Director: Bryan Singer
Venue: theater
Starring: Bryan Singer, Kate Bosworth, Parker Posey
Trailer
Neko's Rating:
Plot: 3 stars
Acting: 3 stars
Action: 3 stars
CGI: 4 stars
Dialogue: 3 stars
Review:
So they finally made another Superman movie, eh? There seems to be a rash of superhero movies being released lately. I’d be curious to know what Christopher Reeves thinks of the new guy. Naturally, the new film will be compared to it’s prequels by reviewers, audiences, and pop media. There will be no exception here.
The movie opens with Superman’s return to Earth after a long quest to find the remains of his home planet, Krypton. While he was away, the rest of the world has been going about its business, especially Lois Lane (Kate Bosworth). She’s got a new man and a son in tow, as well as a Pulitzer Prize she earned for her article entitled, “Why the world doesn’t need Superman”. Uh oh, looks like someone is bitter. The plot of the film centers around two issues: the relationship between Lois and Superman (Bryan Singer) and Lex Luthor‘s new plan to drown a large portion of the U.S. So, what else is new?
Now, let’s pick this sucker apart. Plot. Watching a Superman movie is much like watching an episode of Scooby Doo or Sailor Moon. The same thing basically happens in each one. I think I can excuse this movie’s lack of originality in light of the fact that it’s been so long since the previous film. New audiences need to be with the way the writers kept the continuity of the story line intact. Lex Luthor is out of prison and I love the explaination of why he was released. Sure, Superman brings the baddies in, but does he ever appear in court? Good point. I also enjoyed the fact that Lois’s new fella isn’t an unlikeable replacement. Otherwise, it would be easy to hate him and begrudge Lois for making poor choices. Lane also has a son and he seems to be the only one to notice the similarity between Clark Kent and the Man of Steel. I have one question though. The way I understand it, Kryptonite is part of Superman’s home planet. So, shouldn’t exposure to Kryptonite make him just like a normal guy? If that’s true, why does he always get his ass kicked when his powers are taken away? I mean, the guy is pretty buff to begin with. Shouldn’t he be able to fight like a really buff human could?
Acting. My favorite casting choice is the new Lex Luthor. I’m not going to mention who the new actor is, but I never thought anyone could replace Gene Hackman as the arch nemesis. I was pleasantly surprised! The part is played with just as much villany, but not as much goofy. In fact, the new Luthor seems to be a lot better at planning than before. His sidekick is played by Parker Posey. I’m not her biggest fan. Think “Blade Trinity” without the fangs (literally and figuratively). Bryan Singer does, in fact, make a good Superman/Kent. He’s got the strong jaw, trademark curl, and sparkling smile required for the job. Oh, and he doesn’t look bad in tights either. I think Singer does a good job and I hope he doesn’t get too much flack for trying to fill Reeve’s costume. How about Lois Lane? No, I can’t say that I’m happy with Kate Bosworth as a replacement. Visually, I think she’s too manly and she comes off as a complete bitch during the entire film. Margot Kidder needn’t loose sleep over her status as the best Lois ever.
Action. For the most part, the action flows nicely in Superman Returns. Aside from the first half hour or so, there aren’t any long periods of boredom. I don’t have any complaints about the camera angles or the choreography. There weren’t any scenes that had me at the edge of my seat either.
CGI. Obviously, a superhero movie in this day and age is going to be chock full of special effects. Although they weren’t particularly astounding, I think they were relatively seamless and believeable. My favorite CGI scene is when Lois and family are rescued from the sinking ship. I think it was more the style in which it’s done, rather than the graphics particularly, but it was cool nonetheless.
Dialogue. The dialogue, like the action, was well done, but not fantastic. I don’t remember any moment where I laughed out loud at any of the comedy. I also can’t recall any lines that would make a good tattoo. However, I don’t think I moaned in disgust either. So-so.
In summary, I definitely recommend going to see Superman Returns. It’s fun and worth what I paid for admission to see it on the big screen. Fans of the old movies won’t be disappointed. However, if you’re unfamiliar with the Superman saga, you might want to bone up with some rentals first.
Alternate viewing choice: Spiderman 2
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IMDB Site
Rotten Tomatoes review
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