Superman Returns.
I liked it. I liked it a lot.
In fact, I may have loved it.
Not because it's Superman. In fact, I think Superman is generally a bitch. I'm more of a Batman nerd. But the first Superman movie, the one Donner directed is one of my favorite superhero movies and Bryan Singer matched it in look and tone and character in ways that made me want to piss my pants they were so good.
Brandon Routh actually frightened me, he pulled the part off so well. There were moments when I thought I was watching Christopher Reeve. He channeled that man's spirit and put it on the screen and I will tell you this: He deserves to wear the blue tights.
Frank Langella's Perry White was also a stroke of genius. I really loved him in Polanski's Ninth Gate and was hoping he'd get some more work, and maybe after this he will. The kid who played Jimmy Olsen was fantastic.
I enjoyed the hell out of watching Clark Kent drink a beer.
I don't know. This movie just worked for me. It had the pace of an older film and a lot of people with me bitched about that, but I love it when a director realizes he can take his time with a character. I wish Brett Ratner would have realized he could take some time with the X-Men.
I don't know. There isn't anything about this film I didn't like. I thought it was charming, romantic, action-filled, well-paced, well-acted.... The whole list.
Actually, there was one thing. I wanted an Otis character. Not just an Otis character. I wanted Otis. And maybe, Kitty could have been a "reformed" Miss Tessmocker. I would have killed to hear Kevin Spacey shout "Otis" and "Miss Tessmocker!"
I thought there might have been a better choice for Lois Lane, but I'm not going to complain about Kate Bosworth.
A couple of criticisms my brother had irked me a little and after thinking about them, I think there are logical explanations for them. I'm not calling him an idiot or anything, I'm just saying I can buy them. He thinks I want to explain them away because I think Singer is infallible, but that is certainly not the case.
Spoilers ahead:
1) Superman killed Luthor's henchman: My little brother thought that it was completely out of character for Superman to kill anyone, even by an omission of action, even Luthor or his henchmen. My argument is that Superman has let plenty of people die as collateral damage. Also, the rocks were still growing, there was still lives at risk in Metropolis, which outweighed the plight of Luthor and his henchmen. Next, Superman couldn't have saved them, they would just kick his ass again. Lastly, he knew they had a helicopter.
2) Lois Lane wasn't strong enough. I think to a degree this is true, but my argument is that five years is a long time and people change. She seemed pretty strong to me when she jumped into the water to save Kal-El.
3) Superboy was lame. My argument is that shit like this happens in comics all the time. Why can't the movie set a precedent in continuity once in a while? And besides, the movie universe is obviously different than the comic one. I was fine with Jason being Kal's. It didn't bother me at all.
Basically, I think this was an amazing chick-flick wrapped up in Superman's cape and it works.
I'm going to go see it at least a few more times, and this is one of the few movies this year that has compelled me to want to do so.
So, go see it, and let me know what you thought.
7 comments:
Wow Bryan... for the first time in our long time knowing eachother... I actually agree with you (slmost) word for word on a movie opinion of yours...
I bought the whole thing...
The only thing I would have wished different was if they lead me to believe the Jason was Superman's son... but instead of telling me so, just save the answer until the next film... leave me with one more strong question... so i have even more to look forward to...
p.s I loved the christ allegories
I think I tend to lean towards your brothers feelings.. I thought it was a good movie, and quite frankly it wasn't as screwed up as I thought it would be.. Lois wasn't strong enough..granted it has been 5 years, but I don't think it should have made her soft. I think the whole now the dad becomes the son and the son becomes the dad thing was taken a bit far... I got it with the hint.. And I don't think it carried the same suspense as the old supe movies... I will say that Spacey Played an amazing LEX.. I loved that.. Other than that I would rate the whole show as an "I am glad I experienced it in the theatres, but... probably won't rush out to see it twice..
my two cents.
I loved the movie. At first I was skeptical about it and even bothered that they were using the old Superman look and themes. That quickly changed. I couldn't believe how excited I got the first time Clark was becoming Superman. The kid inside me was going nuts. I wouldn't have wanted any other music accompanying it.
Superman telling Lois and the others about the safety of flying was perhaps the clincher. THAT WAS SUPERMAN.
She seemed pretty strong to me when she jumped into the water to save Kal-El.
I actually busted out laughing when she jumped in. I was expected some dramatic swan dive into the water (as her boyfriend cyclops later did). Instead she totally jumped in like a girl.
Superboy was lame. My argument is that shit like this happens in comics all the time.
From what I understand, they have three movies planned. I'm pretty sure this is an element that they are intentionally planning on playing out.
I loved the christ allegories
I was surprised how deep they went. They even did the whole dying for humanity and resurrecting .
I just thought someone needed to completely disagree with you. Superman was lame. I waited the whole time for something new to happen and nothing did.
The best part was the piano death, cause someone finally died.
The best actors were Kevin Spacey and Parker Posey. As long as they were on the screen it was fun.
I can agree with the fact that the spirit of the old movies was caught. They still have a boring Lois Lane. They still have long drawn out scenes that get nowhere. They still pull out kryptonite. Ug I can't contiunue.
But I am glad they got Reeve jr. to play Superman.
I just saw the film today and really enjoyed it. I have two problems with the film -- While Kate Bosworth is quite beautiful to look at, she's WAY to young to play a woman who's had a successful career for several years and a 5 year old son. Everytime I saw her on screen, I kept thinking that she was about 23 years old. I found out after seeing the film that she was 22 when it was filmed. I haven't seen Parker Posey in enough films to know if she could do the character, but to me she had more of the Lois look (with the exception of her hair)than Kate Bosworth.
My other problem with the film was with the scenes in the arctic. I don't think that arctic has that much ice anymore . . .
Other than that, loved it. I felt like I was 10 years old all over again seeing Superman II on the big screen when it first opened.
I also loved the late 30s-early 40s stylized look to everything. Even though there are computers, cel phones and digital cameras, the look is very classic and will end up being more timeless than the older Superman movies.
Anyone who "loved" this movie has been duped. A regurgitated, lifeless and sentimental piece of nostalgic crap. Superman didn't even throw a single punch you mealy mouthed suckers. Where are your standards?
Just my humble opinion.
I've always preferred the first Superman movie, the rest of movies are no so good, only add a lot of stupid things ( just lack to see Superman buying viagra online ) that destroy the original movie and its content.
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