Ben O'Shea: The Best Superman since Christopher Reeve.

Film guru Ben O’Shea joined the show to discuss the latest superhero blockbuster, Superman. Smiley asked, “Was David Corenswet convincing as the new Man of Steel?” Maybe not as impressive a specimen, but yes.  The film is fun and doesn’t take itself too seriously. Nicholas Hoult is great as Lex Luthor, possibly the best since Gene Hackman, but the two real scene-stealers might come as a surprise.  Director James Gunn, the creative force behind the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise, brings a loving and thoughtful approach to this film. Smiley asked Ben, “How many Choc Tops out of five did you give it?” Tune in to find out.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Great the flick with Ben Rishe alrighty, Bennet's finally here
the new Superman movie flies into cinemas today. Was David
corn Sweat convincing as the new Man of Steel?

Speaker 2 (00:21):
Yeah, look, it's a great question, Smiley. I think this
film arrives with huge expectations, not just for DC Studios,
but for the superhero genre because there's been a few
stumbles at the box office recently, films that were expected
to make a lot of money absolutely bombed, and so
it's an interesting time for this type of movie. And

(00:42):
now long comes David Currn Sweat, And I think a
lot of people probably watch the trailer and go jeez.
Compared to Henry Cavell. Henry Cavill looks like Superman, He's chiseled,
looks like he's made of marble. David corn Sweat maybe
not quite as impressive a specimen, So I think people
had some doubts about that. I think people watch the
trailer maybe had some doubts about all of the characters

(01:04):
that appeared in the trailer, many of whom I think
a lot of the mainstream audience members would not be
familiar with. Characters like Hawk Girl, Metamorpho, the Engineer. These
are comic book characters from the fringe, so you have
to be a real diehard comic book nut to be
familiar with any of them. So the trailer did seem
like it was a bit of a muddled mess.

Speaker 1 (01:24):
Yeah, let's talk Rachel Brosnahan. Lois Lane is such a
iconic role. Did she know us well?

Speaker 2 (01:31):
So this is the thing. So again people might have
thought compared to some lowest lanes of the past, Terry Hatcher,
of course from the TV version, was iconic, and people
might have thought like, I don't really, I'm not really
familiar with Rachel Brosnahan and the combination of her and
David Cornsweat. You've got two relative unknowns right in the

(01:51):
two most important roles. But I can let everybody know,
you can relax. The film is actually pretty dang good.
It's enjoyable from start to finish. David corn Sweat, I
would say, is the best Superman since Christopher Ree Wow.
And I would say that this movie is the best
Superman movie. Who Superman two back in nineteen eighty one.

(02:12):
Big of course, of course, Miley, it sounds like a
big call. It's actually a pretty low bar to clear,
because if you actually go back and look at Superman three,
Superman four, Superman four was one of the all time
worst movies, and then Superman Returns in the last sort
of ten years was also not great. All of the
Justice League movies with Zack Schneider also not amazing. So
most of the Superman movies have actually been pretty ordinary

(02:34):
and this one comes along. It's fun that doesn't take
yourself too seriously. All of the characters managed to get
adequate screen time. Lex Luthor played by Nicholas Holt best
Lex Luthor since Gene Hackman. I'm just putting it out there.

Speaker 1 (02:47):
Wow and well being. I had to ask, did super
Dog Crypto steal the show?

Speaker 2 (02:55):
Oh? Yeah? Like the two scene stealers are actually Crypto
the super Dog and Nathan Fillion, who play who people
might be familiar with from the Rookie. He plays the
Green Lantern and now Ryan Reynolds tried to make the
Green Lantern a thing. That film was a huge bomb
at the box office. Nathan Fillion is hilarious as the
Green Lantern. He and Crypto steal every scene that they're in.

(03:17):
Nicholas Halters is also an amazing villain. So this is
a film I think people will go along and really enjoy.
It's not the sort of dark superhero movies that we're
used to from DC Studios. This is a lot more
like a Marvel movie. And in fact, the director, James Gunn,
is the guy behind the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise.
This film feels a lot like those movies.

Speaker 1 (03:37):
And we here Will Reeve, the son of the late
Christopher Reeve, makes a cameo.

Speaker 2 (03:41):
Yeah, blink and you'll miss it, but he does get
a little cameo in there, which I think is a
very sweet touch. James Gunn, the director, you know, he's
a real comic book tragic and he loves this type
of material, so he takes a very sort of loving
approach to it and takes any opportunity you can to
give a little tip of the hat to the Christopher
Reeve in that Will Reeves cameo, and also the comic

(04:02):
book characters and all of those great moments that people
love from the Superman franchise.

Speaker 1 (04:08):
That special alrighty Ben, for the time of the Big One,
how many chok tops out of five are you're giving
the new Superman? And is it worth lying into the ciner.

Speaker 2 (04:15):
Before absolutely get get there faster than a speeding bullet.

Speaker 1 (04:19):
I'm going to give this one three and a half
three and a half chock top. Sounds like Superman is
in good hands. Thanks Ben, always a pleasure. We'll catch
you next week.

Speaker 2 (04:26):
Thanks Marlei