My Buddy, Mr. J. Christopher Wilson, is reviewing some movies and series. He has agreed to let us post his reviews here.
The Golden Age Man of Steel is back and he’s exactly what we need right now. Art imitates life—they say—and shows us what we need to be and what we need to do when we can’t seem to see it for ourselves.
The Boy Scout comes on screen sans the origin story because we don’t need that. This Superman, the original concept like the Christopher Reeves version is glorious, gosh darn it. While other characters curse mildly, our Boy Scout does not. It’s not in him. It’s not who he is. He is something greater than the other characters and he is what we should strive to be despite our human failures.
James Gunn’s Superman does good works and thinks good thoughts because it’s the right thing to do. It’s simple for him, right vs wrong. While Clark Kent, Superman’s alter ego, is a bit black-and-white in the way he sees the world, his high sense of morality and ethics guide him toward goodness and righteousness and protection of the innocent in very straight forward ways. He’s innocent in that sense.
As I get older, I tend to embrace grays much more than my black-and-white youth. That’s typical for human brain development. Mature adults develop more gray as we gain wisdom. As a rule, I tend to prefer comic characters and stories that are more gray, even gritty. In the past, I’ve even been critical of the Boy Scout because of his boy scoutness.
However—and this is a big caveat—I embrace this SUPERMAN because he is exactly what America, what the world, needs right now. This Superman stands as a symbol, a solution, a balm serving to guide a troubled world at war with itself. The red-and-blue-clad alien from another planet is almost more human than we are and his message is crystal clear in both a movie world and the real world.
In the most classic comic book style, Superman fights against a tyrannical billionaire, Lex Luther, who is singularly focused on dismantling and demolishing the very symbol of righteousness and morality, goodness and ethics that is Superman. He hates what Superman stands for and wants him destroyed. Lex hates what he cannot be.
It has long been held that Superman is a metaphor for Jesus. He is a comics representation of a messianic figure who always does the good work. His “S” means “hope” in Kryptonian just as Jesus represents hope in Christian literature. Both have almost divine births with their fate clearly defined as the world’s savior. Superman’s fight for justice, compassion, selflessness and self-sacrifice all align with the story of Jesus. While Christianity is not a part of this SUPERMAN story specifically, the parallels are impossible to miss.
All of that social commentary seems heavy (it is) and preachy (it is NOT). Where Gunn shines is in his ability to infuse the messianic metaphor and the fight against an oppressive and maniacal evildoer and his political and military minions into a light-hearted film. In other words, Gunn takes those powerful and important undertones and balances them with humor overtones. Superman’s naivety and innocence serve as the foundation for the films overall tone and themes.
It’s witty and funny, clever and cute, and a heck of a lot of fun. Kids will often miss the Jesus metaphor and the deep social commentary. They will see the good guy fight the bad guy. Kids will see hysterical comic character cameos like Krypto the Super Dog and relish in the purposely comedic story of those cameos. Krypto is the best! He’s the R2D2, C-3PO, and BB8 that we want and need. While kids see all of this, adults can see and feel that and so much more. Kinda like Bugs Bunny and LOONEY TUNES.
The ratings are right on! You need this movie. I need this movie. The world needs this movie. SUPERMAN stands to remind us who we are, or rather, who we seek and strive to be. We need that reminder. Here it is!
