Ben Shapiro isn’t mincing words about James Gunn’s Superman reboot, labeling the highly anticipated film “Super-Meh” and insisting it’s not the politically charged propaganda many feared.
The conservative commentator reviewed the movie on his podcast and social media, downplaying concerns about Gunn’s comments on “immigration” and “basic human kindness” prior to the release.
“This is not a movie about illegal immigration. This is not a movie about ICE, Russia-Ukraine, Israel and the Palestinians,” Shapiro said. “There may be references if you have politics on the brain, but other than that, I really don’t think there’s much of this there.”
No Woke Agenda?
Shapiro dismissed claims that Gunn used Superman to push a progressive message, calling one potentially anti-ICE scene “really weak.” He also accused critics of the film’s alleged political undertones of “deliberately misinterpreting” the script.
Gunn’s Style Under Fire
While Shapiro says the politics aren’t the issue, he takes aim at Gunn’s creative vision, arguing the filmmaker should never have been given the reins to the Superman franchise.
“He just made another Guardians of the Galaxy, but with Superman as the lead,” Shapiro said.
Still, he praised the cast for their performances, despite what he called “bad material” in the script.
Box Office Buzz
Superman, starring David Corenswet as the Man of Steel, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor, debuted Friday with an impressive $56.5 million opening day. Industry insiders project the film could pull in $122 million by the end of the weekend, according to The Wrap.
Conservative Backlash
The film was already under fire from some conservatives due to Gunn’s pre-release comments framing Superman as a story about an immigrant’s struggle in modern America. Former Superman actor Dean Cain even told TMZ he expected those remarks to hurt the box office.
So far, though, Superman is holding strong.
???? Do you agree with Shapiro — is Gunn’s Superman “meh,” or does it deserve its box office success?
