There’s a moment in the second act of James Gunn’s Superman where Lois Lane consoles the titular hero as he grapples with the revelation that his Kryptonian parents didn’t send him to Earth as a savior, but as a conqueror. Meanwhile, outside his apartment window, the Green Lantern and his Justice Gang are being thrashed by a giant alien squid.

“They’ve got it under control,” Superman shrugs, utterly nonchalant. It’s meant as a gag. But the juxtaposition is jarring, undercutting the emotional weight of Superman’s existential crisis. These tonal inconsistencies writhe through the entire film, undermining its potential to excel.