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My Review Of The Superman Movie And Its Politics [1]

['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.']

Date: 2025-07-16

A review of the new Superman movie may not sound political, but stick with me, we will get there.

I have cause to love Superman for a reason most won't have. Krypto (Super Dog) is a big part of the movie and Krypto happens to look much like (and even act somewhat like) my beloved Schnoodle, "Oodle." What I view as the best line in the show, "get the toy," sent my wife and I into howls of laughter because we always say that to Oodle, and like Oodle, Krypto did. Before this show is over Krypto will save Superman more than once.

Ultimately Superman succeeds in part because of lines like that. It doesn't take itself too seriously. Yes, as usual, the fate of the world is at stake, and Superman, with the help of some friends, must save it. Evil billionaire Lex Luthor has created an opponent more powerful than even our Man of Steel. Wit, guile and little help will be required to save Earth.

I read a review suggesting that Superman works because it is cheesy. I agree. Superman is good just because he chooses to be good. Kindness is his nature, even through an interesting twist in his origin story.

Nathan Fillion is wonderful as Green Lantern. Pay attention to "Robot #4." For the nerds in the room, he is voiced by Alan Tudyk.

So what of the politics? The Director has been open that it contains contemporary political commentary. Here's my summation of some of the political messages.

1. Billionaires can be evil.

2. Billionaires can effectively manipulate the government, and even public opinion, towards their ends to include with (this time literally) online monkeys.

3. Someone from another land can be good, better than many born here, and will be, quite simply, a kind and heroic soul.

It is likely Superman's immutable kindness towards all others is one big reason the MAGA world hates this version of him so much. For them that makes Superman "woke," and in their world that converts Superman to a villain.

With woke like that it's quite possible some MAGAs watching will cheer on Lex Luthor's efforts to, first lock Superman up in an impossible to access "pocket universe" concentration camp, and then kill Superman for good.

Of course, the worst thing about Superman, in the minds of MAGA, is that he is an immigrant, and did not legally enter this country. We live under a Regime where people like that must be regarded as the dog and cat eating, rapist, murdering worst. There is simply no room in their minds for such an immigrant with greater decency than their own.

Fox News Host Jesse Waters suggested that Superman should have "MS-13" emblazoned on his cape. In the MAGA world Superman is a terrorist. At one point, Lex Luthor smears Superman as being here to seed as many women as possible with his alien DNA. In short, it's an "alien invasion" of the Trumpian world "great replacement theory" type.

Trump loving Dean Cain, who played Superman in the "Lois & Clark" TV series, stated that Director Gunn's bringing in "the immigrant thing" was bad for the movie. That in this fictional story Superman is actually the ultimate immigrant (and has been since his creation in 1938) is, beside the point, because facts (even fantasy facts) don't matter.

In the MAGAverse Superman would be a real hero if he wore a mask to conceal his identity and rounded up aliens for Lex Luthor's "pocket universe" concentration camp. Instead, this movie's Superman risks his life to save an alien baby from that concentration camp and to return the baby to its parent. You can see why they would hate that.

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