James Gunn's 'Superman' made this hater finally understand the hype

Nicholas Hoult and David Corenswet in Superman © Warner Bros

I have loved superheroes since I was four years old. My first introduction: the Adam West Batman show. Throughout my childhood, that love expanded to Batman: The Animated Series - which I watched every single day. And after, I watched Superman: The Animated Series, but with much less enthusiasm. It was the only time I had control of the TV remote each day, and I always hoped I would get lucky and one of the Batman crossovers would play, so I would get double the Batman. Back then, I never really understood why I hated Superman (no offense to the RIDICULOUSLY TALENTED voice cast), but as I grew older, I was able to finally voice the opinions I had held from a young age. Superman was an overpowered, condescending goody-two-shoes whose only weakness was that he was allergic to a space rock.

And that opinion stuck with me for most of my adult life. In fact, I hadn't planned on even seeing this movie when it was first announced. It was the inclusion of Krypto that first sparked my curiosity, and by the end of the media blitz, something happened I never would have expected: I was excited for this movie. My hype was rewarded with a fantastic superhero movie that sidesteps so many common pitfalls of the genre with blend of heart and comedy.

Be warned, there are some minor spoilers from this point on, so if you haven't seen the movie yet, bookmark now and come back after you've seen it.

Rachel Brosnahan and David Corenswet in Superman © Warner Bros

It's impossible to talk about the plot of this movie without holding up a mirror to modern day. Clark Kent is an alien, an immigrant from a planet that no longer exists. Lex Luthor uses this to spark fear, both online and by manipulating the press. We watch as Superman is told that because he's an extraterrestrial, he has no rights when he's arrested, allowing the government to do whatever they want to take care of him. And if it makes you uncomfortable, it should. And I applaud the filmmakers for not shying away from that part of Clark's origin, because it makes his arc much more powerful when seen through the lens of today's world.

With that, the most important part of this version of Clark Kent is that he is allowed to feel. He has a short temper and it frequently gets the better of him, and sadness when it comes to his lost history with Krypton. His faith in the world never feels fake because he sees the pitfalls of humanity and of himself, and he admits he makes mistakes. This is the part of the character I have never seen before, and what made me fall in love with David Corenswet's take on the character. If more people let Superman express his humanity, I wouldn't have spent so many years hating on him, and I only hope to see more of this version in the future.

Now, it's a shame that genre blockbuster actors typically don't get nominated for Oscars, because Nicholas Hoult deserves one for his take on Lex Luthor. His version of the character is guided by hate and envy, driving him over the edge of insanity. Gone is the stoic businessman of the past, this Lex Luthor has a charasma that has gained him a following of workers who hang on to his every word and believe he can do no wrong, even if it means working together to murder one of the Earth's most recognizable heroes. Despite being one of the greatest minds on Earth, a business worth billions, and acolytes who would do anything for him, Lex wants more. He wants a power that won't be available to him while metahumans walk the Earth, and he is willing to spend any amount of money to get what he believes he deserves. And that's what makes him terrifying, from the way he manipulates things on a world stage to the way he set up the project that could end up resulting in Connor Kent, Lex is a man who doesn't believe he should be told "no" - and the rest of the world should worship him for it.

In addition, I was slightly worried about how large the cast of characters was. Not only did we have the Daily Planet crew, but the start of the Justice League - currently known in this universe as the "Justice Gang." However, that worry was completely unfounded because James Gunn figured out how to make sure everyone got their time to shine, without it feeling like information overload. Guy Gardner (played to perfection by Nathan Fillion) leads the fledgling "Justice Gang," and while they know Superman's secret identity as Clark Kent, they haven't accepted him as one of their own. On the other hand, Lois Lane is the star reporter we know and love who will happily write what I assume will be the article that gets Lois her first Pulitzer while flying a spaceship she learned how to drive only a few hours earlier. The only reason these two plots work is that Clark isn't the leader in either of them. They humanize him by showing people care enough to support him, but in the grand scheme of things, he supports them just as much.

Overall, this movie brings fun back to a genre that has been focusing on the dark and gritty. It sets the stage well to start off the new DCU, giving us a foundation they can grow and play in, while setting up for a bigger world. This is a world that's not afraid to give us foils to our own, while also reminding us exactly what it means to be human, and the joy we should have because of it.

Superman is now playing in theaters nationwide.