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There are many criticisms that could be rightfully levelled at James Gunn: that his humour is puerile; that his aesthetic is chaotic; and that he was a\u00a0disaster on Twitter. But watching his new era of\u00a0<\/span>Superman<\/i> come to the screen, it\u2019s clear the man does know how to have\u00a0fun.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Rather than a\u00a0dour, trauma-based origin story, his\u00a0<\/span>Superman<\/i> kicks off with the Man of Steel (played by David Corenswet) already an established figure, known and loved across the globe as one of many \u200b\u201c<\/span>meta-humans\u201d who populate this reality. His alter ego, Clark Kent, is scoring front pages at\u00a0<\/span>The Daily Planet<\/i>, and he\u2019s three months into a\u00a0steamy romance with Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan).<\/span><\/p>\n But all is not well in the Kryptonian household, as Superman has just suffered his first defeat, thanks to the Lex Luthor (an almost-impressively awful Nicholas Hoult) led clan. He\u2019s also in geopolitical hot water, having prevented Boravia from invading its neighbouring country, Jarhanpur, despite Boravia technically being a\u00a0US<\/span> ally. Corenswet is a\u00a0more charismatic on-screen presence than predecessors Henry Cavill and Brandon Routh, and as such does better with the quippier dialogue than when being asked to deliver bilge about what it means to be\u00a0human.<\/span><\/p>\n Because just as this poptastic, colour-saturated, zinger- and needle drop-filled movie seeks to distinguish itself from the sepia-toned sociopathy of Zack Snyder\u2019s reign, this Superman also distinguishes itself by fucking hating America.<\/span><\/p>\n While Lois remarks that Superman sees the best in every person he meets, the film itself is spilling over with misanthropy. Gunn, evidently not having fully worked through his brief social media cancellation and subsequent firing and rehiring by Disney, fills the screen with corrupt politicians and journalists, internet trolls, his fellow superheroes are corporate sell outs and even the comic\u2019s sweet Jimmy Olsen (Skyler Gisondo) is kind of a\u00a0douche.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Aside from Lois and Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced), women are selfie-obsessed bimbos, idly gossiping or cast into hellish incarceration for the sin of being mean about men online. But most uncomfortable of all is the conflict between Boravia and Jarhanpur, where sweet brown children beg Superman to save them as soldiers prepare to gun them down. The official line is that this was all conceived of long ago, but needless to say, given the ongoing genocide in Palestine, it feels in woefully poor\u00a0taste.<\/span><\/p>\n While looking for nuance in Gunn\u2019s insights into the state of the world at large is like asking a\u00a0horse for directions, and unsurprisingly the silliest aspects of the film are its best. Robots having existential crises; a\u00a0mischievous super-powered puppy; Nathan Fillion with a\u00a0blonde bowl cut; and the film\u2019s MVP<\/span>, Edi Gathegi, as the perma non-plussed Mr Terrific.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n A spiralling massacre taking place while Noah and the Whale\u2019s\u00a0<\/span>Five Years Time<\/i> drops feels like a\u00a0retread to the Rocket Raccoon and Groot fight in\u00a0<\/span>Guardians<\/i>, but to Gunn\u2019s credit, sticking to what he\u2019s good at is far more amusing than the inevitable CGI<\/span> smash-fest these films are contractually obliged to descend into.<\/span><\/p>\n There\u2019s promise here. A\u00a0broader cinematic universe that feels cohesive, filled with amusing cameos and, for the first time in years, a\u00a0DCU<\/span> that feels like it has a\u00a0faint pulse are all very welcome. But whenever the film strains to address Big Ideas, it\u2019s painful. Gunn may be keen to move out of Snyder\u2019s shadow and the fascistic embodiment of American exceptionalism behind, but if this is the alternative, it might be time to look for salvation elsewhere.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\nGet more Little White\u00a0Lies<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n