The Imagination of Fantasy

SUPERMAN RETURNS - THOUGHTS UPON VIEWING (SOME SPOILERS)

It took me a few days, but I finally saw Superman Returns.  I'll reiterate that I was really scared because I love the first Superman with Christopher Reeve and to a slightly lesser extent Superman II (but not III and IV, they were lame).  I thought it was-risky-to remake Superman again not too long after Mr. Reeve passed, and, really, I feel like no one else can play Superman as well.  Dean Cain sure couldn't do it.  And Tom Welling is good, but he's playing teen Superman, so it's not really comparing apples to apples.

First off, Brandon Routh allayed all of my fears.  He was EXCELLENT.  He played Superman with much deference and similarity to Christopher Reeve while still making the character his own.  Plus, he's got piercing blue eyes, which is very important.  So, that fear was quelled.

And Kevin Spacey as Lex Luthor?  Shut up!  He was outstanding.  Then again, he almost always is.  He was a bit more subtle than Gene Hackman, but I thought he did a fine job.  Maniacal, sure.  Insane evil genius, sure.  But...more subtle.  Not subtle outright...just more subtle than Gene Hackman.

The weakest character portrayal was Kate Bosworth as Lois Lane.  She wasn't bad, but she wasn't good either.  It could have been the way the character was written, but she just didn't have that spark that Lois Lane needs.  She was spunky but kind of flat, I felt.  Lovesick to be sure, but, well...

The thing I most want to talk about is the biggest spoiler to the whole movie.  There is a major plot point to this movie that is both heartwarming but also creates several flaws for me.  I mean, in total, the movie was good.  Bryan Singer made the film something of an homage to Superman I, using the Marlon Brando sequences (some from the Director's Cut of the first) and lifting lines for the characters to repeat ("I hope this doesn't put you off of flying...it's still, statistically speaking, the safest way to travel").  He even had the scorer use John Williams' core themes, including the entire opening sequence and the same graphics for the credits.

It was also an homage to the character as a character, and as a man.  There were lots of slomo shots of Superman in flight, saving people, in flight in space, stopping bullets, in flight.  His cape billowed in the wind, while his trademark curl stayed perfectly in place.  Still a marvel.  Oh, and he took Lois on another ride.

The basic plot was new and different...which I won't spoil.

The biggest thing in the plot, though, blew open a ton of holes and questions.  It made me feel like there should've been a movie before this movie, to explain more why Superman left and what happened just prior to him leaving...anyone know what I'm talking about?  My biggest issue: this plot thing happened, but Lois still doesn't know that Clark is Superman?  Wha????

Still, I think the movie will be mine someday.  And I'm sure they've left sequel possibilities wide open.

Anyone else seen it who wants to comment?

Re: SUPERMAN RETURNS - THOUGHTS UPON VIEWING (SOME SPOILERS)

This is a difficult one to really pull off.

You are making a new Superman movie following Superman II (ignoring the fact that Superman III & IV were ever made), having to ignore some of the plot points that have come out in Smallville, and have to be very careful to not "upstage" Reeves in his most beloved role, while still creating an exciting enough and important enough plot to capture a wide audience (and try to recoup the $260M production cost).

So some natural suspension of disbelief is necessary, but I agree that Lois Lane’s continuing ignorance of Superman’s true identity is a bit difficult to comprehend and accept. Especially when the “thing” LL does makes him go to the “place” and ….. it’d be sure nice if there was a way to obscure plot sensitive points that readers could turn on or off at their choice ( have to think about that one ……).

Re: SUPERMAN RETURNS - THOUGHTS UPON VIEWING (SOME SPOILERS)

I agree with you there.  I was willing to suspend that disbelief, though...  I think anyone who does will be quite pleased.  I mean, let's face it.  III and IV should be ignored; they were awful, so awful that I will never buy them, even though I own the first two.  Though I did read somewhere that the filmmakers kind of wanted to ignore Smallville because Smallville has taken many liberties of its own, so the two don't really overlap.  I mean, at some point Smallville is going to have to resolve the friends turned enemies relationship of Clark and Lex and the oil and water turned soulmates relationship of Clark and Lois (and get rid of Lana already, sheesh).  So, there were too many complications to marry those two interpretations.

Still, I think we need a different sequel, a prequel to this movie, to tell more of the romance side and about Supe's sudden interest in trying to find his homeland.  Because at the end of Superman II, Clark/Superman gives Lois that mesmerizing kiss that wipes her memory clean of knowledge of his true identity.  Yet, somehow, according to this film, there were many connections, apparently, between the two, and some astronomer's random supposed discovery of Krypton, such that Clark jumps aboard a spaceship and sails for galaxies beyond only to find that, yup, it was actually blown to bits.  I really felt like I missed some steps to make that suspension of disbelief complete.

Anyone else seen the flick and want to comment?

Re: SUPERMAN RETURNS - THOUGHTS UPON VIEWING (SOME SPOILERS)

it was o.k.
i didnt care for the superman-has-a-son thing.
thought that was kinda cheesy.
loved kevin spacey as lex tho.

Re: SUPERMAN RETURNS - THOUGHTS UPON VIEWING (SOME SPOILERS)

Ok, I was having a talk with my sister last night, who is obsessed with this movie, and she raised interesting details that now put the whole Supe has a kid without Lois knowing who he is thing into perspective.  I forgot some details from II that made all the difference.

Singer acknowledged Superman II, right?  Well, I forgot (because I watched the movie long before Returns came out) that when Superman/Clark turns mortal/human in the Fortress of Solitude, because apparently he can't be in love with a human and not be human himself, Clark and Lois spend the night together in the FOS in II.  I mean, we see them waking up in each other's arms without clothes on.  And then, of course, Lois, who knew he was Clark at that point, had her memory wiped clean at the end of the movie with his kiss.

In Returns, my sister pointed out, even Lois seems surprised that the kid takes after Supe, though I'd have to watch it again to see that.  But, at least that makes sense now.  There was no courtship really.  There was that night and then back to square one and then Lois was pregnant.  She must've started dating the nephew (Cyclops) very soon after.

Now that this hangup is gone, I want to see it again.  Or, I could just wait for the DVD.

Re: SUPERMAN RETURNS - THOUGHTS UPON VIEWING (SOME SPOILERS)

You know that I agree that Kate was the weakest link.  Most of the cast members were amazing, really.  I mean Brandon as Superman was so right on it was scary.  Lex Luthor was never done better as done by Kevin Spacey (I didn't like the comedic sleaze done by Gene).  I think that the guy who played Jimmy Olsen was very funny and really got what he was doing.  Parker, though nothing like any girlfriend of lex's I've ever seen, did what she does best (I love her).  The only complaint really would be Lois.   

Lois didn't come across determined or particularly talented.  She was kind of milk toast for Lois Lane.  From the moment I first saw her, I thought "This is Lois?"  Ultimately it didn't effect what I thought of the movie, though it definitely affected what I thought of Lois Lane.