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Directed By
Bryan Singer
Written By:
Dan Harris, Michael Dougherty, Michael Dougherty
Cast:
Kate Bosworth, James Marsden, Frank Langella, Eva Marie Saint, Parker Posey, Sam Huntington, Kal Penn, Kevin Spacey, Brandon Routh
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Superman Returns (2006)
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Movie Review by Matthew 
July 5th, 2006
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Something New, Something Old...
There is a lot familiar, good and well executed in "Superman Returns". But in some ways, this works against the film, adding to its many faults.
Superman (Brandon Routh) returns to Earth after a five year journey to an asteroid containing the remnants of his planet, Krypton. Crash landing on the Kent farm, his mom (Eva Marie Saint) welcomes him back with open arms. Lex Luthor (Kevin Spacey) has also been busy during the last five years; romancing the rich elderly woman who helped him get out of prison, he gets her to sign over her fortune, just as she dies, despite the loud protests of her family. Using the old woman's yacht, Lex, Kitty (Parker Posey) and his henchmen travel to the Fortress of Solitude where Lex wants to learn more about crystals. Returning to Metropolis, ready to save the planet, Clark Kent learns a lot has changed at the Daily Planet as well. Perry White (Frank Langella) has brought in his nephew Richard (James Marsden) to help run the paper. Lois and Richard have been seeing each other and have a small son, Jason (Tristan Lake Lebeau). Clark learns Lois has been awarded the Pulitzer Prize for an article entitled "Why The World Doesn't Need Superman?" But where is Lois (Kate Bosworth)? She is covering a new shuttle launch, riding the 747 which will launch the spacecraft. At that moment, Lex decides to experiment with a small shaving from one of the crystals he brought back from the Fortress of Solitude, releasing a burst of power and providing Superman with the perfect opportunity to reenter the public eye.
Directed by Bryan Singer ("The Usual Suspects", "X-Men"), "Superman Returns" is a well-produced film with a lot of baggage.
Frankly, I was expecting a better film from the director who brought us two great movies. This appears to be an example of a director who finally has the opportunity to direct his dream project and becomes so wrapped up in the details, they throw story and character development out the window, everything that made their previous films so good. No one even seems to think to ask where Kent/ Superman has been during the last five years, everyone just seems to except it. There are brief allusions to the reason for the trip during his reunion with his mom, but these scenes only make him seem a little heartless. How could he leave his mom, an elderly widow, alone for five years? She seems to accept this, so we go along with it. Really, the only person who seems to have taken the absence poorly is Lois Lane. Her relationship with Richard is more of a convenience. She was suddenly left alone and needed someone to confide in, so she started dating Richard. Yet, in five years, they have never married so where does their relationship stand? She doesn't seem to be in love with Richard, but because she has a son, she sticks with him. It is up to Singer to answer these questions and make these relationships interesting and believable, but he doesn't do that. Surely, they could have spent another couple of million to polish the screenplay a little more before going into production? With a reported budget of $200 million, what's another $2 million?
A side note: the addition of Richard (James Marsden) is a blatant attempt to help this role skew younger. In the sequels (Provided there are any. I don't see this film generating a lot of profit.) I'm sure Perry (Frank Langella) will be retired, vacationing or deceased and his younger, more attractive nephew will take over. But the character is so bland; it won't add anything except a pretty face. Richard needs a dark side, an alter ego, along the lines of James Franco's character in the "Spiderman" series.
Brandon Routh is the spitting image of Superman. But he is the spitting image of our recollection of Christopher Reeve's portrayal of the character. The two actors bear a remarkable resemblance. And that isn't a good thing, because it points to many deficiencies in the portrayal. Reeve had a goofy, sort of everyman quality which made the role of Clark Kent live. As Superman, he had the physique and good looks to pull that off as well. Routh certainly has all of that, but his remarkable resemblance to Reeve causes us to make comparisons we shouldn't have to make. Routh looks like a younger version of the deceased Reeve and his presence reminds us of the other actor's passing.
Pushing that aside for the moment, is Routh any good? Because of the remarkable resemblance, it is all but impossible not to compare them. He has a certain goofy quality which works well as Kent. But it doesn't seem as natural as his predecessor. At one point, his glasses slip down his nose, threatening to reveal his identity as Superman. He quickly pushes them back. Reeve did the exact same thing, but he seemed more flustered, more concerned and more real in a comic book, goofy kind of way.
It won't fit. Please read the full review at thornhillatthemovies.com
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 | Zach
Apr 7, 2007 3:53 PM
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Completely stupid and horrible film
I hate Superman so you know I'm gonna hate the films but this was by far the gayest and crapiest films in years |
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