‘Superman' Opened to Raves. Two Days Later, the Tone Has Slightly Changed

Yes, this movie again. But there’s been a noticeable shift since the embargo lifted on James Gunn’s “Superman” just 48 hours ago, and it’s worth digging into.

Billed as one of summer’s biggest theatrical bets, “Superman” arrives in theaters this Friday, carrying not only the hopes of a new franchise but the heavy burden of relaunching DC Studios. Early signs looked promising — the film debuted with a 91% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Fast forward two days, and that number has dropped to 82%, with signs it may go lower still.

For many tracking the rollout, the buzz, and the score don’t quite align. Tori Brazier’s Metro article, “I’m a Film Critic and Superman’s Rotten Tomatoes Score Doesn’t Make Sense,” makes a fair argument, pointing out the inordinate amount of 3/5 “fresh” reviews. The Hot Mic’s John Rocha has pointed out the discrepancies. Even The London Evening Standard describes a “high score” that’s “fooling” people. But what they miss is the broader story — one that speaks volumes about how perception is shaped in 2025.

Warner Bros, who view “Superman” as “make or break” for DC Studios, played this one smart. Rather than the usual rollout, they invited a wave of online personalities — influencers, bloggers, YouTubers — to early screenings, both last week and earlier this week. Simultaneously, they excluded press screenings from several states, including Utah and Colorado. While major markets like L.A. and New York got their usual press access, sources tell me that over a dozen states were left out altogether and would not get “Superman” screened for them at all. One of those critics wrote a piece about it.

The strategy was simple and effective: flood the early review pool with voices more likely to offer glowing praise. It worked. Outlets like DiscussingFilm ran with the headline “James Gunn’s Superman Debuts With 91% on Rotten Tomatoes.” That tweet alone pulled in 46,000 likes. The narrative was locked in: “Superman” is a critical hit. Except, not quite.

The RT score has since dropped by nine points, and several critics who were iced out of early screenings are only now seeing the film. Their takes, expected to go live soon, may shift that number even further.

This isn’t to say “Superman” is being trashed — it isn’t. But that’s not the same as the euphoric reaction implied by that early 91%. Warner also bolstered the film’s word-of-mouth, and online user scores, with Amazon Prime sneak previews on Tuesday night, which brought out a die-hard, cape-wearing crowd — Gunn’s base, the true believers.

No one’s accusing Warner Bros. of manipulating the aggregator. This was simply a clever marketing rollout for a film the studio needs to hit. And truthfully, it just might. But as someone who’s seen the film, I can say it’s more of a mild diversion than a revelation. David Corenswet has charm, Nicholas Hoult is a delightfully odd Lex Luthor, and there are moments of genuine fun and spectacle. But there’s also a muddled plot, clumsy political overtones, and a shoehorned Justice League-lite subplot that muddies what should have been a clean, character-focused reboot.

“Superman” isn’t a failure. But it’s not the game-changer many expected, either. It’s a decent, crowd-pleasing superhero flick with a handful of memorable moments — and just as many flaws. The drop from 91% to 82% isn’t insignificant. And if you’ve followed Rotten Tomatoes long enough, you know the system doesn’t measure passion or quality — it’s a binary “fresh” or “rotten.” That 82% doesn’t mean universal acclaim. It often just means “not bad.”

What “Superman” currently represents is a growing paradox in today’s critical culture. What constitutes a “critic”? Is it the seasoned writer with decades of context, experience, and a strong editorial voice, or the content creator with a large following and early access? The film’s early wave of glowing reactions—many from influencers and YouTubers—helped shape an initial narrative of success. But as traditional reviews have trickled in, a more tempered consensus has started to emerge, revealing the widening gap between online enthusiasm and long-form critical analysis.

And that’s the real story here. Not that “Superman” is a disaster, but that it’s being framed as something it’s not. Let the reassessment begin.