# Superman (2025) - Vlog Angry Movie Review (2nd Viewing)!

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZz-lA2gvzs
Recap page: https://rapidrecap.app/video/FZz-lA2gvzs

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## Quick Overview

Angry Joe rates "Superman (2025)" as a 6/10 after a second viewing, an "above average film" that he likes but does not love, despite its high Rotten Tomatoes scores, due to several design and narrative choices that prevent it from being "great."

**Key Points:**
- After a second viewing, Angry Joe rates "Superman (2025)" as a 6/10, an "above average film," but not "great," despite a slight improvement in his "fan brain" opinion.
- The film boasts high Rotten Tomatoes scores (82% critic, 96% audience), which Joe clarifies means 82% of critics gave it 6/10 or above, not an 8.2/10 quality score.
- Pros include James Gunn's understanding of Superman's core character, David Corenswet's portrayal as "warm" and "earnest," Superman's vulnerability, his focus on saving people first, and Rachel Brosnahan's "amazing" Lois Lane.
- Major cons include the film's fast pacing and lack of context, a weak and unmemorable score, awkward cinematography with "big goofy head" shots and fisheye lenses, and the controversial depiction of Jor-El and Lara as advocating murder and a "harem of women."
- Joe criticizes the film for undercutting emotional moments with jokes, Superman feeling like "one of the guys" rather than an inspiration to other metahumans, and the "bad" Kaiju diversion scene where Superman doesn't assert himself enough.
- He dislikes Krypto being Supergirl's dog, not Superman's, and the "meek and timid Superman persona" that feels more like "Clark Kent in a Superman suit."
- Joe concludes that if the film makes new Superman fans, it is a "9 out of 10" or "10 out of 10" for him, welcoming new fans to the "Superman family."

**Context:** Angry Joe, a self-proclaimed Superman aficionado, reviews "Superman (2025)" after a second viewing, aiming to explain why he "liked" but did not "love" the film, despite its overwhelmingly positive reception from critics and audiences. He previously gave it a 6/10 and clarifies his rating system in contrast to Rotten Tomatoes scores, emphasizing that a high percentage on Rotten Tomatoes indicates the proportion of positive reviews, not the average quality score.

## Detailed Analysis

Angry Joe's second viewing of "Superman (2025)" solidified his opinion that the film is "above average" (6/10) but not "great," despite a slight positive shift influenced by his "fan brain" and the film's widespread success (82% critic, 96% audience on Rotten Tomatoes). He praises James Gunn's grasp of Superman's core character, David Corenswet's "warm" and "earnest" portrayal, Superman's vulnerability, his dedication to saving lives, and Rachel Brosnahan's "perfect" Lois Lane, highlighting their "amazing chemistry." Krypto, Mr. Terrific, and Guy Gardner are also lauded as scene-stealers. However, significant criticisms include the film's rapid pacing and lack of contextual setup, an unmemorable musical score, and distracting cinematography. Joe strongly objects to the depiction of Jor-El and Lara as advocating violence and a "harem," viewing it as a detrimental alteration of lore for a joke. He also criticizes the undercutting of emotional moments with humor, Superman's perceived lack of inspirational authority over other metahumans, and the poorly executed Kaiju diversion scene where Superman fails to assert his "preserve all life" philosophy. Minor nitpicks include the "redneck" portrayal of the Kents, the "Jimmy Babe magnet" subplot, and the "Minecraft-like" CGI river. Ultimately, while his "critic brain" maintains a 6/10, his "fan brain" leans towards a 7/10, and he declares the film a "9 out of 10" or "10 out of 10" if it successfully creates new Superman fans.

### Reviewer's Stance & Rating

- Angry Joe rates the film a 6 out of 10, an "above average film"
- His opinion slightly improved on second viewing due to his "fan brain"
- He clarifies Rotten Tomatoes scores: 82% critic and 96% audience mean that percentage of reviewers/audiences gave it 6/10 or above, not an 8.2 or 9.6 quality score

### Key Strengths (Pros)

- James Gunn "understands Superman's core character"
- David Corenswet is "so warm," "so earnest," and "kills it" as Superman
- Superman is "more vulnerable than ever" and "saves people first"
- Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane is "amazing, perfect" with "amazing chemistry" with Superman
- The film is "bright, colorful, hopeful, good, honest, kind, a feel-good film"
- Krypto "kills it" as a "scene stealer"
- Mr. Terrific and Guy Gardner are "perfect" and "scene stealers"

### Major Weaknesses (Cons - Big Stuff)

- Pacing is too fast with a "lack of context" and nothing is "allowed to breathe"
- The musical score is "weak" and "unmemorable"
- Cinematography by Henry Brahms is often "too goofy" with "big goofy head" shots and fisheye lenses
- The depiction of Jor-El and Lara is disliked, as they tell Superman to "murder anybody that gets in his way" and "spread his seed on Earth"
- Lex Luthor's hatred for Superman "feels artificial"
- Many emotional moments are "undercut by a joke"
- Superman feels "too much of a jobber" and needs "more direct inspiration to the other meta heroes"
- The Kaiju diversion scene is "bad" with an "awful" design and Superman not asserting himself
- Krypto is "not Superman's dog, but Cara's"
- Superman's persona is "meek and timid," feeling more like "Clark Kent in a Superman suit"
- The film focuses too much on "setting up the DCU" instead of just Superman

### Minor Weaknesses (Cons - Nitpicks)

- Paul Kent's portrayal is "too redneck" and the Kents are "simple folk"
- Jimmy Olsen's "babe magnet" subplot takes up time from more meaningful moments
- The text intro for the Bovian invasion is disliked, preferring a visual setup like "Lord of the Rings"
- Hawk Girl "sucks" with "no wings" and is "annoying"
- The Engineer character is a "plot device"
- The Pocket Universe CGI river looks like "Minecraft"
- Ultraman's fate (black hole) might waste the character of Bizarro
- Lack of depth for the Superman robots, with contradictory emotions played for a joke

### Final Assessment & Fan Impact

- Angry Joe's "critic brain" rates it a 6/10, but his "fan brain" leans towards a 7/10
- He states, "If this makes you a Superman fan, then this [__] film is a 10 out of 10 for me"
- He welcomes new fans to the "Superman family" and encourages viewers to see the film to understand his points