Because you eat your vegetables and wash behind your ears, you would have realised that this week’s blog post is the follow-up to last week’s stunning Superman: Movie Preview.

Since I was old enough to identify the Kree warrior Captain Marvel (or his replacement) from the other one who likes shouting out his friend’s name, I have recognised that comic books are inherently political, and Superman is no exception. A great amount of my political leanings have come from reading comic books, which bleeds through from time to time, if you haven’t noticed.

Comic books have always been political.

I would love to discuss this further, but important blog posts don’t write themselves, plus, I don’t get paid per word. I don’t get paid at all. Let’s move on to one of the world’s most sought-after literary treasures, a Some Geek Told Me movie review.

Sadly, I had to break tradition to purchase a ticket. Physical tickets weren’t available to be presold for some weird reason, even though it was Tuesday, and the film opened on Thursday. Desperate times called for desperate measures, so I bought an online ticket for the first screening at 11.15 am.

I was at the supermarket about 90 minutes before the film started, where I was rocking one of my two Superman t-shirts. I chose my Superman logo t-shirt, since it’s been an important piece of clothing to me, and I wanted to celebrate Superman.

In the past, I have worn that t-shirt under my suit at my wedding and during the births of UMC1 and UMC2. I also wore it when we buried Indy. I know it’s silly and illogical, but whenever I anticipate a challenging event where I need to be brave and strong, I put on that t-shirt for the strength it gives me to push through and get it done.¹

Anyway, I was at the supermarket comparing the sodium content between two items; because I’m cool, when a child I had never seen before walked up and told me that he was going to see Superman that day. I told him I was going to see the movie as well, and that I hoped he enjoyed it. He replied that he loved Superman and proceeded to walk off. That kid was pumped for the movie, and so was I.

Since I had never purchased an online movie ticket before, I had the email open on my phone, so I could show anybody who needed to check it. I felt stupid, because just like all the other times after buying cinema food, I walked straight into the cinema, without anybody checking the ticket.

For an 11.15 am Thursday screening, the cinema was roughly 1/3 full. Superman was here, and people didn’t care about jobs! They played trailers for Predator: Badlands, and The Fantastic Four: First Steps, but also, surprisingly, Peacemaker: Season Two. That TV show had no right to be as good as it was.

As always, let’s go over the rules of the review.

1.) Please be aware there will be spoilers concerning the movie, so proceed with extreme anxiety and caution.

2.) The aim of my reviews are not to rip apart the subject or trash it. If I liked the subject enough to watch it, then I’ll give my honest (possibly biased) opinion.

3.) I’m not a professional critic, so I’m not going to dive into deeper concepts and themes, or the art of filmmaking. I’m just a geek; always have been, and always will be.

Let’s not just stand with our capes flapping in the wind; let’s get on with the review!

First things first, did I like the movie? Yes, I mean, of course I did. It was about the world’s biggest boy scout, Clark Kent. I love Marvel and their characters, but I also love DC, so it was fantastic to see Superman on the big screen again, along with his friends, enemies, robots, and a special canine.

Things I liked:

These are in no particular order; it’s more like I remember them, like the names of capital cities or the All Blacks. I appreciated the film’s exposition, giving a very quick history of the DCU, with details referring to how metahumans have existed on Earth for at least three hundred years. In future projects, those events will be revealed to us, I hope.

Another topic is the use of colour. By this, I mean the visuals, from Clark’s costume to Metropolis, to Guy Gardner, the colours were bright and warm. Even numerous scenes filmed against a clear blue sky were, to me at least, associated with Superman.

When you think of Superman flying around or saving people, the images you conjure up wouldn’t be at night or on a rainy day. No, it would be a clear, blue, and sunny day. I’m not a movie expert, because if I were, I would be making movies, but I feel that James Gunn went out of his way to canvas the film with explosions of colours, of varying degrees of brightness.

It is always great to see Clark’s concern for others while various battles were happening. This concern also covered protecting all life, even when it came to subduing the kaiju and caring for his robots. His ethos for protecting and saving life is plain to see when he saves a dog, a squirrel, and anybody else. Unlike Hawkgirl, who casually kills the President of Boravia, Vasil Ghurkos.

In regards to the battles, it was one of my biggest criticisms of Superman in Man of Steel, that even though Clark was fighting another Kryptonian in the form of Zod, Clark came out of the battle with no injuries, like no bruises, broken bones or cuts. The opposite has been true in Superman, with Clark sustaining several injuries throughout the movie, reinforcing that he may have the power of a god, but he is not a god or invincible; Mark Grayson is.

Clark’s interview with Lois was profound because he uttered a magic sentence with five words that sums up a huge portion of his philosophy: “People were going to die!” Just like what Ben Parker told his nephew, Peter, “With great power comes great responsibility.” Clark is arguably one of the powerful people on the planet, so he takes that responsibility very seriously. If he can save and help people, he will. I think David Corenswet did a brilliant job with this, as well as portraying Clark Kent as a developed character.

And speaking of Clark, his relationship with Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan) was interesting, since we’re seeing them at the beginning of their relationship. It was a strong point differentiating between Lois and Clark when Lois mentioned that she questions everybody, whereas, as she explains, Clark thinks everybody is beautiful. For me, at least, it wasn’t that Lois was falling in love with Superman; she was falling in love with Clark. That is a massive difference.

For this middle-aged crybaby, I thought the scene was beautiful and that Brosnahan gave a strong performance about a strong woman, who was dating a very strange man. I also thought it was spot on with Lois, as Brosnahan was detailing the news story to Perry White (Wendell Pierce), as Metropolis was getting ripped in half because of the black hole/rift.

When I explained to my wife that Nicholas Hoult was going to play Lex Luthor, she responded by saying she couldn’t take him seriously, because she could only see him as Beast from the Prequel X-Men films. Having said that, and seen the film, Hoult was outstanding. One of the interesting aspects of Luthor’s personality is that, from his perspective, he was king of the world until an alien freak show turned up and stole his spotlight and attention.

Hoult did a marvellous job at displaying Luthor’s brilliance and intellect, as well as his rage, narcissism, being a master manipulator, and his utter disregard for anybody other than himself. Luthor is Clark’s opposite, in every conceivable way; that’s why he is such a great villain. Clark cares, while Luthor does not, and Hoult nailed this. You could feel the contempt and hatred radiating from Hoult’s Luthor towards Superman. He was sadistic.

The top ten richest people in the world, Elon Musk, Larry Ellison, Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, Bernard Arnault, Larry Page, Warren Buffett, Steve Ballmer, Sergey Brin, and Jensen Huang, have a combined total of at least US$2,009,500,000,000 ($2.009 trillion). It’s sad that with all of this wealth, not one of these people has become Batman; however, it’s a miracle that no one has become Lex Luthor, though Musk seems to be walking down that path.

I’ve always liked the character of Michael Holt, aka Mister Terrific. Since his first appearance in 1997, Holt has become a much-loved icon with DC and the wider world of comic books. Supposedly, he’s the third-smartest person on the planet, and Edi Gathegi was amazing at displaying Holt’s intelligence and morality. People have said that he stole every scene, and I have to admit, his no-nonsense attitude was funny when compared to Guy and Clark. He was the breakout star of the film.

Nathan Fillion was Guy Gardner personified, and I loved his “upgrade” comment and his haircut argument with Lois. It was very on brand for Guy to be a jerk, especially tossing Boravian tanks around, while giving them the finger. Classy.

I could be wrong about this, but watching Anthony Carrigan’s Metamorpho was like watching the alien from John Carpenter’s The Thing. I’ve said this before, but Metamorpho is a criminally underrated character, so it was satisfying to see him using his quirky powers.

I know introducing Krypto the Superdog could be considered corny, and it is, but like it or not, Krypto is a big part of the Superman mythos. Long-time readers will know my connection to Krypto, so I surprised myself by not crying; I was just happy to see him. They did an amazing job of creating a CGI flying dog.

There’s more positive things I could talk about, like Clark acknowledging that his real parents were Jonathan and Martha Kent, the children of Jarhanpur calling out for Superman’s help, the anti-war and pro-immigrant themes, the Boravia and Jarhanpur situation (Israel and Palestine), but it boils down to this: Superman is something that Clark can do. You can take away Superman’s powers, but you still have Clark’s ideals and philosophy. That’s what makes him super.

Things I disliked:

This is difficult because it feels like I’m nitpicking, but no film, ever, is 100% perfect from start to finish, and Superman is no exception. For example, even though I love the Star Wars films, there are still issues with them.

I have previously voiced my admiration for Superman & Lois, it was a phenomenal TV show. I enjoyed Tyler Hoechlin’s Superman, but I enjoyed his Clark Kent even more. At home with his wife, Lois, he would still wear his glasses because, even though he didn’t need them to see, the glasses were part of his personality.

Having said that, it was slightly disappointing to see Corenswet only wear the glasses for maybe two scenes in the entire film. Like I said, I’m nitpicking.

I would have loved to see more of the Engineer, or at least see her try to redeem herself. She seems to have been in debt to Luthor, so hopefully she will do that in future projects.

I felt the same with Hawkgirl. Mister Terrific, Metamorpho and Guy Gardner all had their time to shine, but Hawkgirl didn’t get the same chance, or maybe I’m imagining it. Regardless, I would love to see more Hawkgirl’s character.

I also got the impression that the Justice Gang were shoehorned into the film, but at the same time, I understand why.

There were two scenes that I found odd. The first was when the giant kaiju appeared, and the citizens of Metropolis were running in panic. I could almost picture Gunn shouting, “Action!” It felt humorous and unconvincing to me.

The second scene was when Krypto sat on Lois’ lap. It was obvious that nothing was actually on Brosnahan’s lap and that she was talking to thin air since Krypto would have been added in post-production. It was strange.

I’m being overly critical by nitpicking in this section. I enjoyed the film too much to find any more faults, as I realise I’m just being pedantic now.

So, what about my preview questions?

• Will the plot make sense, or will it be riddled with holes? The plot did make sense, though it did feel rushed. The pocket dimension and the tensions between Boravia and Jarhanpur could have done with some more explanation.
• Will any of the other superheroes be meeting Superman for the first time? From what I saw, Mister Terrific, Guy Gardner, and Hawkgirl had all met Superman before, while Metamorpho met him for the first time in the film.
• How long have Clark and Lois been a couple? You could debate that Clark and Lois have known each other for about three years, but they have only been together for three months.
• Will there be references to other superheroes? Though they were not all superheroes, we had Maxwell Lord (Sean Gunn), Bradley Cooper (Jor-El), Angela Sarafyan (Lara Lor-Van), Peacemaker (John Cena), and Rick Flag Snr from Creature Commandos (Frank Grillo), along with several famous voice acting roles, especially with the Fortress of Solitude robots. Here’s a shout-out to the Gotham City road sign!
• With the inclusion of several superheroes, will Superman be a supporting cast member in his own movie? Upon further reflection, I would say no, he was not a supporting cast member. Gunn did an excellent job of balancing this with the other characters, but Clark was still the main attraction.
• Will adding Krypto turn the movie into a spoof or comedy? Yes, adding Krypto did make it a bit corny and silly. However, that automatically did not make it a negative thing; it just made it more comic-accurate.
• How will Krypto be introduced? Krypto is introduced within the first four minutes of the film. Later on, I thought Clark was vague about how Krypto came to Earth, which I thought was odd. Having said that, there’s a reason that Clark did not explain that information to the audience.
• What is Lois’ relationship with Krypto? Lois first meets Krypto at Clark’s parents’ house, and is surprised that he has a dog, as she knew nothing about it.
• Do Clark and Lois live with each other? After the scene in Lois’ apartment, I would have to say they do not live with each other.
• Will there be a Supergirl cameo or reference? Good question. We had to wait until the end of the film for the twist: Clark was only dog-sitting Krypto because his owner was partying on a planet that orbits a red star. Krypto’s owner is Kara Zor-El, aka Supergirl. It’s nice that Clark still has a connection with Krypto, even though Krypto is not his dog. I can imagine that Krypto’s origin story will be linked with Kara’s, which will be explored in Supergirl, due to be released in 2026.
• Will Luthor be a pawn for another villain, or is he the one in control? Luthor was the puppet master in this film, with nobody controlling him. I mean, Luthor couldn’t even control Luthor.
• How many different villains will there be in the film? There were several villains for the heroes to handle. We had Lex Luthor, the Engineer, the President of Boravia, and Ultraman, who wore the Hammer of Boravia suit. I need to add two other villains that slid under the radar to a certain extent. When Ultraman was introduced in the trailers, fans assumed that “Ultraman” could have been Ultraman from Earth-3, the home world of the Crime Syndicate. It was interesting that after laying breadcrumbs throughout the film, Luthor revealed that Ultraman was a failed clone of Superman. With that revelation, it was obvious that Gunn had hidden Bizarro in plain sight, similar to Bizarro from Superman & Lois. The second secret villain was Clark’s comment to Lois about why he was not going to help the Justice Gang with the fight outside her apartment. He said that it was a dimensional imp, which fans will know as Mister Mxyztplk.
• How will Superman inspire the audience? That’s a hard question to answer. I can’t answer on behalf of society, however, people posting positive content before and after the film gives me hope about this. In my February blog about Superman, the character reminded me that I can be a better person; I just need to try harder. I had forgotten a lot of Clark’s qualities, so I’m reinvesting them in myself. Clark’s speech to Luthor at the end of the film was…well, super. It defines his character.
• Will David Corenswet’s portrayal of Clark Kent be Pre-Crisis or Post-Crisis Clark? I would say that Corenswet’s Clark Kent was definitely a Post-Crisis Clark, which does offer a difference from Christopher Reeve’s Pre-Crisis Clark.
• Does Krypto survive? Yes! How It Should Have Ended predicted a darker outcome for him, along with Clark looking for Krypto, but he survived!

• How does Lois cope knowing her superhero boyfriend is a target for Luthor and others? I don’t know why I asked that question, so I’m unsure how to answer it. On one hand, she was thinking about breaking up with Clark, while on the other, she recruited Mister Terrific to locate and save Clark, as well as Metropolis, risking her own life in the process.
• How does Clark manage that Superman is a global hero, and not just an American? The Boravia/Jarhanpur conflict highlighted this. In Clark’s mind, Superman belongs to the world, not just one country. By stopping a war, Clark was no longer a neutral player; he had chosen a side. This speaks volumes about his character. Over the years, various storylines have explored the theme of Superman’s identity and role in the world. This culminated in the Pre-52 reboot, where Superman (not Clark Kent) renounced his American citizenship. He realised that as Superman, he was needed to help people everywhere, regardless of their sexuality, religion, or nationality. By renouncing his citizenship, he aimed to avoid being controlled by the U.S. government. Clark knew Superman was more than an American hero; he was a hero to everybody, from the Ivory Coast, Romania, Peru, Iran, Canada, Vietnam, and even New Zealand. James Gunn just reinforced that Superman belongs to the world, and not just one country.
• Can I bring my 10-year-old and 7-year-old boys to the film and not regret it? I wanted to take UMC1 and UMC2 to see it, because my dad took me to Superman IV: The Quest for Peace at the cinema. I wanted to watch Superman first, so I would know what to expect. The first issue was when the kaiju was killed; UMC2 would be EXTREMELY upset with that. He hates that people kill and eat squids, so killing a CGI kaiju would turn him into John Wick. He would have been rooting for the kaiju. The other point was when Luthor murdered the Metropolis native. Because of this, I thought UMC1 would be able to see it, but that wouldn’t be fair to UMC2. However, it was a moot point because they both wanted to see Elio instead.

If you’re a movie fan, then Superman may come off as silly and corny, or even predictable. However, if you’re a comic book fan, then you will love this film because it is very comic book accurate. I enjoyed seeing Clark flying around saving people, and being a dork so much, that I can only offer this praise for the film: I don’t have to see it again, but I want to see it again. I’m starting a new job this week, so after I get paid, I’ll go and see Superman for a second time.

So, should you go and see Superman? If you don’t know who to believe after reading various reviews about the film, whether they are praising or trashing Superman, don’t trust anybody. Go watch it so you can judge yourself. Please tell me your thoughts about it, I would love to know.

Thanks once again for reading, following, and subscribing to Some Geek Told Me. Remember to walk your dog, read a banned book, stay away from red solar radiation, and I’ll see you next week for an unplanned blog. Mysterious, isn’t it?

¹ I graduated university wearing a black Superman t-shirt underneath my graduation gown, but I also wore Superman cufflinks to my wedding.

And I’m back in the room. My winter break is over, after staring into the cold abyss of a New Zealand winter, and I have emerged with my phalanges still cold. However, there is no time to settle and decry winter’s embrace; no, someone must continue the long struggle of producing inadequate writing for the faceless public, and that burden falls upon my scrawny shoulders.

In my mission to view more comic book movies at the cinema, my next project is not a Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) film; I’m as shocked as you. My last preview/review was in May with Thunderbolts*, but this time, we are headed into the DC Universe (DCU), which is the rebooted and rebranded version of the DC Extended Universe (DCEU).

The movie in question is Superman, which is the first cinematic entry of the DCU’s Chapter One: Gods and Monsters phase.¹ The film’s working title was Superman: Legacy, but “Legacy” was dropped in early 2024, so the title became Superman.

This, of course, can not be confused with 1978’s Superman, starring Christopher Reeve and Gene Hackman. The difference is that the 1978 movie is known as Superman, but technically, it was marketed as Superman: The Movie. Facts matter, ladies and gentlemen, facts matter.

As per tradition, I would have purchased a ticket to an early screening to avoid spoilers, to give myself enough time to write the review, and because I’m a geek. That being the case, I haven’t got a ticket because they don’t go on sale until Tuesday, 8th July, at 12 pm (NZ time). You can bet that I’ll be at the cinema at 12.05 pm to buy a ticket, though! Since it’s the only cinema in town, I may have to look at buying shares in the business because of the amount of money I have spent there.

I have previously discussed Superman in February of this year, and since his introduction in Action Comics #1 in 1938, Superman has entered our lexicon and consciousness, the world over. I’m not going to launch into a speech about who Superman/Clark Kent/Kal-El is, or who they are to me or you; that would take too long, considering this blog post is about his movie, not an analysis of his character.

However, in saying that, Clark means a lot to me. A lot.

As you can guess from the title, Superman heralds the return of Kal-El to the big screen. The film was written and directed by James Gunn, with an estimated budget of US$225 million, which is, to be honest, quite steep by today’s standards. I’m not smart enough to know whether that’s a possible or negative thing.

I’ve seen the teaser trailer and various trailers for the film, and if I’m honest, the teaser trailer was one of the reasons I left my job. Superman inspired me to try to do better. Seriously. That and seeing Krypto, which resulted in the below tweet.

I am also aware of the Pro-Henry Cavill camp, as well as the Pro-Zack Snyder camp, which have been mocking and criticising DC Studios for any shortcomings of Superman, while ignoring any potential positive aspects of the film. This backlash has been ongoing since the announcement that Cavill would not be returning as Superman and Snyder would not be involved in future projects.

Even if Superman earns over $1 billion, wins multiple awards, and achieves a high rating on Rotten Tomatoes, it still won’t be enough for them.

For an introduction to one of my movie previews, this is somewhat subdued. With that in mind, let’s get on with the preview!

Am I looking forward to watching Superman?

As always with this question, the answer is a resounding, YES! Following my stupid commitment to view new comic book movies at the cinema, instead of on a streaming service, watching Superman is a no-brainer.

I’m excited because this is the first time since 2017’s Justice League that we have had Kal-El on the big screen. Yes, I know Henry Cavill also had a cameo in Black Adam, and whatever Nicholas Cage’s cameo was doing in The Flash, but I’m talking about Superman as a main character.

I’m a little biased since I love various superheroes for different reasons; what geek doesn’t? But my first superhero was Superman. As I said before, Superman means a lot to me, and I don’t know if I could ever truly explain or articulate why.

Another reason that I’m looking forward to the movie, as I mentioned before, is that it’s the first cinematic entry of the DCU’s Chapter One: Gods and Monsters phase. We have David Corenswet (Clark Kent/Superman) wearing the cape, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, and Nicholas Hoult as everybody’s favourite bald megalomaniac, Lex Luthor.

Rounding out the supporting cast, we have Edi Gathegi (Michael Holt/Mister Terrific), Anthony Carrigan (Rex Mason/Metamorpho), Nathan Fillion (Guy Gardner/Green Lantern), Isabela Merced (Hawkgirl), Skyler Gisondo (Jimmy Olsen), Sara Sampaio (Eve Teschmacher), María Gabriela de Faría (Angela Spica/The Engineer), and Wendell Pierce as Perry White.

Mister Terrific, Metamorpho, and Hawkgirl are some of the most underrated characters in DC’s toybox, so it will be great to see them saving lives and kicking arse. As for Guy Gardner, I hope Nathan Fillion has understood the assignment, because Guy’s infamous haircut is an awesome start.

I have high hopes for the DCU to be a more streamlined version of the DCEU.

The final reason I’m pumped for the movie is Krypto. He debuted in Adventure Comics #210 (March 1955), and although he’s starred in various animated series and films before, along with the lead role in DC League of Super-Pets, and live-action appearances in Titans and Superman & Lois, Superman is his first live-action film appearance. ²

I would often joke about Indy looking like Krypto, now Krypto looks like him. I may cry watching Clark’s interactions with Krypto, but I’ll be ok. Indy was a good boy, just like Krypto.

What is the movie about?

According to DC.com, the premise is this:

“Superman,” DC Studios’ first feature film to hit the big screen, is set to soar into theaters worldwide this summer from Warner Bros. Pictures. In his signature style, James Gunn takes on the original superhero in the newly imagined DC universe with a singular blend of epic action, humor and heart, delivering a Superman who’s driven by compassion and an inherent belief in the goodness of humankind.

On my local cinema’s website, it states:

Superman attempts to balance his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing in this DC superhero film from James Gunn.

What can we expect?

The running time is 130 minutes, so pace yourself while drinking, since you don’t want to run off to the toilet while an epic fight is happening! I want to take UMC1 and UMC2 to see it, but since the rating is M, I have to watch it first to determine whether it’s alright for them. Don’t let me down, James, don’t let me down.

Based on what I understand about the film and the overall impressions of the DCU, superheroes are already an established part of this world. As a result, we may or may not see any origin stories. Instead of focusing on how citizens of the DCU come to accept super-powered humans and aliens, the film will likely explore how they co-exist with them and the consequences of this co-existence. Maybe.

I can imagine that we’ll see several fights, Luthor’s monologues, Clark’s relationships with Lois, Perry, and Jimmy, as well as the relationships between Superman, Mr Terrific, Guy Gardner, Hawkgirl, and Metamorpho. There needs to be examples of Clark saving a lot of people, but also inspiring people to be better. The message needs to be about hope. Also, the shenanigans that go with training a super-powered dog.

I know it’s a huge amount of pressure, but if the DCU has any real chance of succeeding, Superman not only has to generate a vast amount of money, but it also needs to win over critics and fans. However, if anyone at DC can knock the first ball out of the park, not counting Martian Manhunter, then it’s Superman.

Do I have concerns?

I always have concerns with movies like this, and Superman will be no different. Since this is the first cinematic entry in the DCU, they need to stick the landing with this, especially with a beloved character like Superman.

Here are some of my questions:

• Will the plot make sense, or will it be riddled with holes?
• Will any of the other superheroes be meeting Superman for the first time?
• How long have Clark and Lois been a couple?
• Will there be references to other superheroes?
• With the inclusion of several superheroes, will Superman be a supporting cast member in his own movie?
• Will adding Krypto turn the movie into a spoof or comedy?
• How will Krypto be introduced?
• What is Lois’ relationship with Krypto?
• Do Clark and Lois live with each other?
• Will there be a Supergirl cameo or reference?
• Will Luthor be a pawn for another villain, or is he the one in control?
• How many different villains will there be in the film?
• How will Superman inspire the audience?
• Will David Corenswet’s portrayal of Clark Kent be Pre-Crisis or Post-Crisis Clark?
• Does Krypto survive?
• How does Lois cope knowing her superhero boyfriend is a target for Luthor and others?
• How does Clark manage that Superman is a global hero, and not just an American?
• Can I bring my 10-year-old and 7-year-old boys to the film and not regret it?

There are probably more Kryptonian questions to ask, but I’m out of time and beauty sleep.

That wraps it up for me here, as the only thing left to do is to buy a ticket when they go on sale tomorrow. I’ll wear one of my two Superman t-shirts to the movie, because, well, how can I not?

Before I go, I mentioned this in a previous blog, but I would like to reinforce it. The world is very dark at the moment, but it’s not all bad. There are slivers of hope and light. Keep your head above water and remember to be kind. Your words and actions can help lift people up. Hang in there.

Thanks once again for reading, following, and subscribing to Some Geek Told Me. Remember to walk your dog, read a banned book, always say no to kryptonite, and I’ll see you next week for the Superman: Movie Review.

¹ I think Creature Commandos was the first true entry in Chapter One: Gods and Monsters, but that was a television series. Also, the show was a lot better than I thought it would be. It was insane, but fun.

2 Krypto is one of my favourite unlockable characters to use in Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham.

Building on from last week’s amazing Thunderbolts*: Preview, we need to cover the second half of this intriguing endeavour, the review.

Because this is a hot topic, I won’t mince my words about the movie. It’s important not to waste valuable reader’s time when discussing relevant information. Some Geek Told Me prides itself on explaining the news and information concisely, which is simple to digest and straightforward.

Let’s dive straight into the review since Some Geek Told Me is well-known for not time wasting. That sort of disrespectful move is unwanted and mocks the great and sacred institution of being an amateur film critic.

When people read a movie review, they don’t want to hear about deals at Pak n’ Save concerning Mother’s Day, like Snacka Changi Chips Vinegar & Salt Kettle Fried Potato Chips 150g, priced at $3.49, or the Champion League Semi-final first leg results, like Paris Saint-Germain 1-Arsenal 0, and Barcelona 3-Inter Milan 3. You won’t see that happening on this account, as it is too respected for that. No sir, never on this account.

Like I mentioned last week, I purchased a ticket to an advanced screening of Thunderbolts*, and like always, after purchasing a drink, I walked into the theatre without ANYBODY checking to see my ticket. For an early evening advanced screening, the theatre was about 25% full. Sorry, my mistake, I meant to say it was 1/4 full.

I chose my regular spot, which is the centre seat in the back row, where the real geeks are. The trailers were weird, because I was expecting possibly Superman, or at least The Fantastic Four: First Steps, but no. They played three Disney trailers, Elio, Freakier Friday, and Lilo & Stitch; all films that could be classified as child-friendly or family movies. Not a single adult movie. Like I said, weird.

As always, let’s go over the rules of the review.

1.) Please be aware there will be spoilers concerning the movie, so proceed with extreme anxiety and caution.

2.) The aim of my reviews are not to rip apart the subject or trash it. If I liked the subject enough to watch it, then I’ll give my honest (possibly biased) opinion.

3.) I’m not a professional critic, so I’m not going to dive into deeper concepts and themes, or the art of filmmaking. I’m just a geek; always have been, and always will be.

So, I’m not here to watch paint dry, let’s get on with the review!

First things first, did I like the movie? Yes, yes I did, but for an MCU film, I feel I’ve been left with a lot of questions. Though to be fair, that’s usual for me. People have been saying that Thunderbolts* is getting the MCU back on track since it’s a step in the right direction. Let’s hope the MCU continues this momentum.

Things I liked:

I’m going to start with the most obvious, loneliness. Whether it’s in the form of feeling alone, having negative feelings, or depression, I feel every person who has ever lived, has experienced a version of these emotions, regardless of their magnitude and the effects that it has on their body, mind, and heart.

I thought it was a bold, or even mature way to start a superhero movie, with a character talking about their existential crisis. With Yelena (Florence Pugh) narrating her feelings, and in my humble geeky opinion, I thought it was refreshing to be handling a serious topic within the confines of a comic book movie.

The conversation between Yelena and Alexei Shostakov (David Harbour) on the street was extremely personal. Feelings about loss, abandonment, failure, rejection, and loneliness bubbled to the surface, with a daughter talking about feeling lost and needing her father, versus a father feeling like a failure, because he thinks his daughter no longer needs him. It was a powerful scene.

Feelings are an important aspect of the human experience, and likely of all intelligent and sentient life. Whether these feelings are classified as mental health issues and how they are treated is less important to me. What truly matters is that we talk about these feelings more openly and acknowledge their existence.

This, of course, leads to Bob (Lewis Pullman), whose feelings about isolation, failure, and loneliness were highlighted before he discovered his abilities, with the emergence of the Sentry and the Void.

Since his introduction in 2000, The Sentry has been linked with mental illness. I could be wrong about this, but I have always thought since Sentry was a Superman-level character, Marvel gave him similar strengths and weaknesses. DC gave Superman kryptonite as an unexpected and simple way to defeat him, like Marvel giving Sentry a weakness in the form of mental illness.

Unlike how the Force is presented in Star Wars, I believe there is no Light Side or Dark Side to the Force, there is only the Force. Because of this, I believe there are no true positive and negative emotions within the human condition, there are only emotions. You can’t have the light without the dark, or positivity without negativity, and vice versa.

It’s not about suppressing feelings of loneliness and failure or letting them take over you and forever dominate your destiny, but rather learning to accept, live and function with them.

I found it both unexpected and refreshing for the MCU to address a taboo topic that affects a significant portion of the human population. We should acknowledge the importance of listening to the concerns of those in this situation, whether they are fully aware of it or not.

That was long-winded, wasn’t it? Sorry, right, let’s push on.

I enjoyed Shostakov not only for being an oddball but also for his genuine desire to improve himself and help those around him. His enthusiasm was both infectious and hilarious. Sometimes, we need characters like him, as they are simply so likeable.

The scene where he arrived in the car, honking to warn Yelena about the potential danger, even though the danger had passed, mixed with Yelena’s reaction to this, was easily the funniest part of the movie.

Imagine John McClane receiving a phone call from his mother in Die Hard with a Vengeance or Live Free or Die Hard, warning him about the danger to New York and the United States? You never stop being a parent. Priceless.

The redemption arcs for the main characters, Bucky included, were great to see, even if it was expected. Saving the public while people were disappearing and the city collapsing around them was vital to illustrate how far the Thunderbolts have come with their character development.

For all of Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine’s (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) faults, it was interesting to see her motivations, via the memory of her father’s death; added to John Walker’s (Wyatt Russell) and Bob’s memories.

The dialogue between the main characters was also snappy and witty, if not brutal and raw at times. I was impressed with their interactions.

Things I disliked:

Taskmaster. We need to talk about Taskmaster. This villain has always had a soft spot with me. In the comics, he not only had photographic reflexes, which allowed him to mimic different people’s fighting styles, but he also trained henchmen, thugs, and goons, for various supervillains and criminal organisations. He was such a severe arse-kicker, that even Captain America, Daredevil, or Spider-Man would think twice before fighting him.

The MCU version of Taskmaster (Olga Kurylenko) has been different, since they changed Taskmaster’s identity and gender, but kept her photographic ability. The major difference in Black Widow was that she was being brainwashed and didn’t speak. That was a major disappointment because Taskmaster is such a great character.

I had high hopes for Taskmaster to start training thugs in the MCU, so various heroes could break in and shut her operation down, just so she defeat them and escape. I was looking forward to seeing her character develop because she had a massive amount of potential. She was an under-used character, which proved having her in Thunderbolts* made a lot of sense.

So, imagine my surprise when she was murdered in her first scene. Initially, I thought it was a ruse, but as the film continued, it soon became apparent that she was dead. I’ve read about the director, Jake Schreier’s reasoning for her cheap death. I get it, but it doesn’t take away that Marvel has wasted her character.

The film could have existed without her, and nobody would have noticed, but her involvement in the movie seemed a little pointless. Again, Marvel has wasted the chance to develop an amazing character. Added to the fact, Marvel was quite deceptive in their marketing with Taskmaster, including her in many promotional materials, including the poster inside the cinema.

It does teach the public not to believe anything that a movie production company does and says, while they are in pre-production, production, post-production, or marketing. Marvel has lied before, and they will do it again.

If you remember, I was concerned about how Marvel would handle the Sentry, and I was right, but not for the reasons I thought. By the end of the film, Bob chooses not to become the Sentry, since he can’t control his powers, which means he can’t control the Void. Fair enough, right?

But this leaves us with a problem. Bob is living in the New Avengers’ Tower, walking around with the power of a million exploding suns. It means that he is the world’s nuclear option, a Hail Mary, or even a deus ex machina.

No matter what threat Avengers or New Avengers face, or any other heroes, whether its Doctor Doom, Thanos, Galactus, Mephisto, Gladiator, Apocalypse, or even the Brood, Kree, Skrulls, Badoon, or Shi’ar, the heroes could always use their Plan B, by activating Bob and turning him into Sentry.

Granted, there’s no guaranteed way he could win every fight, but the Sentry could do a vast amount of damage against his enemy; he’s nearly invincible. And if the Void should appear, they could always use Yelena to calm him down, just like Black Widow did with Hulk. It’s not like the Void is killing people when he turns them into shadows. They are still alive, but just in a different form. So even if the Void gets loose again, all of the people he transforms can simply be returned and transformed back.

Marvel can’t ignore that fact, ever.

And speaking of ignoring, when the Void was redecorating Manhattan, where were the New York superheroes like Spider-Man or Daredevil? Yes, I understand the Sentry/Void battle could have only been about 15-20 minutes long, but in that time, what were Peter Parker and Matt Murdock doing?

I’ve mentioned this before, but the way Marvel has built this inter-connected world over 17 years, means if something happens on Earth; especially in the United States, other heroes are going to react to it and help.

Since we didn’t see Peter or Matt cameos, Marvel needs to address that in a future TV show or movie and explain where they were when the Void was painting the town black. I feel that if Peter or Matt discovered Manhattan was being attacked, they would drop what they were doing and try to help save lives. While we are talking about it, does Luke Cage exist in the MCU?

So Marvel, where were Spider-Man and Daredevil?

So, what about my preview questions?

• How accessible will Thunderbolts* be to viewers who have not seen the Disney+ TV show, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier? I feel the plot gave us the key points about what we needed to know about the show and the characters, to understand what was happening, and who the characters were. Having said that, since I still haven’t seen The Falcon and the Winter Soldier or Hawkeye, I still believe I’ve missed a lot of information.
• Does the plot make sense? It does, though the whole scene with the, “Sending the hired killers to kill each other” trope was tired, but everything else was ok.
• Will the movie reference Captain America: Brave New World, or hint at The Fantastic Four: First Steps? Yes, Captain America: Brave New World was mentioned when Valentina Allegra de Fontaine discussed the former president turning into a red monster, during her impeachment hearing. With The Fantastic Four: First Steps, the end credits scene answered that.
• Why are the Thunderbolts involved in the first place? de Fontaine ordered them to kill each other in a covert O.X.E. facility, unbeknownst to the others. They figured out her betrayal, with three more characters joining the team.
• Can the absence of the Avengers in the movie be believed? At that moment in time, the Avengers are still disbanded, hence their absence.
• Will the introduction of the Sentry be a success or failure? I believe the Sentry’s entry into the MCU has been a success, based on the public’s responses; mainly for the inclusion and presentation of mental illness.
• Will other MCU villains be making appearances? If there were any other MCU villains in the movie, I missed them.
• Will Taskmaster have a larger role than in Black Widow? Wow, that question was ominous. No, she died in her first scene.
• Can they truly explain how the Sentry got his powers? He gained his powers from being involved in a top-secret experiment, however, what they actually did to him remains a mystery.
• How does Bucky fit into the plot? He is a free citizen, correct? Before the movie, I thought the Thunderbolts would rope Bucky into helping, but it was the other around. He needed their help to testify against de Fontaine.
• Where is the film’s continuity in the MCU? It’s set in 2027, after Captain America: Brave New World.
• Do the Thunderbolts have a choice to be in the team? Yes, it wasn’t like Suicide Squad. They did follow orders at the beginning, but they became a team out of choice, not because they were ordered to do so.
• Does Valentina Allegra de Fontaine betray the Thunderbolts? Having not seen any TV shows featuring de Fontaine, I predicted she would, and she did. Yay for me!
• Will any of the Thunderbolts go free at the end of the movie? Yes, all of them went free, except for Taskmaster who died earlier in the film.
• Do the Thunderbolts only protect the United States? During the first act, the characters are only trying to save themselves. However, by the third act, they are trying to save New York City. Building on that, in the end credits scene, they are actively working to protect and guard the planet. I think.

So, should you go and see Thunderbolts*? Yes, but what the hell do I know? At least 20% of my clothes are comic book-related, so my opinion is biased. Have you seen Thunderbolts*? Please tell me your thoughts about it, I would love to know.

That’s it for another week, with another preview/review all wrapped up. I believe the next one will be in July for Superman, the first movie entry in the DCU (DC Universe). I want to take UMC1 and UMC2 to see it, but we will wait for the film’s rating to be revealed first.

Thanks once again for reading, following, and subscribing to Some Geek Told Me, it means a lot to me. Remember to walk your dog, read a banned book, and please point out to Rubio, Vance, and Musk, that the AfD are the most far-right political Nazi-like party in Germany, since the Nazis.

And speaking of Nazis, because of a certain 78 year-old convicted felon’s history lesson, we are going to be discussing the 80th anniversary of VE Day, next week. Sounds awesome, because science, history, and comics are where it’s at, baby!

Here we are again at the start of a new movie preview, brought to you by the mind of the person who writes about many pointless things. Well, discussing movies, science, politics, and comics is never meaningless.

As I have previously mentioned, because repeating things helps me to remember to do things, I plan to watch more comic book movies at the cinema, because if we don’t go to watch them, they’ll stop making them. Maybe that would make many people happy, but I am not one of them.

My last preview/review was Captain America: Brave New World, so for our next movie preview instalment, we are headed back to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) with the Thunderbolts*. It opens in New Zealand on Thursday 1st May, as the 36th MCU movie. I’m about 98% sure Darkhawk or Sleepwalker will not make a cameo, but hope springs eternal.

Our only cinema is having an advanced screening of Thunderbolts* on Wednesday 30th April, and yours truly has secured a ticket. Like always for my films, I walked into the cinema to buy the ticket, mainly because I didn’t want to pay the extra fees via their website.

Anyway, a strange pattern happens when I purchase an advanced ticket. I casually mention I’m going to be writing a review about the movie, and name-drop my website. The staff member will stare at me blankly, so I stop talking, pay for the ticket, and leave as fast as The Flash running to an all-you-can-eat buffet.

So, who or what are the Thunderbolts?

For those unfamiliar with comic lore, here’s a brief history lesson: the Thunderbolts first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #449 in 1997. They later received their own monthly title, which launched three months after their debut with Thunderbolts #1. I own both of these issues because I’m a geek. They even had a cool slogan: “Justice, like lightning!”

Marvel had previously done a company-wide crossover event in 1996, in the form of Onslaught. By the end of the storyline, The Avengers and The Fantastic Four had disappeared, and for all intent and purposes, the public thought they were dead.

Enter the Thunderbolts, a new heroic super team to step into the void left by the absent heroes. Before I go on, one thing I love about comics is when something major happens, whether it is the appearance of a new character or the return of an old one, a death, revelation or a twist, and the company does not advertise it. It sneaks up on you, and as you turn the page, it hits you. Such is the case with the Thunderbolts.

The twist was that the Thunderbolts were not the superheroes they made out to be, but rather the Masters of Evil, a supervillain team, primarily slugging it out with the Avengers. Led by Baron Zemo, their goal was to gain access to national and international secret information and to further their mission with organised crime and world domination.

Another plot twist came when some Thunderbolts members started to dislike acting as superheroes, but rather liked being a superhero. After internal strife, the team eventually came under the control of the government and became a government-sponsored team, filled with reformed supervillains, similar to DC’s Suicide Squad.

The film will, to the best of my knowledge, mainly focus on characters we have met before, whether they are from a television show or a movie. These include Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), John Walker/ U.S. Agent (Wyatt Russell), Antonia Dreykov / Taskmaster (Olga Kurylenko), Alexei Shostakov / Red Guardian (David Harbour), Ava Starr / Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), and Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus). The exception is Lewis Pullman’s Sentry, who I think plays the film’s antagonist, via the Void.

The film’s budget is about $200 million, so the expectations are high. Aside from TV’s Loki, I think this is the MCU’s first film that is centred around villains, but I could be wrong.

Ok, I have waffled on long enough, it’s time for the preview!

Am I looking forward to watching Thunderbolts*?

It’s a stupid question, I know, but I need to ask it. I’m looking forward to it as much as Popeye likes to eat spinach. To keep my promise of supporting comic book movies, I need to keep buying tickets. Plus, it’s a cool way to escape for two hours.

I have the habit of mentioning this, but it’s the truth. I don’t have Disney+, so I haven’t been able to watch key TV shows like The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, which have introduced some of these characters. Having said that, I’ll go back to Wikipedia and read the summary of the show. That sounds great, doesn’t it?

Because there is an ensemble cast, the dialogue will hopefully be sharp and witty. Hopefully.

I do have a small reservation about how they are going to handle and introduce the Sentry, a somewhat-Superman-type character into the MCU. His power level is off the chart, but his mental instability is another matter altogether. I hope they get it right, but is there a correct way to introduce a mortal god?

The box office did not support Captain America: Brave New World very well, which seems to be the new standard for superhero movies. Will Thunderbolts* suffer the same fate, or will it fare better?

What is the movie about?

According to Marvel.com, the premise is this:

Marvel Studios assembles an unconventional team of antiheroes—Yelena Belova, Bucky Barnes, Red Guardian, Ghost, Taskmaster and John Walker. After finding themselves ensnared in a death trap set by Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, these disillusioned castoffs must embark on a dangerous mission that will force them to confront the darkest corners of their pasts. Will this dysfunctional group tear themselves apart, or find redemption and unite as something much more before it’s too late?

What can we expect?

The running time is 126 minutes, which means it just surpasses the two-hour mark, so be sure to pace yourself with drinks. I’m not sure what the rating is for other countries, but Thunderbolts* has received a PG rating in New Zealand, and I’m uncertain how to interpret that.

I can imagine the plot is going to be fast, because of the size of the cast, but also, the team has to break up before it’s reformed to save the day. I expect to see some great fight scenes, whether the Thunderbolts are fighting themselves or other people.

Since I don’t know The Falcon and the Winter Soldier very well, I can only guess that Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, is like an Amanda Waller-type character; a government director who has no time, patience, or respect for the members of the team, other than getting the job done; or if she is playing her own game. Who knows?

As always, since this is an MCU film, there will be references and cameos to appease the die-hard super fans, though I wonder how many I’ll miss!

Do I have concerns?

I’ve said this before, but I will always have concerns about superhero movies. Will they stick to the source material as much as possible, or will they stretch their creative limbs and do something outrageous? Is that a positive or negative thing? Who knows?

Here are some of my questions:

• How accessible will Thunderbolts* be to viewers who have not seen the Disney+ TV show, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier?
• Does the plot make sense?
• Will the movie reference Captain America: Brave New World, or hint at The Fantastic Four: First Steps?
• Why are the Thunderbolts involved in the first place?
• Can the absence of the Avengers in the movie be believed?
• Will the introduction of the Sentry be a success or failure?
• Will other MCU villains be making appearances?
• Will Taskmaster have a larger role than in Black Widow?
• Can they truly explain how the Sentry got his powers?
• How does Bucky fit into the plot? He is a free citizen, correct?
• Where is the film’s continuity in the MCU?
• Do the Thunderbolts have a choice to be in the team?
• Does Valentina Allegra de Fontaine betray the Thunderbolts?
• Will any of the Thunderbolts go free at the end of the movie?
• Do the Thunderbolts only protect the United States?

There are probably more questions rattling around in that tiny mind of mine, but they will have to wait.

I’ve not read or heard any reviews about the movie, so I’m still optimistic about it, but I’ll let you know my thoughts next Monday with the review. Before I go, I want to address two things. The first is that my last day went better than I thought it would. I didn’t cry once!

The second thing is that I know the world is currently a scary and sad place. News keeps pouring in about Palestine and Ukraine, coupled with tariffs, the cost of living, and everything else. I get it. My preview about a movie that millions of people will never see, seems a touch removed from reality. I get it, I really do.

Just hang in there, I mean it. Look after yourselves and your family, and if possible, other people.

Thanks once again for reading, following, and subscribing to Some Geek Told Me. Remember to walk your dog, read a banned book, and hang in there, and I’ll see you this weekend for two special blog posts. It’s the start of May, so try and guess what’s happening!