and banter were a constant source of annoyance for me, and I couldn’t help but feel that it was not suited for and was out of place for Superman.
The Moral Authority of Superman is Weakened.
The thing that many people don’t get is that it’s not his power that makes Superman compelling. It is because he has an almost unshakable belief in goodness, responsibility, and compassion that truly make him stand out as a beacon of hope and goodness. Gunn doesn’t state those ideals, and nor does he make any attempt to focus or highlight them. Oh, but you do get a film that is packed with other superheroes, conflicts, and competing personalities. All this does is dilute Superman’s moral identity and make it less distinct. The movie’s moral framework is overly simplistic, and I for one wasn’t expecting that from a Superman film.
The Origin of Superman is Changed, Which Weakens the Mythology
The most controversial is probably Gunn’s change of opinion regarding his Kryptonian parents. The film takes a much darker turn on the intentions of Jor-El and Lara sending their son to Earth. Rather than it being a goodwill gesture to humanity, it is revealed that Superman was actually sent by his parents to conquer and enslave the human race. This needlessly complicates one of the most crucial and compelling aspects that made Superman’s mythos so amazing and inspirational.
Superman is Sidelined in His Own Movie
Another thing that really grinds my gears is Superman being buried under a slew of characters in his own movie. He should have been the pivot of his own film. But Gunn crammed the film with other heroes, villains, cameos, world-building, and franchise setup. This ensemble approach diverted audience attention from the personal journey of the superhero, and the movie felt excessively stuffed, at least to me.
The Film is Sometimes More “James Gunn’s Superman” than “Superman”
Ok, there is a thing that we can all agree on, and it is that Gunn has a certain style when it comes to filmmaking. It is clearly defined, being replete with irreverent humor, eccentric characters, quick tonal changes, comic-book absurdity, and emotional sentimentality. I think I am not alone in my opinion that this particular formula doesn’t consistently or effectively fit Superman. I also thought that the film was too cluttered and was lacking in cogency and clarity to explain to viewers why the character works. Succinctly put, I don’t think Gunn’s humor and tone were well suited to Superman.
Final Thoughts
The main point that I was trying to make in this long tirade is that Superman doesn’t need to be “cooler” or “quirky.” He needs to be who he is: sincere, aspirational, compassionate, and larger than life. Gunn clearly wanted to bring back the optimism of Superman, but he let his signature style mess up everything and totally wreck everything that makes Superman special.
