Superman's foil comes in Hoult's Lex Luthor, a man proudly consumed by envy, who, as Lois deduces, wants to be king (who said comic book allegory needed to be subtle?). Hoult joins Brosnahan and Corenswet in ceding character beats and development to a chaotic, teeming plot.

David Corenswet's slightly puppyish Superman radiates a joy in what he's doing, but he’s far from invincible. That lends the film emotional stakes.