James Gunn's Superman Being "Weak" Fixes A Decades-Old Complaint About The Man Of Steel

With Superman, the first installment of the DCU, around the corner, James Gunn’s take on the character has been drawing accusations of appearing “weak,” but this arguably fixes a decades-old complaint about the character. Superman has finally released a full-fledged trailer, in which the тιтular superhero can be seen tussling with multiple figures, including a gargantuan “kaiju” creature, María Gabriela de Faría’s Engineer, and a mystery black-clad adversary largely theorized to be Ultraman. Superman, apparently struggling against these foes, has drawn some ire from prospective viewers who are now outright accusing David Corenswet’s Superman of being weak.

These accusations were spurred as early as the first Superman teaser, which opens with Superman lying battered and bruised in the arctic snow. For many, this flies in the face of Superman’s typical portrayal as the unbreakable Man of Steel with a frankly dizzying array of superpowers. On the other hand, this also appeases longstanding concerns about Superman that have persisted for decades, and goes much further to bring a more fleshed-out and nuanced character to life on the big screen.

Superman Being Too Powerful Has Long Been A Criticism Of The Man Of Steel

Some Believe Superman’s Powers Make Him Boring

Superman’s superpowers are practically limitless, from the standard smattering of super strength and speed to more nebulous powers like his memory-wiping kiss. Invulnerability is easily one of Superman’s most famous powers, as it is so inextricably tied to kryptonite and the myriad ill effects caused by his exposure to it. Still, even with this Achilles heel, Superman’s near-invincibility is enough to lose the interest of some audiences, as it certainly helps to reduce, if not outright remove, any stakes that Superman faces.

Compounding this criticism is Superman’s unparalleled propensity to do good. His incorruptible characterization can sometimes make Superman feel a little too boring. This is partly what makes The Boys‘ Homelander such a compelling figure, as the incredible powers afforded to Superman feel decidedly more terrifying (and therefore exciting) in the hands of an outright villain, taking the reduced stakes of a story featuring Superman and flipping them on their head entirely.

James Gunn’s Superman Movie Is Getting The Character’s Power Level Right

Superman Will Be At His Most Compelling

James Gunn appears to be sidestepping this common criticism with his and David Corenswet’s version of Superman. The Superman teasers and trailer make a concerted effort to highlight Superman’s vulnerabilities, showing him being overwhelmed by several threats, and even portraying his healing process using the focused rays of the sun to be an ordeal. While this seems to mean that Superman has his work cut out, it also suggests that his fights will be as compelling as possible, as it is obvious that he can (and apparently will) lose.

In DC Comics, Ultraman is an evil version of Superman from another universe, with some viewers theorising that he the individual fighting Superman with a “U” on his chest.

It is still possible that his humanoid enemies possess kryptonite, thereby weakening Superman enough to make him bleed. The two humanoid characters do, after all, appear to be working for Lex Luthor, and with Superman already being a well-established part of the DCU’s world, it makes sense for his nemesis to have already acquired some. It’s also safe to ᴀssume that, despite his fallibility, Superman is still an incredibly powerful superhero. Whatever the case, this fallibility opens up some interesting narrative options.

Superman Being Less Powerful Can Focus On More Interesting Aspects Of The Character

Superman Can Focus On How To Use His Powers

James Gunn has confirmed – and the trailers help to prove – that Superman will not be an origin story. At this juncture, superhero cinemagoers are well aware of Superman’s general power levels and the kinds of incredible feats he is capable of, which means Superman needs less space than, say, Man of Steel to demonstrate what Superman can achieve. Instead, by pivoting to a story in which Superman bleeds, and is perhaps vulnerable in more cerebral ways, Superman is primed to focus on the more compelling and less-explored facets of his character.

Ultimately, an imperfect Superman is an opportunity for the DCU to explore a new direction, helping to keep the character fresh and more accessible to more casual fans.

This additionally opens up a fresher narrative hook for the DCU’s Superman, where the movie can focus more on Superman’s decision about how and when to use his powers instead of focusing on the powers themselves. While he may struggle against other superpowered individuals, he is evidently powerful enough to single-handedly halt a war, the ethics of which are discussed in Superman and Lois’ interview. Ultimately, an imperfect Superman is an opportunity for the DCU to explore a new direction, helping to keep the character fresh and more accessible to more casual fans.