My take: Superman Returns
I must admit that I had low expectations going to see this movie. I tend to not listen and give too much weight to mainstream critics, though I do enjoy their opinions. Instead, I prefer "word-of-mouth" from friends, family, and coworkers on movies they've seen. That being said, the early reviews of both varieties were greatly mixed and rather polarizing with not much in terms of middle ground; surprising as it may be, that's where I found myself, smack dab in the middle.
For starters, let me say that in my opinion, Christopher Reeve is Superman. Period. The director knew this and apparently set out to find someone who resembled a young Reeve, and he did with Brandon Routh. There's just one problem - the kid can't act. For Spiderman, they needed a Peter Parker - CGI would take care of the crime fighting alter ego; for Batman, they needed a Bruce Wayne (you get the idea). Superman, though, doesn't get to hide behind anything but a pair of glasses, therefore the actor picked has to be able to carry two roles. Routh spent most of the movie playing Christopher Reeve playing Superman/Clark Kent. The scenes where he was Kent eventually worked into his own goofy style, but the scenes in tights and cape where he had to interact were almost painful at times.
Strangely, though, I don't consider that the biggest casting mistake of the movie- that would be the too young Kate Bosworth as Lois Lane. Given the general idea that this movie occurs after Superman has left (thus, his Return), she looks as if she would have been graduating from high school. I understand the desire to have a younger cast, but if that's the case, why not just do a Superman Begins and retell the story of Superman instead of picking up where things left off? (Sidebar: through other discussions, I've heard that this supposedly sweeps the dreck that is Superman III and IV under the rug as if it never happened. However, there is nothing in the movie that directly references certain events or baddies from the earlier movies.)
The story could have used a little more work, too. Essentially, Superman makes his triumphant return to the city of Metropolis just as Lex Luthor is released from prison and seeks to create mayhem using pieces from Superman's icehouse fortress. Strangely, this actually seems to take a backseat to the overly complex love story between the Man of Steel and Lois. In a vague attempt at lashing out, she has written a piece on "Why the World Doesn't Need Superman" which went on to win her a Pulitzer. The love story is turned in to a triangle, and then a parrellogram when another man and a child are thrown in to the mix, with the rampant question of who's child is it - Superman or Joe Shmoe?
In all, it just goes too long and is really let down by an ending that will go down in the annals of hero-dom as possibly one of the most anti-climatic ever - he tosses a rock. Not at anybody, just away. That's it.
With all that being said, there are some things to like- the opening credits, Superman's return to hero duty saving a plane, him taking hundreds of bullets off his chest and one off the eye, Kevin Spacey's Luthor (who is only hampered by the syb-par script he's been given). I will admit that I had lower expectations going in to this than I did Pirates II, which I gave a provisional 7/10 (providing that they don't mess up the last one). I actually enjoyed this more than Pirates, but knocking a point off for having to knock my expectations down a notch, I have to give this a 6 out of 10.
And let me add this. At this point, there's no reason to believe that there won't be a sequel. Brian Singer, if you don't want it to blow, then bring back Gen. Zodd.
For starters, let me say that in my opinion, Christopher Reeve is Superman. Period. The director knew this and apparently set out to find someone who resembled a young Reeve, and he did with Brandon Routh. There's just one problem - the kid can't act. For Spiderman, they needed a Peter Parker - CGI would take care of the crime fighting alter ego; for Batman, they needed a Bruce Wayne (you get the idea). Superman, though, doesn't get to hide behind anything but a pair of glasses, therefore the actor picked has to be able to carry two roles. Routh spent most of the movie playing Christopher Reeve playing Superman/Clark Kent. The scenes where he was Kent eventually worked into his own goofy style, but the scenes in tights and cape where he had to interact were almost painful at times.
Strangely, though, I don't consider that the biggest casting mistake of the movie- that would be the too young Kate Bosworth as Lois Lane. Given the general idea that this movie occurs after Superman has left (thus, his Return), she looks as if she would have been graduating from high school. I understand the desire to have a younger cast, but if that's the case, why not just do a Superman Begins and retell the story of Superman instead of picking up where things left off? (Sidebar: through other discussions, I've heard that this supposedly sweeps the dreck that is Superman III and IV under the rug as if it never happened. However, there is nothing in the movie that directly references certain events or baddies from the earlier movies.)
The story could have used a little more work, too. Essentially, Superman makes his triumphant return to the city of Metropolis just as Lex Luthor is released from prison and seeks to create mayhem using pieces from Superman's icehouse fortress. Strangely, this actually seems to take a backseat to the overly complex love story between the Man of Steel and Lois. In a vague attempt at lashing out, she has written a piece on "Why the World Doesn't Need Superman" which went on to win her a Pulitzer. The love story is turned in to a triangle, and then a parrellogram when another man and a child are thrown in to the mix, with the rampant question of who's child is it - Superman or Joe Shmoe?
In all, it just goes too long and is really let down by an ending that will go down in the annals of hero-dom as possibly one of the most anti-climatic ever - he tosses a rock. Not at anybody, just away. That's it.
With all that being said, there are some things to like- the opening credits, Superman's return to hero duty saving a plane, him taking hundreds of bullets off his chest and one off the eye, Kevin Spacey's Luthor (who is only hampered by the syb-par script he's been given). I will admit that I had lower expectations going in to this than I did Pirates II, which I gave a provisional 7/10 (providing that they don't mess up the last one). I actually enjoyed this more than Pirates, but knocking a point off for having to knock my expectations down a notch, I have to give this a 6 out of 10.
And let me add this. At this point, there's no reason to believe that there won't be a sequel. Brian Singer, if you don't want it to blow, then bring back Gen. Zodd.
posted by misawa at 7:19 AM
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