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Review of Superman Returns
Following a mysterious absence of several years, the Man of Steel comes back to Earth in the epic Superman Returns. While an old enemy plots to render him powerless once and for all, Superman faces the heartbreaking realization that the woman he loves, Lois Lane, has moved on with her life. Or has she? Superman's bittersweet return challenges him to bridge the distance between them while finding a place in a society that has learned to survive without him. In an attempt to protect the world he loves from cataclysmic destruction, Superman embarks on an epic journey of redemption that takes him from the depths of the ocean to the far reaches of outer space.
I was never a huge fan of the original Superman films - or the DC comic book character for that matter. I could never get past the fact that unless you were blind and ******ed, anyone should be able to figure out that Superman was Clark Kent. But in the DC universe the obvious is ignored. This was the major reason why I could never take the character seriously. Some people have other gripes such as, "He's too goodie goodie" or "He's too powerful". I agree that Ka-El (Superman's real name) is a little over board when it comes to being a nice guy, but the fact that he is very powerful never bothered me. The only thing that interested me about the character is how he never let his powers corrupt him. To me the story of Superman was never really about his enemies, his love for Lois Lane, where he came from, or just his powers. In my opinion it was about the choices he has to make because of who he is.
Now that I got that out of the way lets talk about this flick. I enjoyed "Superman Returns". My mind state before even seeing the movie was positive. Why? Two words...Bryan Singer. He gained my stamp of approval after directing X-Men 1 and 2. For those of you not in the know, "Superman Returns" is a sequel to Richard Donner's 1978 film "Superman" and 1980's partially-Donner-directed "Superman II". So yes, the two abortions known as "Superman III", and "Superman IV: The Quest For Peace" never happened. Five years have passed since "Superman II". Superman (Brandon Routh) has left Earth mysteriously. And as a result, Metropolis' crime-rate has increased and Lex Luthor (Kevin Spacey) has gone free when the Man of Steel failed to appear at his court hearing.
It is rather obvious to me that Singer takes pride in comic book movies. His child hood love Superman shines throughout the movie. I felt like Singer literally cut out the Superman comic and pasted it on film. I can appreciate the subtle ways Singer gave tribute to the original films. Adding the archive footage of Marlon Brando is a prime example. "Superman Returns" tells a good story that never goes over board with the special effects. When Supe uses his powers it means something. The action scenes (and the build up to them) are awesome and the way Singer introduces Superman to the movie world was well done.
Kevin Spacey was the perfect choice to play Lex Luthor. I'm a huge Gene Hackman fan but Spacey added a darker twist to the character that was never seen on film. Brando Routh does a superb job playing the Man of Steel. I will go as far as saying that he is just as good as the late Christopher Reeve. But as Clark Kent, Routh doesn't nail the part. I'm not saying he did a bad job; it’s just that Reeve had a better command of the shy and nerdy alter ego. Kate Bosworth seemed to be the wrong actress for the role of Lois Lane to me. I never got that tough girl attitude that Margot Kidder gave the character. Lois Lane isn't supposed to be a whiney damsel in distress. In the original "Superman" movie Lois Lane (played by Kidder) kicks a gun out of a muggers hand and almost gets shot in the process. I can't picture this new Lane doing anything close to that. Bosworth's incarnation of the Lane character doesn’t hurt the film, but it doesn't add anything to it either.
I wish the film would have focused more on where Superman was for those 5 years. The movie rushes through the explanation as soon as possible. Not a good idea to have this major question glossed over and never fully explained. I mean come one!!! At least have Ka-El give a speech or have him dream about it.
Unfortunately the film is a little short of being great. "Superman Returns" felt incomplete to me. Probably because too much of this flick is resting on the laurels of the previous films. But it will get your attention and make you crave for the sequel. Even though the movie has its faults, it is worth seeing. Bryan Singer's respect for Richard Donner and Superman fans shows throughout the flim. The end result is a movie that does the DC comic book justice. It has drama, humor, an interesting plot, and a cool surprise near the end.
Rating:
out of 5
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