brilliantbrown

8 of 10 Stars

Okay. I just got back from the cinema. Having just seen Brian Singer’s vision for the [Man of Steel][sR], I’ll try to record my first impressions of [Superman Returns][sR] here.

I love comics, but I’m not really a Superman fan. This movie’s strongest point, I think, is that it pays tremendous homage to the original [Superman][s1] and [Superman II][s2] rather than trying translate the comic verbatim. From the opening credits, you get the classic Mobile Superman Theme Music with trumpets blaring and laser light show typography from the originals. I was excited… I felt like a kid again! Toss in a shot or two of Superman green screened over a helicopter shot of NY and I’m good to go!

**Let me just say that Kevin Spacey’s Lex Luthor is brilliant!** Near the beginning of the film, he’s funny, but appropriately so. As the film progresses, Spacey takes the character to darker places and make Luthor a menacing villain. This film is a true sequel to the earlier films meaning that Spacey’s Luthor is the same man as the Luthor in Superman 1 & 2, but with a darker side. *(note: Gene Hackman played Lex Luthor in the original Superman as kind of buffoonish.)*

Brandon Routh does an awesome job as Supes, too. He’s believably awkward as Clark Kent (like a lighthearted [Willard](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0310357/)), yet warm and confident as Superman. Something about him seems a bit alien and not quiet right though. He’s a little too perfect, and it’s a little discomforting, But I think that works well for this Superman by accenting his separation from mortal man.

I don’t want to get all fanboy on ya, but there are a few plot twists that are just kinda weird. You’ll find no spoilers here, but let us just say that there’s a major revelation about the “Last Son of Krypton” during the film that doesn’t happen anywhere in the comics. I understand that all comic book movies happen outside the continuity of the comics, but this just seems like too big of a departure to me. This jarred my SoD and had me thinking too hard about the repercussions of this twist for the rest of the film, rather than just enjoying the movie.

My biggest complaint is about the length of the film. I understand this is a film about character development, but many parts of this film just felt dull and slow. This film clocks in at just over 2.5 hours long… that’s Lord of the Rings kinda long. **Unfortunately, by the end of the film, the excitement that was built in the beginning had died and I found myself looking at my watch and wishing this movie were 30 minutes shorter.**

A few things that I thought were weird and I’m out:

+ It’s kinda creepy that Superman uses his powers to basically stalk Lois near the beginning of the film in a Big Blue Brother way.

+ Superman’s shoes are just weird in a way that I can’t begin to describe.

+ James Marsden will forever be Cyclops to me, regardless of what movie he’s in.

+ There are several almost overt parallels drawn in imagery and in dialog between Superman and **Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ**^TM.

[s1]: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078346/ “Superman (1978) on IMDB”
[s2]: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0081573/ “Superman II (1980) on IMDB”
[sR]: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0348150/ “Superman Returns on IMDB”