Call me Lex Luthor, but Henry Cavill was not a good Superman

One of the most important roles in Henry Cavill’s career was probably Superman. MyMMO editor Nikolas Hernes is not a big fan of his version, as it does not capture the essence of the character.

I like Henry Cavill in his roles, but even outside, he has a certain charm that you simply have to like. One of the key points in his career was the role of Superman, which fits his public persona very well.

13 years after Man of Steel, I am very critical of his version of the legendary hero, especially after the Superman film from 2025.

In Batman v. Superman, Henry Cavill also embodies the Man of Steel:

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The essence of Superman is missing

Henry Cavill actually seems like the perfect Clark Kent or Superman. He has the physique of the character and especially a charisma and charm that few actors possess. However, you don’t really see that in the three films where he embodies the character.

His Superman fights for humanity, yet never sheds the fact that he is a godlike being who could conquer the Earth without problems. He stands up against Zod and the other Kryptonians. A noble endeavor, but one thought doesn’t leave my mind…

Cavill’s Superman never manages to shed his godlike superiority. Instead of showing that he is a human, he presents himself as a god. This is particularly evident in the film Batman vs. Superman. That seems to be exactly what the film wants. Apparently without sorrow, he survives the explosion in a courtroom as the only one and rises from the flames – like something superior to humans.

In that very film, there is another scene that visualizes this well. Forced onto a roof by a flood, a family paints his symbol to summon the Man of Steel. He descends from the heavens and saves the people. My problem with this scene is not the salvation itself, but how Cavill is depicted here. Not as a superhero – but as a god summoned through prayers.

This misses the core of the character. Superman has always been godlike, but also human and inherently good. He protects the Earth because he is a part of it – not because he is superior and has the power to do so. When you constantly visually and in the dialogues emphasize how powerful Superman is, this component gets pushed aside.

But this isn’t inherently Cavill’s fault; the problem lies deeper.

How do you approach a character like Superman?

In an interview about Man of Steel (via YouTube), Cavill explains that he based his character on various comics, not on other Superman portrayals. He cites Death of Superman as an example, a comic that very well illustrates what the core idea of the character is.

In this context, he also mentions the continuation of this story, The Return of Superman. There, various Supermen appear. He states in the interview: They fulfill all the criteria you would imagine for Superman or from which Superman is made, yet none of them is Superman. There is something very special, namely that essence, that was missing.

Ironically, that fits with his Superman. He has everything that makes the Man of Steel, but the essence is missing.

But the biggest problem is probably the direction of the DC universe at the time by director Zack Snyder. He created a dark world, with a dark Superman. You can fundamentally do that, interpret the character differently – after all, DC itself does it with mean or alternative Supermen, but in Cavill’s Superman, the punchline is missing, reminiscent of Snyder’s adaptation of Watchmen.

Instead of engaging in a philosophical discourse with a darker and perhaps more realistic version of Superman, ultimately what emerged was an aura-farming superhero who has his superiority epicly staged.

At the same time, the context or a look at a more classic Superman is missing to contextualize Cavill’s variant. Not only is the identity of the iconic character missing, but also a distinct identity for the character and the orientation of that.

A much better interpretation of the character occurred in 2025 in Superman by James Gunn.

An absurdly cheesy yet fitting hero

In 2025, actor David Corenswet donned the costume of Superman. There is probably no greater contrast to Cavill’s Superman: James Gunn’s film is colorful, hopeful, and completely cheesy. Instead of depicting the Kryptonians as physical threats, the desire of his creators is a conflict point.

Yet humanity prevails, and Superman shows that he is not just a god among men; he is a human. The priority is not the victory of a fight; it is the saving of beings, no matter how small. David Corenswet embodies the hope that the symbol of Superman represents, yet also shows a great vulnerability that fits the character wonderfully.

Thus, the conflict represented by Lex Luthor is also stronger, and the question of whether one should trust the safety of the world to an alien arises. Superman’s speeches are incredibly cheesy and blatant, but Superman is not Batman. Superman in the 2025 film does not represent a god who protects the people; he represents the perfect human who sacrifices himself for the inhabitants of Earth and does everything to do what is right.