The Best Action Scene in ‘Superman’ Doesn’t Even Involve the Man of Steel

Editor’s note: The following contains spoilers for ‘Superman’Superman is highly anticipated, not only as a new take on the Man of Tomorrow, but because it is the first cinematic entry in the DCU. Although David Corenswet proves himself more than worthy of the role that Christopher Reeve had made iconic, Superman takes place in a universe where “Meta-humans” have already been in the public eye for decades. While Nathan Fillion’s Guy Gardner and Isabela Merced’s Kendra Saunders make splashy debuts, Edi Gathegi’s scene-stealing performance as Michael Holt, also known as “Mister Terrific,” is the standout in Superman and takes part in its most exciting action sequence.

Superman may have declared himself as Earth’s savior, but he doesn’t have the full support of the Justice Gang, which remains cautious about intervening when Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult) reveals the nefarious intentions of the Kryptonians. Although Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan) finds that Gardner and Saunders aren’t interested in helping locate her superpowered boyfriend, Mister Terrific agrees to help her infiltrate Luthor’s base, which includes an entry to the pocket universe where Superman and Metamorpho (Anthony Carrigan) have been held hostage. Mister Terrific’s powers help to create the most dynamic, entertaining action scene in the film, proving that James Gunn was still able to bring his signature touch to the material.

James Gunn’s Style Is on Full Display With Mister Terrific

A consistent aspect of Gunn’s style for decades has been his use of licensed music, and Mister Terrific’s fight scene includes the brilliant usage of “5 Years Time” by Noah and the Whale. Even though the original score by John Murphy and David Fleming creates a great new theme for Corenswet’s Superman, it is fitting that an action scene that focuses on a different hero has a unique sound and feel. Although the film also makes good use of “Punkrockers” by Teddybears and Iggy Pop, and “The Mighty Crabjoys Theme,” these songs are contextualized as specific aspects of Superman’s personality, as they are tied to his affection for punk rock. With “5 Years Time,” the upbeat lyrics to the song are ironically contextualized within one of the more intense action scenes in the film.

The raid on Luthor’s base offers two interesting perspectives, as it shows both Mister Terrific’s expertise with technology and Lois’ incredulity at the danger that she has gotten herself into. Unlike Gardner and Saunders, Mister Terrific has an incredibly dry sense of humor and grounded perspective, which makes seeing him ruthlessly take down the guards even cooler. Comparably, this is among the first times Lois has been in legitimate danger, as she is willing to risk her life if it means saving Superman and stopping Luthor. There is a great moment that pans around the action to highlight her expressions, which are particularly effective given Brosnahan’s background in comedy. Even though Superman has taken the time to show that science fiction concepts are accepted in this version of reality, this scene still manages to capture a sense of wonder.

Rachel Brosnahan, David Corenswet, and James Gunn reading comics on the set of Superman

James Gunn Said ‘Superman’ Is His First Superhero Movie, and He’s Sort of Right

Gunn is really more into anti-heroes, actually.

The grounded action is a nice change of pace compared to the rest of Superman, which features a fair number of set pieces set in Metropolis, where Superman is defending an entire city. Although it’s appropriate that the “Man of Tomorrow” would be facing existential threats, the more intimate nature of Mister Terrific’s rescue allows each piece of choreography to feel more visceral. It’s also notable that, unlike Superman, Mister Terrific has no moral issues about dispatching people he sees as a threat. Superman is one of the most optimistic and joyous superhero movies in years, but this moment is a reminder that Gunn is still the transgressive filmmaker behind Super and Peacemaker.

Mister Terrific Is the Most Engaging Member of the Justice Gang

Mister Terrific has the most complete character arc of the other superheroes in Superman, which makes sense considering that his powers come from technology that he personally developed with his impressive intellect. The use of his T-spheres and energy bursts is distinct from the inherent strength and speed that Superman had, but Mister Terrific feels surprisingly confident in his abilities, which signifies why he is such a valuable member of the Justice Gang. Although it is absolutely hilarious to see Fillion play a narcissistic, comedic version of the Green Lantern, it’s exciting to see that Mister Terrific is willing to put aside his skepticism about intervening in the conflict to help Lois. Gathegi brings a remarkable amount of personality to the role, as his self-seriousness is refreshing in a film that is generally quite cheeky.

The inclusion of scenes like this makes Superman an exciting start to the DCU, as it has teased characters that will hopefully play a prominent role in future projects. Although the needless cameos by other members of the Justice League were detrimental to Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, Superman gives characters like Mister Terrific just enough personality to earn audience investment. Although there are a few scant references to the tragic backstory that Mister Terrific endured, the film has left aspects of his character ambiguous, which are intriguing. Even if Gardner will next appear in Lanterns and Hawkgirl will be in the second season of Peacemaker, Mister Terrific has the most potential to be a DCU breakout.

Superman is now playing in theaters.