My kids didn’t want to see Superman. They said he’s “weird.” My daughter swears Krypto looks like a wet rat and refuses to believe Superman would ever own a dog. And my son doesn’t understand why this one wears his underwear on the outside like olden-time Batman and Robin. They kill me, those two.
But I didn’t care. We’ve been hitting the movies almost every weekend this summer, and the deal was simple. They picked Megan 2.0 last weekend and Elio the weekend before, so this time it was my turn. Superman. I pay the bills. End of discussion.
For me, waiting for this Superman was like waiting for Christmas. I’ve been a fan since I could read. I had them all, comics, cartoons, toys, even those flammable old-school pajamas with the velcro cape. I still remember my father taking me to see Superman III in Times Square. The great Christopher Reeve, Richard Pryor falling off a roof on skis, and that epic junkyard scene where Clark fights that beer-drinking, evil version of himself. That movie carved a place in my childhood I’ll never forget. And a small part of me hoped this new one might sneak into my kids’ memories the same way.
They didn’t care, of course. They were more excited about popcorn, slushies, and jumping around the theater before and after the credits.
But you know what? Superman delivered. Big time. The Boy Scout is back.
James Gunn and his team did something special here. The twist on Kal-El’s parents. The reworking of the Kents’ message to Clark. It all hit home. The relationship between him and Lois felt real, like an actual couple of our time arguing about politics, social media, and screen time. And as for Krypto, I thought he was gonna be corny. I really did. But somehow, he worked. The dog grew on me. If I ever get a dog again, it’ll be a wet rat like Krypto. Loyal and wild. I don’t care what my daughter says.
That interdimensional prison scene? Brilliant. I didn’t expect Mali the falafel guy, Metamorpho, and that floating Martian baby to be the ones that left me shook. That whole sequence added a weird, unsettling edge I didn’t know I needed. A brutal touch of reality in the middle of all the sci-fi. Lex Luthor was great.
Mr. Terrific was a standout, too. I want more of him. Ed Gathegi channeled some real Black Dynamite energy: calm, commanding, and stylish. And don’t get me started on the Green Lantern. His slamming a glass of milk while everyone else is strategizing? You know what they say about guys who drink milk in movies. Cold-blooded. Genius move. I can’t wait to see where they take him next. Absolute comic book gold. And Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl? She brought just enough edge and heart to make me want a spin-off. Maybe a cameo on Peacemaker?
The fight with Ultraman was the kind of comic-book action that made me feel like a kid again. And shoutout to the writers for not going with that dumb rumor I read about Superman’s eyes burning from using his X-ray vision. That would’ve been ridiculous. Glad it wasn’t true.
Krypto killed me when he smashed Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor like the Hulk rag-dolling Loki in the first Avengers movie. I see you, Gunn. DC is finally moving in the right direction.
But the scene that really got me? Clark, barefoot on the porch, talking with his dad. That’s the heart of this movie. It felt like Kansas. It felt true. When Martha called the TV a “box” in her Kansas twang, I nearly spit out my coffee. Dirty wholesome in the best way.
David Corenswet and Rachel Brosnahan nailed it. Their chemistry reminded me so much of Christopher Reeve and Margot Kidder. Playful, grounded, honest. You believed them. You rooted for them.
And then there was Sara Sampaio. Funny. Annoyingly cute. I spent half the movie thinking, “Where do I know her from?” Then it hit me, back in the day, I used to train Sara. One time, I caught her hiding behind a treadmill with a bacon cheeseburger, fries, and a Coke. She threatened to beat me up if I told my boss. That’s the Sara I’ll always remember. She crushed it.
So yeah. Go see the new Superman. Even if your kids think it’s lame. Go for you. Even if they think you’re lame. Because sometimes the movie isn’t for them. It’s for the kid from Times Square still living inside you.
Miguel A. Castillo Jr. is a writer, Marine veteran, and boxing coach based in New York. He’s been a Superman fan since he could read and still believes in truth, justice, the American way, and the power of a good story. Make sure to like, restack, and subscribe, and let him know what movie or series you want him to review next weekend or the one after that.