Superman, did we just become best friends?

‍Is it punk rock to be kind? James Gunn asks us to believe that a man from a distant planet who thought that he was sent here to be humanity’s benevolent Boy Scout can also be a rebel.

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‍Whether he is breaking the sound barrier, summoning his unhinged pooch, or saving puny earthlings from certain doom, Superman always wears a smirk that says “Yes, it’s a thankless job but you people are worth it.”

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‍And it shows in his love for Lois. As always, she is the stand-in for humanity. Thankful for what he does, but doesn’t fully trust his process. I mean, how can you? We just met him and he could crush us like bugs. So what is there to stop him from doing it? Which is why, when he makes a unilateral decision that dramatically shifts the balance of global power she (rightly) has some tough questions for him.

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‍Some reviewers think that superhero fatigue has set in. Others bemoan all of the homework that we need to do to stay on top of what Captain Marvel or Ant Man is up to now. There is nothing tiresome about watching Superman emerge from a cloud of debris from a fallen skyscraper ready to take on whatever humanity can throw at him next. Maybe the real thing rebellious about Superman is that it’s here to do the heavy lifting for us. DC has flown in to steal our hearts from their rivals at the MCU. Superman scoops you up and takes you out to a really good time at the movies and expects nothing in return. But he wouldn’t be bothered if you bought a Krypton popcorn bucket.