⚠️ SPOILER ALERTS AHEAD, proceed with caution. You’ve been warned, you’re welcome. ⚠️

Have you ever left a movie feeling like you could change the world?

That was me after seeing Superman. But it didn’t just make me feel powerful, it made me want to be more like Jesus. (I know, didn’t see that coming either.)

What a Warner Bros move to give us the girliest movie ever (Barbie 2023), and then follow it up with the most “guy film” I’ve ever seen in my life.

I have to say, I went into this movie with no context. Never read a comic, seen a prior film, nothing. I just knew the basics- kryptonite = bad, Lois Lane = good, “it’s a bird, it’s a plane,…” okay, you get the picture.

I did, however, go with a group of friends who were super Superman nerds. So you best believe I was hearing quite the commentary along the way. And by the end of it? I was fully converted. This Marvel girly suddenly had a new favorite hero… because Superman is just so good.

Now, I know what you’re thinking: isn’t the entire point of every Superhero movie? Good v. evil?

Sure. But this one? It showed what it really looks like to choose self-sacrifice, to keep showing up even when people turn on you, and to love even when it doesn’t make sense.

Quick note: this isn’t a movie recommendation. But if you go for any reason, go for Superman’s dog, Kryptonite. He steals the show. You will not be disappointed.

Let’s jump into the takeaways that caught me completely off guard:

1. Identity ≠ Reputation.

Some quick context, at the beginning of the film, Superman is listening to a message from his biological parents (from another planet) but, the clip glitches and cuts off early.

Later, Lex Luthor (our villain) gets ahold of that same clip and manipulates it to make it sound like Superman was sent to Earth to destroy it. Cue panic. People turn on him. They call him evil. A fraud. (Sound familiar? Jesus experienced the same thing.)

Later in the film, Superman is talking to his parents, that raised him on the Earth (Jonathan and Martha Kent), and Jonathan says this to Clark:

“Your choices Clark, your actions, that’s what makes you who you are.”

It reminded me of the parable of the prodigal son. When the world was saying these distardly things about Superman, they welcomed him back to their home with open arms.

I’ll be honest… it convicted me. I’ve heard the gossip. I’ve judged people based solely on what someone else said about them. But this moment reminded me: if your identity is in Christ, the world can say whatever it wants. That doesn’t mean we stop pursuing holiness, we absolutely should. But when our actions reflect God’s love and truth, that’s when others see the light.

2. Sometimes your closest circle will disagree with you, and that’s okay.

At one point in the film, Lois Lane is interviewing Superman about some recent choices he’s made. He chose to intervene in a conflict overseas, stepping into a global crisis that some believed wasn’t “his place.” It’s clear he was trying to do the right thing, but not everyone agreed… including Lois.

In the end, the argument was never diffused. They kind of just “agreed to disagree,” as people love to say.

And honestly, that felt so real.

Sometimes, even the people you trust most: your spouse, your best friend, your mentor, won’t see things the same way as you. That doesn’t always mean you’re wrong. It just means we’re human. Even in Scripture, we see this: Joseph’s brothers rejected him, Martha questioned Mary, and Jesus was betrayed by one of His own disciples. (Judas, no!)

This life is not always black and white, and that’s why we need the Holy Spirit to guide us in our decisions. We are imperfect beings doing life together.

3. Forgive when it doesn’t make sense.

This right here is what got me. I was in tears at a moment when no one else was in that theater. Because I watched radical forgiveness, and that’s powerful.

Lex Luthor captures Superman and holds him captive using a creature named Metamorpho. (Think man creature but with kryptonite hands). This guy is only hurting Superman because Lex stole his baby and is using the child as leverage.

Eventually, the creature breaks down with guilt. He knows what he’s doing is wrong.

And what does Superman do?

He forgives him. Immediately. Then he risks his life to go rescue the man’s baby. The guy who nearly killed him. Superman not only forgives him, he saves him.

Tell me that’s not a Jesus move.

We are God’s creation. And He speaks to us through His creation and the art we make- and as silly as it is even through a Superman movie with flying dogs and alien creatures.

How Well Do You Know Christian Movies? (Quiz)