Movie Review: Superman Returns (2006)
Critical Critic: Nashtradomus | Published on: July 13, 2006 |
Filed under: Romance, Fantasy, Action/Adventure
Directed By: Bryan Singer
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Starring: Brandon Routh, Kate Bosworth, Kevin Spacey, James Marsden
IMDB Link: Superman Returns
Movie Trailer:
I want to know what these guys were smoking when they were writing the script for Superman Returns. So what was great about Superman Returns was the possibilities it could have taken with the script. After the beginning credits (which were a great homage to the 70s/80s version of Superman), the whole film went downhill fast.
The man who took this movie must be tried and convicted to the farthest reaches of space for having used such vast assortment of cliches to the point of embarassment and undermining the franchise. The movie starts off with Superman (Brandon Routh) crash landing back into the Kent farm after a five year hiatus. He returns to Metropolis as a reporter at the infamous Daily Planet and hoping to patch things up with Lois Lane (Kate Bosworth). Except that someone should have told him that stranding a girl for five years doesn’t really cut it. She finds a new man (James Mardsen of X Men fame) and has a son. Soon after, Superman has to show up to handle an out of control aircraft and save the day. And yet no one even thinks to suggest that Kent’s return and the Man of Steel around the same is just not co-incidental and little too convinient (But then they are also fooled by a pair of glasses too). Lex Luthor (Kevin Spacey) isn’t too far behind, scheming to end Superman long before he actually returns. This time he goes to the source of his trouble to flush Superman out and destroy him.
By the time we get around to the third act, the plot is so thin, I wouldn’t breathe on it much less skate. The ending is a little too clean for my taste and there’s a heavy handed epilogue that promises even more fun with the next installment. But most importantly what really hits me hard is that Superman is supposed to be an action movie and not some soppy mushy romantic flick. The story is clunky and inherently uninteresting, thanks peeping tom using his super powers to eavesdrop.
The only thing worth mentioning in this movie is Kevin Spacey being Spacey. He essentially tries re-doing the Gene Hackman interpretation from the old movies but goes a tad more darker and serious. The pace of this movie is from flat to none for most parts. Superman Returns flies but does not soar. This movie has great potential but with no energy, fewer emotional scenes and stronger action would truly make this worthy some day.
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About: Nashtradomus Writing movie reviews is beneath me. I do it now and again to remember what it is like to feel like a commoner. |
General Disdain posted a response on: July 14, 2006 | Reply
Well, well, well. Seems for the first time I actually agree with you, Nashtrodamus.
Superman Returns is a major dissapointment. With so much potential at their fingertips, you’d think the writers, producers and the director would have created an action packed movie that everyone and their mothers would be proud of. Instead, after two years of setbacks and rewrites they apparently settled on a movie that would be cheapest to make (it reportedly cost ~$300,000,000 due to all the problems in getting this made).
There was but one good action sequence in this entire movie - the airplane scene. Otherwise, the action was boring and the mushiness of the drama was sickening.
On a side note, I’d love to be as strong as Lois Lane! She survives getting thrown around the out of control plane (wear your seatbelts boys and girls), she survives a boat falling hundreds of feet into icy waters and doesn’t get a bruise while getting her ass kicked by a Luther brute. Incredible!
For once I wish they’d make a superhero movie where the person with super powers embraces them. Has fun with them. Why does it always have to a be tremendous burden?
I’ll go one step further than Nashtrodamus for rating Superman Returns.
DETACON posted a response on: July 18, 2006 | Reply
Boys and Girls. Let’s just say the handsome, perfect hair white guy super hero look is dead. I like superman but this movie sucks more than Superman III did. Terrible death to a great story and a great Hero.
General Disdain posted a response on: July 22, 2006 | Reply
Not sure if I entirely agree with you, DETACON. While I nearly agree Superman Returns was worse than Superman III, I cannot agree with the statement “the handsome, perfect hair white guy super hero look is dead”. I choose to think we can always have more handsome, perfect haired, white guy super heroes. We just need better movie adaptations of them!
DETACON posted a response on: August 2, 2006 | Reply
No disrespect intended. Superman is just to clean. He’s a nerd in this movie. C’mon, you said it yourself; if you had Supermans powers (ex-ray vision, pick up buildings and can fly, Mrs. Lane would be the last trick on your mind! He should take pointers from Spiderman or the Xmen. And change that suit
General Disdain posted a response on: August 2, 2006 | Reply
Agreed, they should spruce Superman up a bit and bring him into the 21st century. His ideals, although commendable, are stuck in the past. I wouldn’t want to see his core goodness changed, just a bit of his nerdiness. If they can liven up Batman and the Hulk (among others), surely they can help the Man of Steel.
MrBlueCN posted a response on: November 24, 2007 | Reply
None of the flaws pointed out in the review (although all perfectly viable) bothered me as much as the obvious breaks in established logic:
Superman cannot go near Kryptonite. Ever. He will lose his powers, slowly die, and turn a color that clashes with his suit.
So to save the world, the will lift several tons if it by hand and fling it to the far ends of the cosmos…