The Superman 2025 film has generated hate due to viewers calling it “woke” and anti-Israel, which has sparked anger from some groups and audiences.
The film’s storyline, specifically the ethnic conflict between the white Boravians and the non-white Jarhanpurians has been viewed by some as a comment on the Palestine-Israel conflict.
On Oct. 7, 2023, Palestine made an attack on Israel, killing about 1,200 people, and taking 251 hostages, according to BBC. This caused Israel to launch a massive retaliative assault on Palestine.
More than 61,000 people were killed, and 28 nations including the UK, Australia, Canada, and France, called for an end to the war, saying that it had gone too far. In addition to this, UN agencies warned of a man-made, mass starvation in Gaza, blamed on Israel. Israel insisted that they made no restrictions on deliveries, and that there was “no starvation”
Director James Gunn described the film as an immigrant story, which portrays Superman’s origin but has drawn criticism from people that view it as a political statement and possibly anti-Israel. Gunn argues that the script was written before the Palestine-Israel conflict escalated, but viewers still aren’t convinced. In the film, the Boravians attack the helpless Jarhanpurians, much like Palestine launching a surprise assault on Israel.
Viewers are also calling the film “woke” due to Superman’s goal of saving lives and helping people as well as expressing his emotions being something that makes him as human as everyone else.
Audiences are enraged that the Man of Steel has somehow turned “soft” and that they can’t stand to see anything but an action packed, take no prisoners, bad to the bone Superman.
But is this really accurate? Of course not. When Superman first appeared in comics in 1938, the comic was written by two men who were the sons of Jewish immigrants, showing that the goal of the comics was Superman being the immigrant that comes to save the world.
Gunn reportedly said, “I mean, Superman is the story of America. An immigrant that came from other places and populated the country. But for me, it is mostly a story that says basic human kindness is a value and is something we have lost.”
Superman has always been the immigrant savior that the world needs. He is meant to represent and reflect the struggles of what the Jewish people were dealing with at the time, and to inspire fans and viewers at home.
