James Gunn’s new Superman movie, hitting theaters July 11, is already generating heat. While some critics are tearing it apart as a “convoluted mess” and the supposed "final nail in the superhero genre’s coffin," fans online are declaring it one of the best Superman films ever. Starring David Corenswet as the caped hero and Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, the film is Gunn’s big swing at rebooting the DC Universe. But early reviews—some leaked before embargo—have not been kind. One savage takedown from the Daily Beast criticized the film for a humorless, chaotic plot, shallow characters, and “woke clichés” like Superman rescuing squirrels and using the word “dude.” Nicholas Hoult’s take on Lex Luthor got little praise either, with one reviewer saying they weren’t sure “what” he was doing. Others accused Gunn of throwing “every Superman comic and every James Gunn film into a blender and hitting purée.” However, not all feedback has been negative. The Sunday Times called it “a triumph,” praising Corenswet’s earnest portrayal and Gunn’s bright, hopeful tone—far from the brooding Snyder-era Superman. Even Gunn defended the shift, saying audiences today want heroes who are “good and decent human beings.”