On July 14, I went to see the new Superman, released on July 11, in Albuquerque's newest 4DX theater, which offers an immersive, multi-sensory cinematic experience, at the Regal Winrock movie theater. Walking into the theater was an exciting new adventure, not only for the new movie the audience was there to see, but for the experience that the 4DX seats were bringing to Superman’s story. The audience wasn't just there to watch a movie, they were there to experience it in a brand new way.
The theater has seats that use motion, vibration, water, wind and scents, administered through surrounding ceiling-strung wind turbines and other technology throughout the theater. When Superman flies, so do you; when he goes to the right, you go right. You feel the air flying past you.
You're not watching him fly — you're flying with him. One of my favorite aspects of the 4DX technology is that if it is snowing in the movie, it starts snowing in the theater.
The movie has a multitude of different stories and parallels to today's world, which is what makes superheroes and their stories so important to everyday people. Superheroes are just like us — they struggle, get hurt and fail. That is why Superman has taken the box office by storm.
Superman is one of us. He too has to figure out what's for dinner and navigate a romantic relationship. But arguably the most important story line in Superman is the loss in Superman's own origin story.
At the beginning of “Superman,” it shows a recording of his parents explaining to him that he is to serve and help the people of Earth with the abilities given to him by its yellow sun. At first, it seems that Superman's Kryptonian parents come across as more of a serving and guiding influence in his life than his Earth parents.
Working alongside Lex Luthor, the Engineer, a modified human being is able to retrieve and translate the message from Krypton, only to reveal a disturbing second half of the message. It turns out that Kal-El’s parents had planned for him to rule Earth, eliminate any humans who resisted his authority and, most shockingly, to sire children with as many human women as possible to ensure the survival of the Kryptonian bloodline.
Needless to say, this revelation doesn't sit well with humanity or even Superman's allies, like Guy Gardner. Guy, in particular, warns Superman that if the message is true, it would make him the very kind of alien threat Superman is supposed to protect Earth from.
With this message, Superman’s whole ideology goes out the window. Believing that he was sent to Earth for good and finding out he wasn't is what makes Superman lose faith in himself, and he finds the whole world losing faith in him. Superman is left with no direction and a crisis on his hands.
But how can he save the world when the world thinks he’s the bad guy?
All the fighting comes to a head when Superman is brought to his adoptive parents' farm in Kansas, where he can heal and recharge. The next morning he has a heart-to-heart on what a real parent is. Through this conversation, Superman is reminded that the goodness and moral compass that he has are deeply rooted in his upbringing, not by what his parents said in a video.
His Earth parents’ upbringing is what makes him who he is. It is because of Jonathan and Martha Kent that he is the Superman that the people have come to depend upon and trust.
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In the end, Superman’s journey is a powerful reminder that identity and morality are shaped not just by our origins or the messages we receive, but by the choices we make every day. Despite the shocking revelation about his past, Superman chooses to embrace his true nature — one rooted in compassion, justice and hope. With renewed purpose, he stands tall once more, ready to face the world not as a puppet of his past, but as a hero who defines himself by his actions.
The film closes with Superman flying over a sunrise-lit Kansas field, symbolizing a new beginning — one where he acknowledges his past but firmly commits to protecting and serving the people of Earth. Because, in the end, true heroism is about choosing to do good, even when the path is uncertain.
Elizabeth Bolke is a freelance reporter for the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at culture@dailylobo.com or on X @dailylobo
