Superman

What’s it about?

Superman must come to terms with his Kryptonian origins while staying true to his human upbringing as reporter Clark Kent. As a symbol of truth, justice, and the human spirit, he faces a world that increasingly sees those values as outdated.

The facts

• Directed by James Gunn (Guardians of the Galaxy)
• Stars David Corenswet (Twisters), Rachel Brosnahan (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel), Nicholas Hoult (Nosferatu), Edi Gathegi (For All Mankind), Anthony Carrigan (Death of a Unicorn), Nathan Fillion (The Rookie), Alan Tudyk (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story)
• English language
• Runtime: 129 minutes
• Based on the DC Comics superhero Superman.

Why did it get this rating?

This film was cross-rated by the Film and Video Labelling Body. You can find out more about cross-rating here.

Violence

Superman contains lots of intense fighting and action, with large-scale destruction and some characters killed. The strongest moments include:

• A villain kidnaps someone and shoots an innocent person at close range during a disturbing game of Russian Roulette meant to scare a witness.
• Civilians are implied to be hurt or killed, especially when a huge rift tears through a city, putting many people at risk.
• Characters fight each other with a lot of punching, kicking, and choking.
• A powerful dog attacks enemies by biting and knocking them over.
• Superman rescues people at the last second, often saving them from deadly situations.
• A character infected with ‘nano bots’ is able to shapeshift and turns their hands into spinning blades that can be thrown. This results in damage and destruction to characters.
• A baby is shown in danger more than once.
• Superman faces several serious injuries where he is bleeding and in pain. In one scene, he vomits up streams of creepy nanotech.

Content that may upset or disturb

• A dog is overwhelmed by nanobots and we don’t see it again until much later when it is shown in captivity. There are references to the dog being tortured.
• Superman is infected with the nanobots and we see him suffocating and the bots going into his eyes so his entire head is covered.
• There are references to war and threats of violence against civilians that look very realistic.
• These scenes may be disturbing for people impacted by real world war.
• There are a several disturbing characters with alien-like appearance, similar to what you may see in a horror film by Guillermo del Toro.

Coarse language

There is some coarse language, including “sh*t,” “bitch,” “as*hole,” “piss” and “crap.”

When content stays with you:

We all have our boundaries, and it’s completely okay if something you’ve watched is weighing on your mind. If certain content lingers with you, consider having a chat with friends or whānau to debrief about what you’ve just seen. But if you’re still feeling affected, please reach out to any of the following helplines for support.

• 1737
• Safe to talk
• Lifeline
• Youthline

Further information

• Why are ratings and content warnings important for me and my whānau?