Superman (2025) 4K UHD Review
“Superman” ushers in a new era.
To put it mildly, Superman and Clark Kent go through the wringer in 2025’s “Superman.” Superman is dealing with a conflict between Boravia and Jarhanpur, Lex Luthor and The Engineer have broken into The Fortress of Solitude, a mysterious metahuman is thrashing him in battles, he sees a disheartening video from his birth parents for the first time, he becomes imprisoned in a pocket universe, the pocket universe later develops a destructive rift, and Lex Luthor is cooking up an elaborate scheme that may or may not be connected to the above listed troubles. Luckily, Superman has a few trusted allies to help him along the way including his love Lois Lane, the Justice Gang (Green Lantern, Hawkgirl and Mr. Terrific), Metamorpho, and yes, Krypto the Super Dog.
After the wildly divisive Snyderverse era of DC films and the general decline in quality of superhero films the past few years, writer/director James Gunn’s 2025’s “Superman” (and “The Fantastic 4: First Steps”) shows there is still life in the genre. “Superman” feels like a refreshing change of pace for DVD. It’s not a perfect film (more on that later), but it certainly sets itself apart from past Superman films. There’s a lot of new elements that we’ve never seen in a Superman film here. Instead of the usual Superman vs. Lex story (which is a part of this film as well), we’ve got plots involving Metamorpho, Krypto, the Justice Gang, and the metahuman villain (no spoilers here if you haven’t seen it). We also see a lot more of the Daily Planet and the characters within it like Perry White, Jimmy Olsen (who is now a ladies man), Cat Grant, Steve Lombard, etc.
Thematically, “Superman” has a lot going on. It’s a story of hope at a time when we need it most. It’s a story about humanity, goodness, immigration, and truth. It’s an all too relevant tale for these tumultuous times which makes the film even more impactful.
For those wondering, James Gunn does inject his usual trademark humor, but it’s never overdone. Much of the humor comes from Krypto and Guy Gardner and they tend to have the funniest moments. Gunn knows this isn’t “Guardians Of The Galaxy” and treats the mythology and the dramatic moments with the utmost respect. He’s also wise enough to make sure John Williams’ music is placed within the new score by John Murphy and David Fleming. It’s the lifeblood of Supes.
As mentioned above, not everything works. The creative choice involving Kal-El’s parents didn’t sit right with me, the pacing is too fast, there’s not a lot of breathing room, and the plot is a bit overstuffed given the runtime.
In typical Gunn fashion, he assembles a first rate cast. David Corenswet wouldn’t have been my first choice for Superman, but the actor admirably slides into the role. It will be interesting to see how he fares in future installments. Rachel Brosnahan is an inspired choice for Lois Lane. Nicholas Hoult (who auditioned for Superman) makes the character of Lex his own. It was fascinating to see his maniacal Lex trying to exploit all of Superman’s weaknesses. Nathan Fillion absolutely steals the show as Guy Gardner. He’s a jerk who is full of himself, but a captivating one. A star is born with Edi Gathegi who also steals every scene he is in as the smooth genius Mr. Terrific. It’s no surprise that his character is being considered for a TV series.
Simply put, 2025’s “Superman” revitalized my love for the character. This is a noteworthy beginning to a new era and it will be exciting to see where the franchise goes next with “Man Of Tomorrow” in 2027.
Video/Audio:
Presentation: 1.90:1 2160p. How does it look? Simply stunning. One of the best looking 4K discs this year.
Audio Track: Dolby Atmos. How does it sound? This Atmos track is every bit as dynamic as you hoped it would be. The action positively soars.
Extras:
* Digital copy
* “Krypto Short- School Bus Scuffle”- An animated short by Ryan Kramer.
* “Adventures In The Making Of Superman”- A fantastic expansive 59 minute making of with interviews, film clips, storyboards, behind-the-scenes footage, costuming footage, table read footage, set construction clips, discussions about characters and story, and much more.
* “Breaking News: The Daily Planet Returns”- A featurette on the Daily Planet complete with interviews and more set footage.
* “Lex Luthor: The Mind Of A Master Villain” is all about the iconic villain.
* “The Justice Gang” revolves around the trio of heroic characters.
* “Paws To Pixels: Krypto Is Born”- The title says it all.
* “The Ultimate Villain”- An Ultraman featurette
* “Icons Forever: Superman’s Enduring Legacy” is a varied extra that covers the iconic characters, the franchise, this new film, etc.
* “A New Era: DC Takes Off”- A general featurette about “Superman” ushering in a new DC film era.
* “Kryptunes: The Music Of Superman” covers the score.
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