Superman, the superhero created 87 years ago to embody the American spirit, is being ripped hard before the July 11 release of the latest Hollywood incarnation.

One review, which reportedly broke the embargo for release, went so far as to say the new $225 million movie will be the death of the superhero.

“Just as the seemingly indestructible Man of Steel is fatally weakened by kryptonite, so too is the once-unbeatable superhero genre gravely threatened by audience fatigue,” the Daily Beast wrote. 

“Looking ahead rather than focusing on the here and now, this attempt at reimagining DC’s movie series ultimately proves to be more of the same old interconnected-universe bedlam that, at this point, is perilously close to going out of fashion,” the review concludes.

Starring David Corenswet as Superman and Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, the film is an attempt to revive the moribund superhero saga (the last standalone Superman movie, “Man of Steel,” came out in 2013 and holds a lousy 57 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes).

But the Beast’s review called the new script “convoluted” and “humorless,” while describing the plot as “filled with fanciful nonsense that… renders the entire affair superficial and silly.”  

As for Mr. Corenswet’s portrayal of Superman, the Beast said he is “adhering to a woke checklist of cringeworthy clichés.” The review notes that this version of Superman is “a sweet and sincere do-gooder who uses the word ‘dude,’ takes time out of fighting behemoths to save squirrels from harm, and believes that viewing everyone as beautiful is ‘punk rock.’”  

Other commentators have echoed similar concerns about the overall execution. Film critic Scott Menzel took to social media to say, “James Gunn’s Superman feels like he tossed every Superman comic and his entire filmography into a blender and hit purée.” He added, “It’s a mess narratively and tonally, but hey, at least it’s refreshingly fun, entertaining, and not boring.”  

But not everyone is an anti-Superman critic, spewing cynicism and hatred in a most un-American way. The Sunday Times lauded Gunn’s more lighthearted and hopeful take on Superman, writing, “Superman, directed by James Gunn, is a triumph. After a long wait, this is the film the character deserves.”  

The publication celebrated the film for reviving the spirit of the franchise, praising Mr. Corenswet’s performance and the emotional depth of the narrative. “Despite a superb sequel, the franchise has since been a reboot slog of diminishing returns… Nobody seemed to know what to do with Superman – until now.”  

Film critic Courtney Howard also praised the movie. “Superman absolutely soars! An awesome achievement & hopeful balm, honoring past iterations (cinema & comics) while cutting its own path,” she wrote on X.

Director Gunn has come under fire for going woke with the film. In an interview with The Sunday Times over the weekend, Mr. Gunn described the iconic superhero as “an immigrant that came from other places,” emphasizing how Superman’s origins tie into larger ideas about human kindness and morality.

“Superman is the story of America,” Mr. Gunn said. “An immigrant that came from other places and populated the country, but for me, it is mostly a story that says basic human kindness is a value and is something we have lost.”