Illustration: Liu Xiangya/GT

As this year's flagship Hollywood superhero release, the new Superman film premiered simultaneously in major film markets including North America and the Chinese mainland on July 11. 

Directed and written by James Gunn and starring rising actor David Corenswet, this DC reboot achieved a solid opening weekend in North America but found considerably less traction overseas.

According to Box Office Mojo, Superman has grossed $155 million domestically and $95 million internationally as of Thursday, totaling $250 million globally, which has met industry expectations. On Rotten Tomatoes, it holds an 83 percent critics' score and 93 percent audience approval, while Metacritic records a 68/100 from major English-language outlets. These figures confirm the film has resonated with US moviegoers.

However, its international reception tells a different story. 

Despite director Gunn's personal promotional tour in the Chinese mainland, the film managed just 57.64 million yuan ($8.02 million) in its first seven days there. It trailed significantly behind both local productions like Malice and fellow Hollywood releases such as F1: The Movie and Jurassic World: Rebirth at the box office. 

China wasn't alone in its lukewarm response. European reception proved equally tepid, with the film earning just a 3.3/5 from audiences and 3.2/5 from critics on French entertainment website Allocine. 

Before viewing the film, I questioned its relevance: Do we still need Superman in this era? Since the character feels like a relic of 1970s superheroism, would modern audiences embrace him? 

After watching it, I found Gunn's attempt to inject deeper humanity into the protagonist made it notably stronger than this year's offerings like Captain America: Brave New World.

On China's premier review platform Douban, Superman scored a 6.8/10 (versus Captain America: Brave New World's 4.8). Fans of Gunn's Guardians of the Galaxy style praised it, though many criticized its "chaotic pacing," "unpolished effects," and deemed it "the worst Superman film yet."

The core issue, in my view, lies in the cultural disconnect surrounding Superman's "savior-fallen-to-earth" redemption arc. 

His narrative, an extraordinary individual destined to save the world, is rooted in Western individualism. While Chinese heroic traditions, conversely, revolve around collective sacrifice. 

Gone are the days when Hollywood spectacles commanded automatic reverence. The evolving landscape of global cinema has shifted audience expectations. 

Chinese moviegoers, now surrounded by domestically produced sci-fi epics, war dramas, and myth-based spectacles that rival Hollywood technically and narratively, increasingly see the US superhero formula as repetitive. 

Ne Zha 2's record-breaking run demonstrates a preference for narratives rooted in local mythology and moral frameworks. Meanwhile, Western superhero films, despite their technical prowess, often struggle to transcend their cultural origins to achieve a strong resonation among the Chinese moviegoers.

Despite these cultural hurdles, this Superman offers valuable cross-cultural dialogue. 

Gunn's iteration shifts from individual worship toward highlighting ordinary human resilience, creating space for meaningful exchange. 

To show respect for the Chinese market, Gunn made a special trip to China for the film's premiere in Beijing. 

During interactions with media and fans, he revealed himself to be a fan of Chinese kung fu films, expressing admiration for directors and actors such as Stephen Chow, Jackie Chan, Wong Kar-wai, and Jet Li. 

In this era of rising indigenous hero narratives, Superman's predicament offers a timely opportunity for reflection: the value of superhero films lies not in crafting flawless idols, but in using heroic stories to illuminate the complexity and diversity of human nature. 

As director Gunn aptly noted, "Superman wants nothing more than to be us… He wants to be human, he wants to love and be loved and have human connections."

When Superman ceases to be an aloof alien deity on Chinese screens, instead becoming "Clark Kent" and seeking meaning in ordinary struggles, he may finally bridge cultural divides, discovering shared resonance through differences.

In this sense, Superman's struggle for cultural relevance reflects the broader friction of globalization. 

Ultimately, fusing Superman's heroism with the Chinese ethos of wuxia, which means righteous spirit, could forge a hero that resonates with Eastern sensibilities. Such a synergy might birth a truly transcultural archetype, one where power serves collective purpose rather than personal glory. 

The author is a reporter with the Global Times. life@globaltimes.com.cn