Film Reviews: ‘Superman’; ‘Jurassic World’; ‘Train Your Dragon’

By Andre Kelley | July 12, 2025

Contributor Andre Kelley’s superpower is the ability to sum up the best and worst about the latest movies you may or may not want to spend hard-earned cash to see on a big screen.

“Superman”
(DC Studios)
Rated PG-13

“My actions? I stopped a war.”

One night in West Hollywood I had an intense conversation with a Trump-supporter, unknowingly I assure you, who looked at me with the solemnity of a priest and tried to say that Black Panther was NOT a Black superhero movie. Instead, it was simply a superhero movie that happened to HAVE Black people in it. (Slow-blink)

Even as he tried to walk that stupid, self-serving, racist statement back, I could hear a faint beeping noise as he tried to gingerly move that particular goalpost further and further away.

Make no mistake. These types of early (and premature) “criticisms” of “Superman” are coming from the same kinds of people.  And the only reason they’re so invested in trying to rewrite the definition of “immigrant” is so that they can better lay claim to the character–and that’s solely because he’s a White male.

These people are just that sad. If an alien being who is literally from another galaxy isn’t an immigrant then I don’t know what is.

That said, here’s what people can’t seem to understand about the Man of Steel, but writer-director James Gunn clearly does. His massive appeal has absolutely nothing to do with his powers. Nothing.

But it has everything to do with his character. Everything.

This is what makes Clark who he is. His demigod-like abilities are simply extensions of that because he chooses to use them in service and to inspire humanity.

That’s why we look up to him and marvel at his example especially given the fact that he’s not even from “around here.”

Although this version of Kal-El isn’t the stoic, seasoned veteran nor even quite the measured hero we’re typically used to, Gunn’s respectful and thoughtful liberties with the canon do make this version of the Big Blue Boy Scout all the more interesting.

Corny, commanding and compassionate while brimming with humanity and fierce optimism that we all so desperately crave right now, Clark may not technically be “American,” his modern mythology certainly is.

His is the quintessential American story who, as a fictional legend, has endured and resonated for decades worldwide, and anyone who says otherwise is either delusional or incapable of understanding that or both.

Visually speaking, the integral flight scenes are marvelous to watch, the special effects are on point and for a change in these kinds of movies, sharply defined and brightly lit.

My only visual criticisms are with the costumes, but like numerous house-hunting shows will attest, that’s a strictly aesthetic aspect and can easily be tweaked–and I’d wager Gunn has an overall plan to remedy that as well.

Most impressive, the script is drop-dead timely and unquestionably on the nose with regard to today’s headlines, while glaringly defiant to our current political climate.

Amazingly, this robust, fun, summer romp somehow speaks to all of that. It has hope, it has heart and like the Man of Steel himself, the film is big, bold and brilliantly unbound and every bit as positive, entertaining and uplifting as you’d imagine.

It’s also sweetly and faintly reminiscent of the classic Christopher Reeve as Superman era. And the fact that it’s basically everything that some folks on “the other side” seemingly hate is just a bonus.

“Superman” is quite the heroic, invigorating, wild ride that we all need right now and I enjoyed it immensely.

 

Jurassic World: Rebirth
(Universal Pictures)
Rated PG-13

This was the first time in my life that I’ve ever watched a dinosaur movie and rooted for the meteor.  Stream it.

WARNING: Massive spoilers ahead.

Despite a really nice-looking cast (two of the White dudes were fine as hell, in addition to Scarlett Johansson and Mahershala Ali), as well as an admirable altruistic plot involving promising medical research, by the third act, the whole movie just fell apart.

Even with cool dinosaurs and respectable action sequences, the film started to drag. Then, from outta’ nowhere, they added this family that started giving ABC after-school-special vibes, which only made the movie feel longer.

And, here’s how you know the studio greenlit a movie without a single Black or Brown person in the room: They had a whole Latin family all up in the mix and hooked-up the youngest gal with a cute pet dinosaur. Okay, fine. But how you gonna’ give that little girl a fucked-up bowl cut and throw them in a jungle? So, now, on top of everything else, we’ve got Dora the Explorer in this mess too? They were dead-ass wrong for that!

And finally, when it came to the “big bad monster,” they basically put a giant bald baby head on top of a T-Rex body and it just looked f*ckin’ ridiculous!

So. These studio executives are just making up dinosaurs? Universal just made a giant monster movie and slapped a Jurassic World label on it and hoped we wouldn’t notice. That’s like when we were kids and we caught our mom sneaking that cheap, store-brand cereal into a used box of Cap’n Crunch and trying to pass it off as the real. Yeah, no.

Dear Universal,

This franchise has been on life-support for long enough. Pull the plug and let it go extinct.

 

NOW AVAILABLE FOR STREAMING
‘How to Train Your Dragon’
(DreamWorks) Rated PG

“These beasts are a threat to all of our lands.”

If you listen to seen-it-all critics and perpetually cranky industry insiders, there’s been a bit of an ongoing debate on the merits of so-called live-action remakes.

“What is even the point?” they dryly contend.

However, if you pay attention to money-paying audiences, the overall results of such (“Snow White & The Seven Dwarves” thumbs-down, versus “Lion King” and “Lilo & Stitch,” thumbs way up) are essentially and rightfully mixed.

My thinking is as with any intellectual property (animated or otherwise) it’s simply all about the execution. Case in point, DreamWorks’ most excellent remake of “How to Train Your Dragon.”

Based on the beloved children’s books by British author Cressida Cowell and its hugely popular animated trilogy and television series, this latest version is nothing short of astonishing.

The core character–the majestic, jet-black and curiously felinesque Toothless (a Night Fury named for his deceptively retractable teeth)–is a looming and impressively larger presence on the big screen than ever before.

The moment we first see him, he’s rather intimidating and terrifying yet, you’ll still find yourself wanting to reach out to touch him.

Most telling are the dragon’s enormous, emotion-stirring, catlike eyes. The moment we look into those beguiling, soul-piercing, rapturous emerald orbs, we are hooked.

And unlike his animated version, we can actually see his scales and watch his body cavity move whenever he inhales and exhales. You get the distinct and mesmerizing impression that he’s real.

His appearance is the connective tissue for this whole story because the imperious nature of this creature is what pulls us so deeply into this epic tale of him and the bond with his rider- companion Hiccup.

The key and most thrilling aspects are the flight scenes. This film understood the assignment and will give you many moments where you’ll start to notice your heart beating faster as they ascend all throughout the skies.

Also, unlike the animated installments, there’s way more of an emotional heft and gut-punching impact this time around, because these are real-life characters who are imperiled by all kinds of mayhem.

In other words, we actually care because they can be hurt or far worse. On its surface, “How to Train Your Dragon” may seem like an elaborate children’s fantasy, but as with all classic stories, there’s far more to it.

With universal themes on legacy, family, purpose, cooperation and community between these sea-faring humans and their terrifying reptilian counterparts, and given the absolutely unnecessary and increasingly darker tones of our own reality, I’d choose the wondrous, awe-inspiring, man versus beasts, adventure-seeking likes of these fantastical protagonists over our current “real world” leaders and their endless, self-induced, world-ending calamities any day.

@TheAndreKelley