Rated PG-13 (Some Intense Action
Violence)
Running Time: 2 Hours & 34
Minutes
Cast-
Brandon
Routh-Clark Kent/Kal-El/Superman
Kate
Bosworth-Lois Lane
Kevin
Spacey-Lex Luthor
James
Marsden-Richard White
Parker
Posey-Kitty Kowalski
Sam
Huntington-Jimmy Olsen
Frank
Langella-Perry White
Eva
Marie Saint-Martha Kent
Kal
Penn-Stanford
Tristan
Lake Leabu-Jason White
Marlon
Brando-Jor-El (archival footage used)
Directed Bryan Singer
 |
| Superman returns to Earth after a five-year absence to find that Lois Lane has moved on in "Superman Returns." |
Note: Part of the "Superman Motion Picture Anthology" Blu-Ray set.
Superman is without a doubt one of
the world's most iconic comic book superheroes. Created by Jerry Siegel and Joe
Shuster in 1938, Superman has thrilled readers ever since as the flagship
character for DC Comics, alongside Batman. Many films were based upon the
character but none stood out until 1978's "Superman" directed by Richard
Donner and starring then-unknown Christopher Reeve. Reeve became famous as the
character, in fact I consider him to be a real-life Superman, and starred in
three more films, though each one proved to be of lesser quality which prompted
Warner Brothers to put the franchise on hiatus in 1987. As the years went by,
numerous directors, screenwriters, and actors became attached to a fifth
Superman film, but nothing came out of it. That is, until Bryan Singer signed
on to direct, targeting a release date of summer 2006. However, this created a
few problems, as he was working on pre-production work on the third X-Men film
at the time but seeing this as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, Singer
couldn’t pass up a chance to direct a Superman film. Although he fully intended
to return to the X-Men franchise after, 20th Century Fox was impatient and
moved ahead anyway, replacing Singer with Brett Ratner and resulting in the
underwhelming “X-Men The Last Stand,” also released in summer 2006. Although
highly underrated, “Superman Returns” ranks up there as one of the best
superhero films ever made, focusing not only just the conflict of good and evil
but of love, proving once and again that Lois and Clark will always be one of
the most beloved couples ever in comics.
Five years have passed since the
events of “Superman II” and Superman (Brandon Routh) himself has disappeared in
a futile hope to see if Krypton is truly destroyed. The world has moved on
without him. When he finally makes his triumphant return, he finds that Lois Lane
(Kate Bosworth) now has a son and is engaged to Richard White (James Marsden).
Superman realizes that everything he has known, everything his has loved, has
changed. How will he readjust himself in a world that has learned to survive
without him? To make matters worse, Lex Luthor (Kevin Spacey) has stolen
technology from the Fortress of Solitude in an attempt to finally kill his
nemesis once and for all.
When you’re watching “Superman Returns,” you’ll have
to forget everything you know about comic book movies as Singer has crafted a
sweeping romance more than an action film. A large amount of time is spent with
Superman pining for Lois, invoking ancient mythologies of God-like beings
falling in love with mortals. Although there is no doubt that Superman is
powerful, he is just as human as anyone else and Singer drives home that fact,
particularly when he has a heart-to-heart with Lois on the roof of the Daily
Planet. If it weren’t for his responsibilities, his duty to protect, Superman
would spend an eternity with Lois, and that is fantasy romance done right in a
way that can provoke an emotional response. I found that “Superman Returns”
often touches upon similar themes seen in “The Dark Knight” but at two
different extremes. Batman is dark and faces enemies that are insane and cruel,
calling into question whether he is just as insane as the villains he fights.
Gotham’s citizens look upon Batman as everything that is wrong in their city,
saying to themselves whether we even need a ‘hero’ who acts more like a
vigilante. For Superman, Singer has opted for a messianic approach. Lois
bluntly points out that ‘the world doesn’t need a savior.’ Yet Superman
believes otherwise; he has to believe because then his life would have no
purpose. The world may have moved on and look upon Superman as a relic, but
even if they do not realize it now, Superman knows it in his heart that they
‘cry out for a savior.’ With many comic book films going the ‘tortured hero’
route, it’s refreshing to see a character so earnest and so honest in his
purpose that all we can do is stand up and cheer for him. That is the essence
of Superman.
There are some issues but they’re relatively minor compared to the
scope of the film. Singer does go for the nostalgia factor of Donner’s films
too hard and it gets to the point where he’s emulating the previous films
without providing this one with a proper identity. The acting is overall good,
especially Brandon Routh. His resemblance to Reeve is uncanny and he captures
the bumbling aspects of Clark Kent and the confidence and vulnerability of
Superman perfectly. There is a slight nervousness to his performance but who
wouldn’t, stepping in the shoes of an iconic character played equally by an
iconic actor. Kate Bosworth is definitely the weakest link out of the cast as
we never actually feel she’s a newspaper journalist, partially due to her young
age. Nonetheless, she does her best with Lois’ conflicting feelings between
Superman and Richard. Kevin Spacey’s Lex Luthor is cut from the same cloth as
Gene Hackman, something that has never really sat well with me because it
tended to skew toward cheesy comedy. If a sequel is ever made, it would best to
follow Michael Rosenbaum’s portrayal from TV’s “Smallville.” Luthor is still
obsessed with real estate and ‘beach front property’ but there’s also a
bitterness, possibly sadistic side to him. This is apparent when he and his
cohorts begin to torture Superman. There’s also a hint of jealousy in his
demeanor and wants to set out to prove to others, but most importantly himself,
that a mortal can destroy a god. The rest of the cast includes James Marsden as
Richard White, who has the impossible task of vying for Lois’ affection against
Superman, Parker Posey as Kitty Kowalski, playing a role similar to Miss Teschmacher
from the first film, Eva Marie Saint as Clark’s adoptive mother and conscious
and finally Marlon Brando, courtesy of today’s cutting edge technology.
“Superman Returns” doesn’t feature any action scenes but there are several
breathtaking set-pieces. Superman goes through much trouble saving a space
shuttle and a Boeing 777, marking his triumphant return. Finally, there’s the
endgame where he uses all his abilities at his disposal to prevent the
destruction of Metropolis. However, the climax invoked the same mixed feelings
I had when Superman turns back time by flying around the Earth backwards in the
first film. You’ll know it when you see it as it involves a massive amount of
kryptonite. Some will complain that he never punches anybody but really, that’s
not even a complaint worth bringing up.
The Blu-Ray is impressive though the
video quality can look too clean and sterile since the film was shot using HD
cameras. This gives it somewhat dull looking palette that focuses on primary
colors, like those on Superman’s costume. Darker scenes also tend to be fuzzy
but nonetheless, you’ll have no problem enjoying this film on your plasma
screen. Audio is reference quality material and the set-pieces really come
alive from the shrieking metal of the Boeing 777 to the flapping of Superman’s
cape against the wind. This is an aural experience like no other. Looking at
the back cover, you’ll find the special features are quite bare but appearances
can be deceiving. What you get is a 2 hour and 53 minute documentary on the
making-of the film that goes into detail about every aspect from pre-production
to the final day of shooting. Finally, there’s 16 minutes of deleted scenes and
a look at integrating Marlon Brando’s archival footage into the film.
Released
on June 28, 2006, “Superman Returns” received a mostly positive reception with
76% on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics called ‘Singer's reverent and visually decadent
adaptation gives the Man of Steel welcome emotional complexity.’ With a
whopping budget of $270 million due to marketing and false starts, there was
much pressure for the film to do well like “Batman Begins.” Unfortunately,
while it had a solid, though unimpressive, opening weekend, “Superman Returns”
barely limped to $200 million domestic and $391 million worldwide. Sure, this
is by no means a disaster but after lying dormant for close to nineteen years,
most people were just skeptical if another Superman film was even necessary.
The larger question remains if Singer will return for a sequel and despite the
fans mixed response, I hold he does, as he truly does care about the character
and Routh certainly has the capacity to become this generation’s Man of Steel.
“Superman Returns” may lack action but it makes it up for emotional complexity;
this film is ‘beyond Super. It's superb’ (Richard Corliss, TIME Magazine).
Final Rating: 4 out of 5
"You will be different, sometimes you'll feel like an outcast, but you'll never be alone. You will make my strength your own. You will see my life through your eyes, as your life will be seen through mine. The son becomes the father and the father becomes the son."
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