Superman review roundup; James Gunn's film is rated 84% on Rotten Tomatoes, hailed as a 'living, breathing comic book'
In the wake of the film's premiere, early reviews have started to come in, and many of them hail Gunn's effort as a strong start to the DC Universe project, with Rolling Stone's David Fear calling it 'a living, breathing comic book'.
With a Rotten Tomatoes score of 84%, the film is rated higher than Zack Snyder's prior attempt to reboot Superman with Man of Steel, which sits at a 57% score, as well as 2006's Superman Returns, which has a 72% score.
Superman is praised as an excellent start to the DC Universe
REVIEW: James Gunn has given us a Superman movie that actually feels like a living, breathing comic book.More: https://t.co/DfOgPqcMvC pic.twitter.com/U0NYdHRID9
Much of the praise directed towards Superman was also directed towards the direction of James Gunn, with IGN noting that it was no surprise that Gunn, who's already worked on the acclaimed Guardians of the Galaxy films for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, would find a way to 'make Superman soar again'.
The Jam Report's Doug Jamieson considered the movie 'a sensational return to comic book magic' and praised the film for humanizing the superhero and portraying him as a man trying to do the right thing even when the world doesn't make it easy.
Amy Nicholson of The Los Angeles Times appreciated the idealism of the character, and admitting to being fond of a scene where he tells Lois Lane that having a big heart is 'the real punk rock'.
She did have mixed feelings about aspects of James Gunn's direction, as she believed that he struggled with sincerity, saying 'It's as though 'Superman' isn't sure how to be earnest without whacking us over the head with it.' She was nonetheless positive overall and was interested in how a sequel might pan out.
Some critics weren't as enamored with James Gunn's style
Among the more negative reviewers of the film was YouTuber Jeremy Jahns, who believed that James Gunn's style of comedy often muddied up the tone of the film, with one of his commentors agreeing and accusing the film of being irony-poisoned. The website LarsenOnFilm also considered James Gunn's Metropolis too bleak for Superman to thrive in, saying, 'By the movie's merciful end, you wonder what a nice guy like Superman is doing in a mean place like this.'
While the box office reception to James Gunn's Superman remains an open question, the overall critical reception looks to be a promising start for the director's DC Universe.
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