There are those who will tell you that Superman is a difficult character to write. Because he's so powerful, there's no foe he cannot defeat, and no obstacle he cannot overcome. This is, of course, wrong. Superman is not a difficult character to write; he's the easiest, since all that you need to know about him is that he's a good man, raised by good people, to do good in the world.

He's an inspirational figure, not because he can fly, but because he sees the right thing to do and then he does it, without hesitation, even in the face of overwhelming odds or political blowback. He might make mistakes along the way, but he will always admit to them, return to correct them, and learn from them. Superman is super not because he's more powerful than a locomotive or faster than a speeding bullet, but because he cares, and cares deeply about the world, and all the people in it.

James Gunn, writer/director of the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy, The Suicide Squad, Peacemaker, and now Superman gets it. His new film is big, bright, colourful, and unapologetically earnest. Watching it feels like reading a comic book, but not the dark, gritty, grounded comics you read as an older teen or adult (which have influenced so much of modern superhero filmmaking), but the light, unsubtle, and fun comics you read as a kid. It is, in a word, wonderful.

As the film opens, we learn that metahumans—DC's term for superheroes—have been around for three hundred years, and that Superman made his debut three years prior. Opening with scenes that introduce us to The Fortress of Solitude, Superman's Kryptonian robot helpers, and Krypto the superdog (who is a great dog, but not a very good one), Gunn lets us know right away that this is a comic book movie with comic book stuff in it. Moreover, he understands that, nearly twenty years into the golden age of superhero filmmaking, we no longer need any of this explained. There's no origin story depicted here; we're dropped into the world and trusted to go with it, which is entirely refreshing.

Everyone in the movie is committed to the bit as well. David Corenswet embodies being both Clark Kent and Superman, with subtle changes in body language and hair and of course glasses, but more importantly that these are the same person - that one of them is a disguise he puts on for the world, and most importantly that disguise is a bright blue suit and not a pair of glasses. This is a character who needs to believably exclaim words like "golly" and apologise to bad guys he's about to beat by saying "sorry, chum," and have all that corniness feel 100% real. Corenswet is pitch perfect.

Similarly, Rachel Brosnahan, this film's Lois Lane, is a fierce, righteous woman and journalist. One who won't take any crap, least of all from Clark. She's smart, incisive, and determined in all the right ways. She embodies what the press is supposed to be.

Superman isn't alone in this world as a hero either, with the Justice Gang (not their actual name) working to help him throughout the movie. Guy Gardner (Nathan Fillion), Hawk Girl (Isebela Merced), and Mister Terrific (Edi Gathegi) may not be as well developed as they could be, but once again, this is a movie that trusts you to go with it. Do you get their back story? No, but you understand who they are immediately, and the three of them are fun every time they're on screen. Gathegi, in particular, nearly steals the show as the tech-based hero Mister Terrific, not only by delivering the coolest lines but also by featuring the single best action scene in the entire movie, which is presented in a single take. If there is any justice in Hollywood, this will be the movie that finally makes him a megastar.

Of course, no hero is complete without a villain, and Nicholas Hoult brings us a version of Lex Luthor that is delightfully slimy and entirely unlikable while being captivating on screen at the same time. He's a performer with charisma to spare, and he just goes for it. This is a big performance that comes right up to the brim without quite going over, and his deeply cynical attitude is the perfect antithesis to Superman's. More to the point, this version of Luthor feels like one of the billionaires we share the world with today. Whether you think he resembles Musk, Bezos, or Zuckerberg (or another) will be up to you, but he is distinctly recognisable. When his motivation is finally revealed, it's incredibly revealing of his character and those who inspired him.

James Gunn has a strong track record in filmmaking, but this might be his best effort to date. This is him asserting that hope wins over despair, that trust in your friends always pays off, and that kindness is punk rock. Gunn gets Superman in a way that this critic has been waiting for for years. He understands that Superman doesn't need a long night of soul-searching to decide what is right; that Superman would take the time to save civilians -and even a squirrel- from becoming collateral damage while fighting monsters. In short, this is a film that remembers that the important part of Superman isn't the super, but the man, and that is a beautiful thing.

Movie Review: "Superman" Revels In Goodness To Find Greatness