MOVIE REVIEW: SUPERMAN RETURNS

Initial Post here

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Ok, I saw Superman Returns last tuesday at an early screening.... and then saw it again this past sunday. I can easily spend 5 hours typing up my review of this flick. But I'll spare us all that. Instead, here are my main points I'd like to make:

* The Superman action scenes were awesome! Anytime he was using his powers, it was spectacular. I wanted more!

* Where the first 2 Superman movies had SUPERMAN as the focus character, this is more about CLARK. Even when he's in the suit, he's still Clark. I think Smallville is the cause of this. It's not necessarily bad or anything, but it makes this film a diff't film all together than the previous ones. This is a Clark Kent movie.

* Brandon Routh does a great Clark, but his Superman is lacking. When in the suit, he just doesn't have the larger-than-life presence that Superman exudes. Also, his Superman has too much Clark still in it. The only time where he does a decent Superman is on the plane where he tells the passangers about the statistics of flying. Great writing and decent performance. But again, he also looks too young and too small-framed to be a great Superman. Perhaps the next outing he will be better....?

* Singer does a good job setting up scenes, character interactions and structuring the movie itself - lots of parallels throughout.

* The 1st Half was quite good. But by midway, it takes a nosedive down and becomes slow and abit boring. The ending is very anti-climatic.

* Overall, its a good MOVIE, but not a very good Superman movie.

* Ratings:
A Movie: B+
Clark Kent Movie: B
Superman Movie: B-/C+
Overall: B


CHARACTERS:
* Lex Luthor: Kevin Spacey did a great job building upon the Gene Hackman version and adding some revenge and ruthfullness, while still keeping the fun campiness of that version.

* Parker Posey: I LOVED her in this! She's a combo of Miss Teschmacher and Otis. Sorry to see their absensce, but their spirits were both alive in Kitty.

* Daily Planet and Staff: Chief, Jimmy, the Planet, the feel - all great!

* Lois: Bosworth didn't bother me that much, surprisingly. She didn't screw it up, but she also didn't really bring anything to the character. Also, I never felt why Superman would love her - and that's essential. I will say that I pleased that Superman and Lois did NOT get together at the end. I expected her to dump Cyclops, who was a good guy, and go for Supes. This was nice. Besides, Superman doesn't get the girl in the end. That's not the character. Superman saves the day.

* The Fiance: He was great. They never made him out to be the chump boyfriend. He's likable and you see that there's a certain type of man Lois goes for. Also, it was cool to finally see Cyclops do something! heh

* Superbaby: Ugh. Don't like it. If this was to be the LAST Superman movie, then ok I could swallow it. But this is the first outing with likely sequels to come. They've painted themselves into a crappy corner. Also, let me point out that in the 60+ years of Superman history, they've had some stupid stuff before (SuperDog, SuperCat, SuperMonkey, SuperHORSE....) and yet they've never done the SuperBaby thing - there's a reason for this. However, the kid they got to play the role was great.

PROBLEMS & NITPICKS:
* Lois takes her 5yr old son onto a stranger's yaht? WTF? Mother of the Year she is not. It was forcing the plot along. This was the point where the movie took the turn downward.

* Superman peeping in on Lois? No. If anything, he should NOT have been in the suit when doing it. Clark, ok. Superman? Blasphemy.

* Superman and Clark are from Kansas....and from a place in Kansas that is the heartland, mom's apple pie, just a good ole farm boy. He is NOT Metrosexual. And that is a large reason why the SUPERMAN aspect didn't work.

* The climax is barely there. I wanted something like the plane save but amped up!!

* Not all crystals turn into huge kryptonian structures when they touch water. That ONE did in Superman I, and that was its purpose. Come on now.

* Superman didn't lock the doors on the Fortress of Solitude?

* Superman in the hospital.... ok, fine...but don't show him in the bed...just didn't work on so many levels. And Superman would have atleast left a thank you note to the doctors - he's Superman.

* Superbaby: Already covered this.

* There's more, but I'm tired.