James Gunn takes a fresh look at the classic comic book character, Superman, in his film of the same name. The iconic character is played by David Corenswet, with a twist.

Instead of having a backstory, the movie starts when Clark Kent is already Superman. This contrasts with nearly every other Superman film, which all have a background about how Superman came to be. Another massive difference is that this Superman isn’t an all-powerful hero. He is met with defeat from Lex Luthor, played by Nicholas Hoult, and that makes him question nearly every aspect of his “superness.”

While Corenswet is the lead in the movie, the ambiance wouldn’t be the same without his supporting characters. Characters such as Lois Lane, played by Rachel Brosnahan, and Lex Luthor, played by Hoult, enhance Corenswet’s ability to truly be Superman. All actors in the movie have their own iterations of the classic characters without straying too far from the classic roles.

The casting isn’t the only appealing aspect of this move. The colors and scenery of the film make the viewer feel as though they exist in the Superman universe. The scenes include shots of Superman flying through the air with jet speed and action-packed battle scenes between Superman and Luthor.

This version of Superman, although dealing with an existential crisis, is brighter than previous films. Both Zack Snyder and Henry Cavill’s portrayals of the character are much darker in color, giving their films a much moodier tone. Gunn and Corenswet’s Superman has a sense of humor and dabbles with human crises, breaking the tone that typical action movies carry. This wildly contrasts former Supermen, who are pretty much indestructible.

Some critics target the break in tone, stating that they change tone too quickly, which is too much for the viewer. Despite this, critics admire the slow moments of the film that show that Superman is truly still a man.

The film is definitely not flawless but shines a new and brighter light on the classic comic character. The level of humanity that was injected into Corenswet’s character is truly inspiring and shows that even the indestructible have hard days without erasing the characters’ ability to fly above evil.