James Gunn’s ‘Superman’ Isn’t Just A Comic Book Movie – It’s A Reminder To Remember Our Humanity

Check the fan forums and you’ll notice a debate between supporters of Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel and James Gunn’s Superman. Some people claim that Henry Cavill is the only person fit to wear the red cape and that the Snyderverse should be restored, while others state that in Gunn we trust for a return to the glory days of DC as the top comic book movie brand and David Corenswet’s Big Blue needs to be embraced as the future.

Now, this isn’t a debate about which film, or take, is better. That’s down to personal preference, and if you dig something, go ahead and love it. What this piece is about, though, is that Gunn’s Superman arrives in a time in which the world needs a hero who embodies all that’s good. Somebody to inspire and motivate others. This is something that we all so desperately need.

The ‘Superman’ trailer shows that Kal-El’s greatest enemy is bureaucratic systems

The Superman trailer begins with Lois Lane interviewing Superman. She presses him about his recent actions, including entering a country illegally and not consulting with the president at any point. Kal-El grows frustrated at the line of questioning, eventually arguing that he’s doing good.

The debate between Lois and Superman resonates because it’s an accurate reflection of the state of the world. Red tape and bureaucracy thrive in man-made systems that only serve to impede progress and maintain the status quo under the guise of due diligence. For anyone trying to make a difference in the world, it’s frustrating to see the endless hoops and shifting of goalposts that make it next to impossible to move forward. The fact is genuine efforts get buried, because one suit out of 200 didn’t initial page 546 of 1000. Superman faces the same problems too, as he’s bound by the exact rules as the rest of us.

The S stands for hope

At times, the bureaucracy makes people feel hopeless, especially when everything is geared to do nothing slowly. It’s as if the system is too big – too powerful – to fight against. Not for Superman, though. No matter which version of the character you like, he’s always stood for hope. He’s a firm believer that “the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing,” so he refuses to sit back and shrug his shoulders. No matter how much the world throws at him, he gets back up and becomes a symbol for everyone else around him.

As one of the most powerful beings in the world, he could easily force his will upon those who get in his path. Yet, this isn’t what he’s about. As frustrated as he is, he understands that to inspire is more powerful than to hurt. And it works – like the scene in the trailer where a child raises a flag with his symbol while everyone else runs in the opposite direction. Yes, he’s an alien with the powers of a god, but by standing for what’s right, he encourages others to do the same and be heroes in their own way too. 

‘Superman’ embodies the power of humanity

For the most part, superhero movies are all about saving the world from a major disaster or supervillain. Superman is likely to be no different, demonstrated by how he battles a multitude of villains in the trailer. However, there’s a prevalent theme that permeates throughout the trailer and general marketing that separates it from current comic book movies: humanity.

The real world finds itself in a reality that’s stranger than fiction right now. People feel divided more than ever – by race, nationality, sexual orientation, gender, politics. Every day there’s a new push for a greater divide created by bad actors who want to establish an “us vs. them” mentality. Unfortunately, the plan is working, and humanity finds itself in a perilous situation where hate and anger triumph over love and understanding.

A movie like Superman won’t change the world on its own, but it has the ability to remind the audience that humanity is still our greatest superpower. To care about another person doesn’t make you weak; it’s what makes us extraordinary. Rather than allow division to be sown, we need to fight together for a better tomorrow. In our world, there isn’t a Kryptonian who’s going to swoop in and save everyone, but his values are the ideals that everyone should aspire to. And that’s what being super really means.