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Superman
Returns (2006)
After
years of planning, rescheduling, changing directors, screenwriters and
alleged new Supermen, the superhero above them all finally is back on the
screen. After his successes with
X-Men, there could hardly be a
more suited choice than Bryan Singer to continue/refresh the myth. Last
year, Christopher Nolan both saved and revitalized the legend of Batman
with the best film in the series. The question was if Singer could do the
same to Superman. The
biggest difference between the two films, however, is that what made Batman
Begins so good was to a large degree much the same that
made the movies made about Superman by the two Richards (Donner and
Lester) nearly 30 years ago: A deep look into the character, based around
solid build-ups and the courage to make independent foundations. With Superman
(1978) and Superman
II (1980), Donner and Lester made two different styles
within the same universe (and, remarkably, by using mostly the same film
stock). Their films were original and visually striking, but more
importantly, they were independent and re-defining for the genre and the
Superman character. This is where, unfortunately, Bryan Singer's film
comes short. It has nearly every element required except the ability to be
relevant and needful. It gives fans of the genre and of Superman that feel
of superhero ecstasy, but I suspect it is a short-lived one. This film
won't be considered a milestone in another twenty years. Singer's
perhaps biggest mistake is also very much the viewer's blessing early on:
The film is packed with homages and tribute to both Donner, Lester, the
Salkind family, Christopher Reeve, Gene Hackman and most of the other
elements appearing in the original two films. Delightful as this is, it
also helps distract focus from the film itself, from creating its own
identity. The casting of Brandon Routh has seemingly two motives: to find
an unknown actor to play the role (clever), and to wake Christopher Reeve
from the dead (clever?). That Routh looks practically identical to Reeve
isn't negative, but that he tries to copy Reeve's movement, manners and
speech is a bit disturbing. Still though, Routh's performance is a good
one. Mainly because he has an impressively commanding screen-presence.
There are scenes in which he appears almost god-like, and his compelling
persona almost matches that of Reeve. What he quite can't is make Superman
and Clark Kent as opposing characters as Reeve did, but Routh still is
perhaps the film's best asset. Unfortunately,
the script and plot aren't. Superman returns to earth after a five-year
hiatus. Fair enough. Soon everything is back to normal in Metropolis, even
though Lois Lane has married and has had a kid. Fair enough. Then Lex
Luthor returns with another plan to conquer the world. Only thing is, it's
almost exactly the same plan as Gene Hackman presented in the original,
leaving the Luthor vs. Superman match a pretty unconvincing one. It is
actually downplayed to a degree that we're left wondering if Kevin Spacey
really was needed for this film at all. On the
bright side: Superman Returns is a whole lot of fun. Despite the
downsides, it's still Superman. And he's still the most interesting
superhero around. The CGI effects are at times magnificent – as in the
impressive airplane/baseball ground scene. At this stage, Singer seemed to
be really onto something. The romantic subplot (which threatens to become
the main plot) has some interesting aspects to it (despite Kate Bosworth's
disappointing version of Lois Lane), and Richard White is certainly a more
believable love rival than Brad in Superman III.
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