Growing up, I was never a “DCC” or “Marvel” kid. I gravitated towards Tinkerbell, Lalaloopsy’s, and Disney princesses, fascinated by the sparkly crowns, tea parties, and the beautiful gowns. It wasn’t until this summer, in July of 2025, that I opened the door to the world of superhero movies. And wow. I realized I have been missing out on peak cinema for 19 years! I owe it all to Superman, directed by James Gunn.
Spoilers ahead!
My superhero blindspot
You may be wondering how I’ve never seen a superhero movie in the last 19 years of my life. And honestly, I’m wondering that too.
I think it stems from my twin Karishma (Karish) and I being introduced to Disney princesses at a young age, and just being obsessed with them. Disney movies on repeat, songs on full blast, and even displaying our princess dolls all over the house managed to wipe out any existence of superheroes.
The one time we really represented superheroes was when my twin and I were four and my mom dressed us up as Wonder Woman. But, as you may have guessed, pretty much every other year, we were some sort of Disney princess.
My dad (Appa) was always fascinated by the Marvel universe, but once we were born, he retired his cape and put on his princess tiara. A true girl dad.
Honestly, looking back, it’s pretty wild how two sassy toddlers single-handedly erased an entire world of action-packed cosmic battles from an entire family’s entertainment lifestyle.
That all changed this summer when my Appa convinced Karish and me to go to see Superman, and on the car ride to the movies, he let his inner superhero fanatic emerge. Seeing him explain the background of planet Krypton made me feel such joy for him, and it was a good reflection on my end of how it doesn’t matter how old you are, your passions will never be fully lost. I also realized in that moment that this was his first time seeing a superhero movie since we were born.
Damn, that took 19 years.
Anyway, let’s move on to my take on this amazing movie.
Iconic duo: Krypto & Superman
Who would’ve known that dogs existed in the DC universe? I sure didn’t, but I wasn’t complaining when I saw the cutest dog in a Superman outfit, flying alongside his human companion. I genuinely think the entire theatre could hear my twin sister and me’s squeals of ‘aww’ every time Krypto appeared on the screen. Outside of Krypto’s cuteness, a scene that seemed to stick with me the most was when Superman had a rough day, and Krypto flew through his window and lay gently on his chest. The same connection that dog owners and dogs feel in real life was beautifully portrayed here as well. At the end of the movie, it is revealed that Krypto is actually Superman’s cousin’s dog and not his! This completely shocked me because the two had such a natural ‘dog dad’ and ‘son’ connection that I almost wanted Superman to hide Krypto from his real owner. But that goes against everything that Superman represents. The two of them even had humorous, relatable moments, like when Superman was yelling at Krypto not to bite Lex Luthor and when Krypto destroyed Superman’s home because he was “unruly”. For all my dog owners out there, I’m sure you’ve all had moments where your dog goes to bite someone or destroys your living room. Superman can for sure relate to that!
In my eyes, Krypto represents a sense of comfort to the audience, and it goes to show that even in the DC universe, we all need the love of our furry companions. There’s something so magical about this cute super dog. His smile lit up the screen and somehow managed to win over my dog-fearing Appa, seated next to me. He couldn’t hide his laughter and grin every time Krypto appeared on the screen, and his amazement at the dog was as surprising as the movie itself! In relation to that, I genuinely think Krypto made the audience fall in love with Superman even more, because everyone likes a guy who is good with animals. And if that dog happens to wear an identical outfit as the owner, then let’s be for real: Cuteness overload.
In a world full of super villains and chaos, it was Krypto’s quiet allegiance that reminded the audience of the everyday heroism found in love or tail wags.
The romance of Lois Lane & Superman
For some reason, I thought superheroes just fly and fight bad guys. I had no clue that some of them had love interests. But of course, I’m not complaining. Lois Lane and Clark Kent (the secret identity of Superman), both work at the Daily Planet in Metropolis. Throughout the movie, the two’s chemistry is quite evident, and Lois is the only one who knows about her boyfriend’s secret identity.
Honestly, I found Superman and Lois’s relationship more interesting than your typical romance movie couple. I loved Lois’s independence, strong will, and ability to lean on Superman when she needed it. She had a great career, was incredibly smart, but didn’t let being Superman’s girlfriend distract her. Her confidence in her skin really was evident throughout the movie, and she owned that. I also must add that her style of business casual and always looking put together also stood out to me. After doing a little bit of research (scrolling on Pinterest) about the partners in a superhero movie, it’s nice to see that there’s still love even without a skintight hourglass costume. The naturalness was perfect, and Lois was truly glowing. Kudos to the casting directors, because I can’t imagine anyone but Rachel Brosnahan to be our Lois Lane.
Regarding Superman, I loved how, even though he is this strong, big guy, he was vulnerable with Lois and vice versa. They showed that vulnerability isn’t weakness, but it is a strength in a relationship. I think it was easy for me to assume that a superhero couldn’t be vulnerable, but their relationship proved me wrong! Lois was always there for Superman, even during tough times, like when she helped walk him to his parents’ house. Superman was there for Lois when he made her breakfast for dinner and so on. I must add that their chemistry was so incredibly natural. It didn’t feel forced or faked, but so in synch.
My favorite scene with the two of them is when Superman tells Lois, “I love you”. She doesn’t say it back till the end of the movie when they have their picture-perfect kiss when they fly in the air, but I think it goes to show that the element of time, like in real-life relationships, is equally as important in a capes and business casual relationship. I also love the connection to reality of how being there for the people you love is so important. Whether it’s in the form of a reporter and superhero or something you see in everyday life, it’s crucial to show up for the people you love.
Superpowers aside, the pure love that Lois and Superman had almost made me wish the movie had a spin-off of just their relationship.
Relationship with parents
Superman has his biological parents, Jor-El and Lara Lor-Van, but also his adoptive parents, Jonathan and Martha Kent, for their son Clark Kent. An apparent theme throughout this movie is that love is not limited by biology.
This idea is beautifully captured in the ending scene when Superman replays all of his favorite memories, and it was of his adoptive parents and him. Superman had the biggest smile as he was sitting in his dentist’s chair and glowing. The sun heals Superman, but in this scene, the love of his family did. It goes to show that love is love, and biological or not, having loving parents has such an effect on how you grow up. Kudos to Gunn for shedding light on the beautiful moment of the family.
I know plenty of adults and kids must relate to this part of the movie, and I think Gunn eloquently represented the beauty of adoption and being there for your kids, no matter how old they are. Something I also loved was that Gunn didn’t shame Superman’s biological parents at all. We still have to see them being honored in a hologram of them in the middle of the movie, and see their interaction with their son. This highlights the beauty of how both sets of parents are essential.
Superman felt the love of both his biological and adoptive parents, and I think it’s easy for people to think that just because you’re an adult, you don’t need your parents.
This goes to show that even if you’re a superhero, you still need your mom and dad!
theme & Superman’s speech
Although Superman kicks butt and is someone who is healed by the sun, the movie has so many elements of what a “human being” is. Is it a sense of belonging? Is it a sense of hope? Or even a sense of looking super cool in a cape?
Maybe it’s not just about invincibility or super strength: maybe it’s about vulnerability. He may be as fast as a bullet, but what resonates with the audience is his struggle to be understood and to find purpose in the world that half-fears and half-loves him. It is not easy to represent that in a superhero, but Gunn scripted it phenomenally.
Take a moment and skip to 0:46 and hear Superman speak from his heart to respond to Lex Luthor’s ignorance.
Empowering, right!
I loved how Superman shared his honest and vulnerable feelings, but also was able to find the hope that Luthor would learn from his ignorance. An emotionally intelligent superhero is something I never knew I needed to witness.
I feel like the assumption of ‘what a true superhero is’ was truly shown here. Superman could’ve easily been negligent and deflective with his response to Lex Luthor, but he instead did the exact opposite. He was vulnerable and showed humility, which is truly the best superpower to have! This goes to show audiences of all ages that just because you are this Superman, an authoritative figure with power, does not mean you should be arrogant or egotistical. Having honor and a sense of humbleness is the best quality a superhero can have.
Regarding his speech, what Superman was talking about not only applies to the movie, but also the ‘real world’- Especially with current events. In this day and age, I hope Superman taught the world that people need to put their ignorance aside and take the chance to learn about each other’s backgrounds and upbringings. Whether you’re from the planet Krypton or the real world, someone who can express their vulnerability and empathy is someone worth getting to know. Hatred for someone will get you nowhere. I mean, look at Lex Luthor. The entire movie, he was finding reasons to despise Superman just because he was ‘different’. He didn’t take any time to get to know his perspective or empathize with him. He, instead, plotted against him, made people hate him, tortured him with Kryptonite, made a doppelganger to kill him, and the list goes on and on. Karma hit Luthor because he got bitten by Krypto, was completely humbled by Superman with that beautiful speech, and was arrested. Do you want to be a Superman or Lex Luthor in life? Take your pick.
Something I also wanted to touch upon was the fact that Superman didn’t use incredibly complicated vocabulary or any condescending attitudes. He spoke with confidence, which gave his words power. He preached from the heart, flooding the screen with beautiful, raw emotions that completely captured the entire audience in a random Cinemark in Wayne, New Jersey. I took a moment to look around the theatre after his speech, and when I tell you the number of head nods, smiles, and even tears that may or may not have been from my twin and me, that were shown were incredible. It only took 30 seconds of him expressing his emotions to truly find meaning in this incredible movie. I must mention as well that I loved how it was a strong man who was able to express his vulnerability. I hope the boys and grown men in the theatre learned that it’s okay to be vulnerable and express emotions without seeming weak or fragile. I can without believe that there were learnings from this.
To discuss another point of how Superman’s emotions were beautifully represented was in a robot scene. Superman had robots that lived in his home to take care of him, defend him, and offer him support. His home was under attack during an invasion, and whilst defending Superman, one of his robots, Kelex, died. Superman expressed empathy and held him in his final moments.
I genuinely think this movie represented love in a world of hatred and discrimination.
David corenswet
Now, who is the complete gem of an actor behind Superman?
Ladies and gentlemen, David Corenswet.
I think that Corenswet was truly the best pick for this role. Not only did he look the part, but his ability to naturally become Superman, emotionally and empathetically, is something truly worth mentioning.
I looked at behind-the-scenes clips of Corenswet, and he is truly Superman outside of the movie. There was this one scene when the city of Metropolis was being crumbled by this creation of Luthor, Raptor, and chaos was erupting. Superman manages to save kids, grown adults, and even a squirrel! I mean, c’mon, how could someone not love a guy who saves a squirrel?! Anyways, when the scene finished, the kids he saved continued to stay in the group hug, and Corenswet gladly continued giving hugs and high fives. It’s so easy for someone to act a certain way on camera and then, once they’re off then become a hypocrite, but Corenswet found love in and out of set. His ability to get along with everyone and be a kind human being is something that everyone should learn from.
I never expected Superman to have such a sense of humility. My old ignorance of superheroes always thought they’d be cocky and strong, but the way Corenswet represented Superman completely humbled me and gave me a full 180-degree perspective switch.
I think David Corenswet was truly the best pick for this role, and I find it so admirable that he set such a great example for the audience on what a good human being is.
And hey, I am not complaining when I see edits of him all over my TikTok for you page.
10 honorable mentions from the movie
- The soundtrack: specifically, ‘The Real Punk Rock’
- Lois Lane’s outfits: specifically, the black vest and white shirt combo
- Mr. Terrific and Lois Lane’s friendship
- Krypto biting Lex Luthor
- Krypto dragging Superman back to his home in the opening scene
- Baby Joey and the bond he had with his dad (Metamorpho)
- The loyalty of Malik “Mali” Ali, a falafel vendor and citizen of Metropolis, who helped Superman
- “Where is the dog?!” scene
- “#SuperSh**”
- “1A” – Lex Luthor (mainly the memes on Instagram reels that have come from this scene)
my closing thoughts
Turns out that capes, cosmic battles, and fight scenes are just as cool as talking animals, fairy godmothers, and tiaras.
I know I’ve only seen one superhero movie, but I’m so curious to watch the other heroes that people all around the world love. Superman set the bar so high for what a great superhero movie should be, in my opinion, so it is going to be tough to watch more without missing this humble, vulnerable guy with a red cape. But I think that goes to show how beautifully made this movie truly was.
To anyone who has never watched a certain genre of movie before, whether it’s superhero, horror, romance-related related or so on, trust me when I say give it a chance! Your future self will thank you, and I genuinely think I’ve developed the superpower of expanding my mind beyond its limits and embracing different perspectives I’ve never imagined.
I also want to give a special shoutout to my Appa for opening the door of superheroes to me and for taking Karish and me to see the movie. You have been my true superhero in life, and you have no idea how grateful I am to call you my dad. And as you may have guessed it, the car ride home was all about my dad explaining the Spider-Verse verse so maybe Spider-Man will have to be my next watch?
I guess after 19 years of tiaras, we can switch over to capes and webs. :)
Thank you, Superman and Appa.