‘Kindness and hope’ – This is what the 2025 Superman movie is all about

Warning: This blog contains spoilers from the 2025 Superman movie.

Over the years, we’ve seen countless versions of the iconic red-caped hero. From Christopher Reeve to Henry Cavill, fans of the superhero franchise have seen almost every version of Superman come to life in both TV and film.

This year, we’re introduced to yet another version of Kal El/Clark Kent – a version created by James Gunn and portrayed by David Corenswet.

Admittedly, I was a part of the group of people that was hesitant over this reboot. For one, as a Henry Cavill fan, I was devastated that I wouldn’t be able to see him don the red cape once more in the cinemas. Second, I was worried that Gunn’s creative (and somewhat quirky) style might not fit in with the character profile of Superman.

However, after watching the film, it’s safe to say that Gunn’s version stays true to what Superman is all about – a symbol of kindness, selflessness, and hope.

Also, his eccentric and colorful filming style made viewers feel as if they’re watching scenes straight out of a comic book – which is what many fans seem to want in their superhero movies these days.

Not to mention, Corenswet held his own as the Man of Steel. He made me a fan of his Superman; and I’m excited to see what other projects he has in store for us moviegoers.

There are a few more things I enjoyed about the movie. Here are some details worth watching out for:

Although there were many side characters, it wasn’t overwhelming.

When the full-length trailer of the movie dropped, I was worried that with so many characters, the story would end up convoluted. Fortunately, I was mistaken.

The movie introduced a lot of side characters such as Jimmy Olsen, Guy Gardner (a.k.a. Green Lantern), Hawkgirl, Mister Terrific, Metamorpho, and Supergirl. Although this is quite a number of personas added, it didn’t overshadow the main storyline of Superman. In fact, it helped build on the atmosphere of metahumans living on earth, and added to the movie’s overall plot.

It also sets the stage for a potential spinoff – was this James Gunn’s plan all along?

Moreover, I enjoyed the small cameos, especially from Christopher Reeve’s son, Will, who told Variety that it was the “right decision to do this [cameo].”

Lois Lane gets her spotlight.

What I liked about the 2025 Superman movie is that it highlighted Lois Lane’s personality. In previous films, like Superman Returns and Man of Steel, I didn’t feel Lois Lane’s feisty, go-getter personality shine through as much.

In this movie, we see Lois (Rachel Brosnahan) as someone who will fight for her ideals and do everything to uncover the truth; because that is what’s right. It shows us that she’s her own person– strong-willed, confident, and flawed – and not just Superman’s love interest.

On a personal note, I also enjoyed seeing on the big screen how passionate reporters like Lois can be about their job. As someone who once worked in media, I can relate to how hectic life as a writer can be and yet, how rewarding the outcome is when you know your articles have helped others out.

Krypto is the real hero.

This may be biased (since I am a dog owner), but I absolutely adored every single Krypto scene. From the moment he first appeared to the end of the movie, Krypto showed moviegoers that even dogs can be super.

Photo Credit: @DCOfficial via Giphy

Honestly, I don’t want to give too much away, but just know that Krypto was essential to Superman’s fights; and to be honest, I can’t wait to see more of this canine should there be a sequel to this movie.

Political conflicts are part of the plot.

In the movie, Superman aids Jaihanpur when it is first attacked by its rival country, Boravia.

The reason why I agree with the filmmakers’ decision to place political conflicts in the movie is because it is realistic. Let’s say Superman was real, wouldn’t you expect him to intervene when two countries are on the brink of war?

It makes it feel more realistic, and supports what Superman stands for. So, for me, it was a good decision on the part of production.

***

Although I’ve been giving plenty of praises for this film, there is a not-so-nice detail I want to mention, namely:

At times, it did feel a little too cartoonish.

Now, I know that it’s a part of the movie’s charm. However, there were moments that just felt impossible in the real world. I think it would have been better if it was toned down just a bit – but then again, that’s just my opinion on this.

***

Overall, it was a solid, entertaining, and uplifting superhero movie. Given that, I would probably rate it a 7/10. Still definitely worth the watch!


A look back on my past celebrity interviews and encounters

NOTE: All of the article and video links here are from the POP! website and Facebook page. This post, therefore, serves only as a summary of my projects in the company as its former Content Creator.

During my time working at INQUIRER.net‘s pop culture channel POP! (also known as INQPOP!), I’ve been given the incredible opportunity to be able to interact with some of today’s established and up-and-coming artists. (Something that I will forever be grateful for during my employment there)

To reminisce on those fun times, I’ve rounded up all of the interviews and encounters I’ve had during my stint there. Most of them are interviews with celebrities and fan meeting reels (I was the AV writer for these clips), though I have one on-camera interview that I hope you all would enjoy.

Here’s the rundown of my past celebrity interviews and encounters:

Jess Connelly

Back in 2017, I had the chance to interview Filipino-Irish singer Jess Connelly on her role as the first-ever MTV Buddy in MTVph. It was there that she shared details on her new title and discussed her show called “MTV Fuel”.

You can read my full interview with her here: bit.ly/3emkAq3

Kento Yamazaki

Two years ago, I had the incredible opportunity to speak with Japanese actor Kento Yamazaki for his role in the television series “Kiss That Kills”. It was there that I was able to learn more about his preparation for the show as well as how his character related to his personality.

Moreover, I was able to attend his fan meeting in Hong Kong, wherein I got to see him interact and play games with his fans.

You can read my interview with Kento Yamazaki here: bit.ly/35ZerfG
You can also read my event coverage article for the Kento Yamazaki fan meeting here: bit.ly/324eQwu

Zach Herron from the American band ‘Why Don’t We’

Zach Herron was the first American artist I got the chance to interview and by far, he was the most memorable one. He was so down-to-earth and very enthusiastic that I honestly couldn’t help but think our chat seemed more like two people catching up rather than an artist-to-journalist type of interview.

You can read my interview with Zach Herron here: bit.ly/34PelrI
You can also read my 2019 event coverage article of Why Don’t We’s ‘8 Letters’ Philippine concert here: bit.ly/382CsFx

Christopher

Also, back in 2018, I got to interview the Danish singer Christoper on his new song then called “Bad”. He also discussed with me his music career and his past experience visiting the Philippines.

I especially enjoyed how candid he got when sharing with me why he chose the name “Christopher” as his screen name in the music industry.

You can read my interview with Christopher here: bit.ly/2GpCo7m

Ji Soo

For this interview, I was with the video team in recording the responses of Korean actor Ji Soo. In this Valentine’s Day special, he shared the traits he looks for in a soulmate and what Filipino words he remembers during the filming of his movie “Seoul Mates”.

You can read my interview with Ji Soo here: goo.gl/hiB2zJ
Or you can watch the video interview I did with the POP! team here: bit.ly/3kNS6bm

Anne Curtis

During the opening of BLK Cosmetics in Alabang Town Center, I was able to speak to Anne Curtis about her special message to fans, in relation to the store’s opening in the South.

You can read my interview with Anne Curtis here: bit.ly/2Jz4uy7

Kat Graham

Before Kat Graham graced our television screens with Christmas movies like the “Holiday Calendar” and “Operation Christmas” (which is set to release this month), she was the voice of April O’ Neil in the Nickelodeon show “The Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles”.

And in this interview, she discussed what it’s like to be a character that can inspire a generation of young girls.

You can read my interview with Kat Graham here: bit.ly/35SEANe

Scott Foley and Lauren Cohan

In this interview, Scott Foley and Lauren Cohan talked about “Whiskey Cavalier”, a show that’s about two opposing government agents who are forced to work together in a mission to save the world.

You can read my interview with Scott Foley and Lauren Cohan here: bit.ly/320Kuur

Penn Badgley and Shay Mitchell

When Netflix first announced that the “Gossip Girl” alum Penn Badgley was coming to Manila with “Pretty Little Liars” actress Shay Mitchell, I was absolutely excited! And thankfully, I was assigned to attend their press conference in Manila for their Netflix show “You”.

You can read my event coverage of the ‘You’ press conference here: bit.ly/34LJ8ps

Ryan O’ Connell

Ryan O’ Connell was quite possibly the most insightful celebrity that I got the chance to interview. His responses to my questions were so profound that I really learned a lot from my brief conversation with him.

And my absolute favorite quote from my interview with him is this: “Being like everyone else doesn’t get you a Netflix show.”

You can read my interview with Ryan O’ Connell here: bit.ly/35TT3IN

Two Door Cinema Club

During this interview, Irish band Two Door Cinema Club discussed what it was like making their fourth studio album, “False Alarm”.

You can read my interview with Two Door Cinema Club here: bit.ly/3ehq2dS

Jesse McCartney

First things first, I was (and still am) a huge Jesse McCartney fan! So to be able to be given the chance to get to interview him twice and watch his concert was definitely a surreal moment for me.

But out of the two conversations I had with Jesse McCartney, the second one was definitely the most memorable for me since that was the first time I ever had to do an interview on-camera.

You can watch my video interview with Jesse McCartney here: bit.ly/3oPIYVN
You can also read my 2018 interview with Jesse McCartney on his ‘Wasted’ tour here: bit.ly/2TKOuLg
Or you can read my 2019 event coverage of his concert in Manila here: bit.ly/3kKB5yC

Jannine Weigel

Before Thai-German singer Jannine Weigel performed at the first-ever Nickelodeon SlimeFest in Asia, she spoke to POP! about her career in music and how she was excited to meet her Filipino fans.

You can read my interview with Jannine Weigel here: bit.ly/3jR20aC

Dallas Roberts, Debby Ryan, and Gloria Diaz

I had the very special opportunity to be able to interview “Insatiable” stars Debby Ryan and Dallas Roberts, as well as Miss Universe 1969 winner Gloria Diaz, to promote the second season of their Netflix show.

You can read my interviews with them here: bit.ly/2HMULnu
Or you can watch the video highlights made by the POP! team and I on the 2019 ‘Insatiable’ fan meeting in Manila: bit.ly/3eoXXRV
You can also check out my teaser article about season 2 of ‘Insatiable’ here: bit.ly/3oIH1e1

Henry Cavill

The last international celebrity encounter I had in 2019 was in The Witcher fan meeting with Henry Cavill.

As a fan of Mr. Cavill himself, I was over-the-moon to be able to see him up close in person. And honestly, I’m still not over this encounter!

I even framed the poster Henry Cavill and ‘The Witcher’ showrunner Lauren Schmidt Hissrich signed during The Witcher fan meeting in Manila.

You can read about my encounter with Henry Cavill here: bit.ly/2PUHDOp
Or you can watch the video highlights the POP! team and I made for his 2019 fan meeting here: bit.ly/2GjzQYe
You can also check out the article I made about The Witcher season one: bit.ly/2siWSHA

Eloisa

In my very last interview for POP!, I got to join the video team to document my friend–the “Queen of Busking in the Philippines” – Eloisa Jayloni for an episode of POP! Bio. During this POP! exclusive segment, I got to ask her questions about her experience busking in Russia, as well as, her advice for people who would like to try busking as an avenue to express themselves.

You can watch the POP! Bio episode with Eloisa here: bit.ly/3oVhIFJ