Why This Superman was ahead of its time – and still remains unmatched.
James Gunn’s Superman is flying high right now. Rave reviews, box office gold, and fans celebrating a return to “classic Superman values”. Bright colors. Big heart. Clean-cut hope. Critics are calling it a “course correction” from the supposedly “dark” days of Zack Snyder’s DC run.
But here’s a hot take: the real Superman moment that actually redefined the character for modern times, happened over a decade ago. And it wasn’t in Gunn’s cape-swishing crowd-pleaser.
It was Henry Cavill’s Superman.
If you’re ready to look past the surface-level discourse, let’s dive into why Snyder’s version of the Man of Steel didn’t just work, but soared.
Performance: When Acting Became Myth-Making
David Corenswet is good. Charming, sincere, and perfectly aligned with what fans expect Superman to be. His Clark Kent stumbles around with charm. His Superman smiles through hope.
But Henry Cavill? Cavill lived in the suit.
That interrogation scene in Man of Steel? He’s chained, but clearly choosing restraint. Not because he has to, but because he wants to trust humanity. That’s emotional nuance. That’s acting with depth.
Where Corenswet’s Superman is fully-formed from the get-go, Cavill’s was evolving. Growing. Searching. And don’t even get us started on Clark Kent. Snyder dared to show Clark not as a disguise, but as an identity in progress. Frustrated at Perry White. Unsure with Lois. He wasn’t pretending to be human. He was learning how to be one.
Visuals: Paintings in Motion
James Gunn’s film is polished. Clean action, tight editing and colorful. It looks great. But Snyder’s lens? That was cinematic sculpture.
Every frame in Snyder’s Superman trilogy feels like a myth brought to life. Think of Superman’s first flight, the way he bursts through the clouds, Zimmer’s score swelling. You’re not watching CGI, you’re watching ascension.
Where most films blur speed, Snyder slows the world down so you experience Superman’s perception. A subtle way to show his difference without saying a word. Even the religious imagery? It’s intentional myth-building. It’s Superman seen through humanity’s eyes as something more.
Zimmer’s Score: The Sound of Becoming
Sure, Gunn brought back the nostalgic touch with John Williams’ iconic theme, which is safe and satisfying. But Hans Zimmer’s score? That was an origin in audio.
Start with “Flight” from Man of Steel—uncertain, quiet beginnings, building to explosive self-realization. It mirrors Clark’s journey. Across three films, Zimmer evolved Superman’s theme. By Zack Snyder’s Justice League, you weren’t just hearing a theme, you were hearing a soul that had earned its identity.The details in the performance show the actors’ intentions.
The Snyder Cut: A Vision Realized
The theatrical cut of Justice League made Superman look like a footnote.Zack Snyder’s Justice League turned him into a legend.
The black suit wasn’t edgy, it was a cultural and personal reconciliation. Superman acknowledging his Kryptonian roots while reaffirming his place on Earth. The resurrection arc wasn’t a gimmick. It was a resurrection of purpose. Cavill’s Superman didn’t return to fight. He returned with clarity.
Moral Complexity: Not Just a Boy Scout
The 2025 Superman punches villains, saves people, and inspires crowds. Great. That’s textbook hero stuff. But Snyder asked: What does it mean to be good when every action has consequences?
Remember the Capitol bombing scene in Batman v Superman? Critics and haters mocked the stillness and termed it as “Aura farming while people died”. But look again. That’s Superman processing guilt, grief, and the burden of being used as a symbol. It’s heavy. It’s uncomfortable. But it’s real. This Superman didn’t just save kittens and stop meteors, he wrestled with meaning, morality, and the grayness of heroism.
A Superman for the Times
Gunn’s Superman speaks to nostalgia. He’s the answer to a chaotic era craving simplicity. A reminder of cleaner times. Snyder’s Superman, however, was born from a more complex cultural climate. Post-9/11 fears, rising surveillance, global politics, public distrust.
It asked: How does a god walk among men without becoming their ruler or their scapegoat?
Snyder’s trilogy didn’t just show us Superman. It interrogated what he means in a world that doesn’t believe in pure intentions.
Spectacle with Substance
Yes, Snyder’s fights went big. But they weren’t mindless CGI brawls, they carried weight. The Man of Steel finale? That’s what a battle between titans would really look like. The destruction? It wasn’t glorified. It was trauma, something Superman carries into the next film. Consequences matter.
In Gunn’s world, it’s good vs evil.
In Snyder’s, it’s power vs purpose.
Hope Earned, Not Handed
Both Supermen end triumphant. But only one earned it. Corenswet’s Superman starts good, stays good, and wins. Fairytale formula.
Cavill’s Superman started confused. Made mistakes. Learned. Fought inner battles before outer ones. Died to save humanity. Returned because others still believed that he’s the one who can save humanity. So when he smiles at the end of ZSJL, it’s not fan service, it’s catharsis.
Final Thought: The Superman We Already Had
Gunn’s Superman is the hero many wanted. Snyder’s Superman is the hero people needed.
So before you declare this new Superman the definitive one, revisit Snyder’s trilogy with fresh eyes. Look past the memes, the criticism, the hot takes. You might just realize that the Superman who made us think, feel, and question was already there.
And he flew higher than anyone ever expected.
What do you think? Drop your thoughts below.