“But Ghoul”, you say, “In no way is Superman a horror movie”. Ok, you’re right. But there is something horrific about the base concept that has always fascinated me. At its face it’s the story of an alien, like an extra-terrestrial, who invades earth, mimics humanity, and then surpasses it. This alien then proceeds to gather other equally powerful people aligned with his ideas. As a normal human, this would be horrific.
The Horror of Alien Invasion
Your place in the world has been forever altered. The foundations of your religions, shattered. Then, this alien tells you how to be a better human. But he’s not here to rule, just show up from time to time and deliver justice according to his moral compass. And no one and nothing is strong enough to stop him.
It’s no wonder that there are easily a dozen versions of “What if superman was evil?” stories floating around comics. It’s hard for a lot of people to imagine someone having that much power and not using it for their own gain. So hard that, the second that there is a hint of potential ill intent, the public turns on him regardless of past actions.
Ok, this may veer into the new James Gunn Superman movie a bit. I’m going to try very hard not to spoil anything. I don’t want to make this a review of Superman. I’m less interested in if James Gunn’s movie is good and more interested in how the public currently views Superman as an icon.
Superman and Me
Full disclosure: in the past, I haven’t been a “Superman person”. I’ve never fully gotten behind the idea of big blue. I get the hypocrisy in this, but at the same time, his “punch first, ask questions later” methods never appealed to me. I’m much more of a Batman fan. As of late, I’m starting to come around to the idea though. With this latest movie, I may have finally embraced the concept of Superman as a character.
The Review Part
There are a lot of valid reasons to not dig Gunn’s Superman. His dialogue is at times on the nose, and he leans into some very Silver Age concepts. These concepts can at times take some of the real-world menace out of his Lex Luthor. Some audience members might find the inclusion of the “Justice Gang” overkill and distracting from the title character or feel that Clark Kent doesn’t get enough screentime. Those elements are all matters of taste.
What I don’t get is the complaint that this Superman is “woke”. I’m not a fan of the term in the first place, since I’ve yet to find a solid definition other than “presents ideas I don’t like”. I’m not saying that Superman isn’t woke. I’m saying that audiences shouldn’t be surprised that this specific hero is promoting beliefs centered around equality and justice for all. Complaining that a Superman movie is woke seems to indicate a fundamental misunderstanding of the character.
Superman should inspire the best in us. Not because he is stronger than us, or faster, or has any of the powers he’s acquired through the years. But because he chooses to use these abilities selflessly. This is one of the most important elements of his character that I feel like Gunn laser-focused on.
Spoiler Ahead!
Superman feels he was given a mission to protect Earth. Through the course of the film, this mission is recontextualized. After speaking to his adoptive Earth parents, he recommits himself to his original goal with new purpose. Now with a clear head and heart, no longer burdened by a legacy left to him, but an honest love of the planet where he was raised. He chooses Earth and humanity, and he inspires others to do the same.
On the opposite side, his villains chose their own ego. They are willing to sacrifice countless lives to win because the idea of Superman is so dangerous to their own existence. Instead of being inspired, Luthor is afraid. Not that Superman will turn evil, but that he makes Lex insignificant. This reveals how small and insecure Lex truly is to begin with. After all, someone secure and confident would have no problem sharing the light. It’s not a zero-sum game.
And Superman proves that by not being afraid to ask for help when he needs it. He not only inspires others, he pulls people into the light. If you’re used to the darkness, that can be a very horrifying place to be.
Why It’s Important
The world is a very dark place right now. Maybe it’s always been and I’m just now old enough to realize it, but social media sure doesn’t help. The darker things seem, the more we need a Superman to pull us into the light. The flip side of that is the harder some people will resist. Cynicism and negativity is easy. Optimism in the face of struggle is hard. It requires work and sacrifice to change things for the better.
The hard truth is no one is coming to save us. We don’t have a Superman. We also don’t need one. However, we do need the lessons he imparts. Truth, justice, unity, and selfless actions; we used to call it the American way, but we’re a global society now. So, I’d rather think of it as the human way.
That kind of humanity, putting others first, with no reward; well, to a lot of people, that’s the scariest thing of all.
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