James Gunn’s ‘Superman’ really made me believe that a man can fly all over again
The tagline to the 1976 film Superman: The Movie simply read as follows: “You’ll believe a man can fly.” Now, with the trailer for James Gunn’s Superman releasing, one thing is clear: I believe a man can fly all over again.
The trailer was simple. All it really had was notes from the original score mixed in with John Murphy’s new pieces without much dialogue. It is, frankly, all I wanted it to be. With shots of Superman (David Corenswet) saving a small child from an explosion, the trailer really filled me with such an overwhelming sense of hope and happiness I haven’t felt in a long while. That’s the power that Superman holds over us.
But what makes this trailer really resonate with me is the fact that I feel like Corenswet can fly. Yes, I know that I am an adult and know that he actor cannot actually fly. But the trailer felt like I was watching Superman come to life. Much like when Christopher Reeve convinced audiences that he as our hero, Corenswet’s first moments on screen in this trailer hold that same power. For me, at least.
When we can suspend our own disbelief and see a man who can fly and protect us all? That’s a special kind of power that should be noted.
As much as I did love Henry Cavill as Clark Kent/Superman, I did not believe that he could fly. He was a great take on the character, but I knew that that was a man playing a part. Now, to be fair, I do know that is the case with Corenswet but for one brief moment, I was a kid again watching Reeve fly for the first time and believing it could happy in our real world.
A man who brings us all hope
Superman is a timely story and has always been such. We’ve lost that hope that the character brings to us throughout the years and to see him back in such a big way means a lot. We’re getting a new Superman for an entirely knew generation of DC fans to have. But we also NEED Superman. Yes, he’s lived a lovely long life on television but there isn’t anything quite like seeing Superman on the big screen.
Which is why I have such a love for the Reeve movies as well as Superman Returns and Man of Steel. I just love watching Superman fly and try his best to be the hero we all need. So if that means that I return to my childlike wonder and think that a man can fly once again, then that’s the power that this movie has on me. James Gunn managed to make us believe and that’s a powerful tool. Especially when he did so with just the trailer for the film.
Until we see more of Superman, I will always have that moment when Superman fly and I felt like a kid again, in love with a hero who reminded me to look for the good in others.
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