# Superman (2025) - SPOILERS, STUPIDEST Moments & PLOT HOLES!

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W01ZyxL3WgI
Recap page: https://rapidrecap.app/video/W01ZyxL3WgI

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## Quick Overview

The 2025 Superman film fundamentally misinterprets core characters and lore, depicting Jor-El and Lara as evil conquerors, a weak Lex Luthor, and a Superman who kills, while suffering from poor action cinematography and excessive setup for future projects.

**Key Points:**
- Superman's Kryptonian parents, Jor-El and Lara, are portrayed as 'evil,' instructing him to 'populate the earth with our genes' and 'rule them as a king,' a significant deviation from established lore.
- Superman 'murders' Ultraman by throwing him into a black hole, a decision the speaker strongly opposes, stating, 'I don't want my Superman to kill.'
- Lex Luthor is depicted as a 'big baby' who commands an 'army of techies' and 'monkeys typing social media hate,' lacking the intelligence and craftiness of his comic counterpart.
- Ultraman is revealed to be a clone, an 'inferior version' of Bizarro or the comic Ultraman, which the speaker believes 'ruined the opportunity of Bizarro.'
- Action scenes, particularly the fight with Ultraman, are criticized for being 'dark and it's just shaking the camera around' and relying on 'CGI mess' instead of practical effects.
- Krypto, Superman's dog, is revealed to be Supergirl's dog, a detail the speaker finds highly objectionable, stating, 'Krypto is not Superman's dog. It is [__] Kara's dog.'
- The film includes characters like the Engineer and the 'Justice Gang' (including Guy Gardner and Hawkgirl) primarily to 'set up for other [__]' films, detracting from the main Superman story.

**Context:** The video provides a critical, spoiler-filled review of the 2025 Superman film, focusing on its perceived deviations from established Superman lore and character portrayals. The speaker, a long-time Superman fan, expresses strong disappointment with key plot decisions, character interpretations, and overall execution, arguing that the film fundamentally misunderstands the essence of Superman and his supporting cast.

## Detailed Analysis

The 2025 Superman film receives heavy criticism for its significant deviations from established lore and character portrayals. Jor-El and Lara are depicted as 'evil,' instructing Superman to conquer Earth and propagate Kryptonian genes, a decision the reviewer finds worse than Lex's manipulation. Superman himself 'murders' Ultraman by throwing him into a black hole, a choice that contradicts his core principle of preserving life. Lex Luthor is portrayed as a 'big baby' who commands an 'army of techies' and 'monkeys typing social media hate,' lacking the intelligence and menace of his comic counterpart. Ultraman is an 'inferior version' clone, missing the potential for a proper Bizarro character. Action scenes are criticized for being 'dark and shaky,' relying on 'CGI mess' over practical effects, and having a weak musical score that only succeeds when mimicking John Williams. The film introduces numerous characters like the Engineer, Metamorpho, and the 'Justice Gang' (including Hawkgirl and Guy Gardner) primarily to 'set up for other [__]' films, detracting from the main Superman narrative. The reviewer also highlights awkward humor, inconsistent pacing, and a missed opportunity in the end-credit scene to include a classic Superman moment, ultimately concluding that the film is a 'bastardization' of the character.

### Controversial Character Depictions

- Jor-El and Lara are portrayed as 'evil' and manipulative, instructing Superman to conquer Earth and propagate Kryptonian genes
- Lex Luthor is a 'big baby' commanding techies and 'monkeys typing social media hate,' lacking his traditional intelligence and menace
- Superman kills Ultraman by throwing him into a black hole, a decision the reviewer strongly opposes as uncharacteristic
- Ultraman is an 'inferior version' clone, missing the potential for a proper Bizarro
- Krypto is revealed to be Supergirl's dog, not Superman's, which is a significant lore deviation
- Hawkgirl is a 'screechy teenager' who kills, and the Justice Gang's presence feels like forced setup

### Plot and Lore Criticisms

- The film's central conflict stems from a genuine, rather than manipulated, message from Jor-El and Lara, which the reviewer finds worse than Lex's deception
- Superman's 'power bomb' move is overused, and his vulnerability is inconsistently portrayed
- The Kaiju plot is resolved with excessive goofiness, including eye-poking, rather than a clever solution from Superman
- The lack of known Kryptonite on Earth contradicts established lore and Lex's motivations
- The end-credit scene misses an opportunity for a classic Superman brick-fixing joke, instead making Superman appear 'weird and mean'

### Execution and Technical Flaws

- Action scenes are criticized for being 'dark and shaky,' relying on 'CGI mess' over practical effects, and having poor cinematography
- The musical score is deemed 'weak' and only good when mimicking John Williams, lacking James Gunn's usual strong song choices
- Humor, such as the 'Justice Gang' running joke and the 'stupid CGI baby' Joey, falls flat
- The film's pacing is too fast, and many scenes feel like superficial 'Hallmark commercial' moments rather than earned emotional beats

### Excessive Future Setup

- Numerous characters and plotlines, including the Engineer, Metamorpho, and the Justice Gang, are introduced primarily to 'set up for other [__]' films, detracting from the Superman narrative
- The film's focus on vilifying Superman on TV and the 'metahumans are in control now' ending are seen as direct setups for the Amanda Waller series and other DC projects