Directed by:
Bryan SingerCinematography:
Newton Thomas SigelComposer:
John OttmanCast:
Brandon Routh, Kate Bosworth, Kevin Spacey, James Marsden, Parker Posey, Frank Langella, Sam Huntington, Eva Marie Saint, Kal Penn, James Karen, Stephan Bender (more)VOD (5)
Plots(1)
Adventure sequel set after the events of Superman II. After eliminating General Zod and the other Kryptonian arch-villains, Ursa and Non, Superman (Brandon Routh) leaves Earth to search for his former home planet, Krypton. When he arrives he finds nothing but remnants and returns to Earth. Upon his return, he finds a Metropolis that doesn't need him anymore. Lois Lane (Kate Bosworth) is engaged to a relative of his boss (James Marsden), and to make matters worse, his arch-nemesis Lex Luthor (Kevin Spacey) has contrived a plot to build a continent using the crystals of Krypton that will wipe out most of North America. Superman must again race against time to stop the psychopathic Luthor before it's too late. (Warner Bros. Home Entertainment)
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Reviews (10)
Surprisingly moderate and quite monotonous for Bryan Singer’s standards, without any significant deviations in both style and plot. However, one cannot deny its clearly visible openness and honesty, which impresses the viewer from the very first minute. The action sequences are almost perfectly filmed – the scene with the airplane is thrilling – but the colossal budget is difficult to understand. Perhaps the missing element of realism is bothersome, it is not present even in terms of the protagonist’s characteristics, but it also applies to the setting where he appears. The airplane they call a Boeing 777 is actually not that, a 4G speed would tear it apart immediately, whereas here it comfortably continues to fly. This is just a fraction of the gigantic nonsense this film has. But if you are willing to accept that and the shots of the embracing couple against the backdrop of the night city do not cause any problems (rather the opposite), you will thoroughly enjoy this movie.
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The return of the prodigal son. The familiar graphical rendering of the opening credits gives us a hint as to how Singer approached this comic-book legend: with respect. His revived Superman is a labyrinth of references in which viewers who are not familiar with the previous films or the comic book will get lost, but which fans of the Man of Steel will be delighted again and again as they discover previously unexplored recesses. Singer builds on what others have said and adds in what has been omitted (how Clark learned to fly). He quotes lines, situations and even whole scenes (also from non-Superman films, of course; 2001: A Space Odyssey, Batman and The Shining came to my mind). Superman Returns is both a compilation of previously utilised motifs and a reflection on the transformations that the sub-genre of comic-book adaptations has undergone since its inception. The temporal distribution of the allusions contained in the film is extraordinarily ambitious. The Art Deco design of the interiors and the villains’ costumes refer back to the distant time before the first Superman films directed by Donner, i.e. to the time when Superman was created in comic-book form. Superman Returns works as an autonomous, narratively unified film only with major reservations. The abandonment of conventional exposition and the presentation of the characters and their objectives in the process forces us to become more actively involved, to frequently ask questions (is this the first time that Luthor finds himself in Superman’s Fortress of Solitude, or is it a reprise of the scene from the director’s cut of Superman II?) and formulate hypotheses. We get a certain intellectual gratification from gradually figuring out where we are in the Superman universe, but that is not enough for a whole film. We can marvel at the style, which is admirably pure even in the context of the plot’s unoriginality. Singer abandoned campy exaggeration (though he still has a tendency to engage in it: Luthor is still an overgrown man-child, Lois still swoons at tense moments). The shots are colourful (and their intentional non-realism is underscored by the obsessively symmetrical compositions), but they are coloured in darker hues than before. The more serious stylisation suits Luthor in particular, who in Kevin Spacey’s hedonistic portrayal is not merely an unhappy nobody, but a serious terrorist threat (and an illustration of what could happen if the wrong guy plays God). How else could it be in a post-9/11 Superman movie that exploits (rather than critically reflects) the revival of interest in real American heroes, who’s essence is personified by Kal-El? Despite its darker tone, Singer’s attempt to resuscitate the superhero myth by picking and choosing from the best of Superman is not intended to be revisionist, but liberating and comforting entertainment. If I may say so based on my own experience, you will enjoy Superman Returns more the warmer your relationship is to this man who – even after being in existence for eight decades – has yet to understand that a cape is only good for being sucked into and pulverised by an aircraft engine. I still enjoy his wonderful guilelessness. 80%
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Superman is back at last... But Singer didn’t manage to take his dream project up to the very peak. You can see how meticulous he is throughout the movie, lots of things and shots are references to Donner’s movie, which is really nice to see, but still falls a little short of perfection. God knows what it is, but somehow it spoils the overall watching experience. Maybe my standards are a little too high after seeing Spider-Man and X-Men , but Superman simply isn’t such an interesting character and part of his fame is based on nostalgia (at the beginning I had difficulty holding back my tears when I heard Williams’ “Superman Theme" thundering away ;) But in any case, Superman Returns is a great movie, with superb special effects and excellent acting performances (Brandon Routh is a flawless Superman and an even better Clark Kent, Kate Bosworth as Lois wasn’t nearly as disruptive as I had expected and Kevin Spacey makes an even better Luthor than Hackman), but it just isn’t as good as it could have been.
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A comic-book romance at a cost of 260 million dollars? In relation to today’s Spider-Man and X-Men movies, shifting focus from dynamics and action to a love motif is a very bold move in a 150-minute film. Superman Returns doesn’t conceal the fact that it’s a different kind of comic-book movie, but viewers longing for an exciting adventure won’t care about that. Brandon Routh is cool, but the cloying Kevin Spacey comes across as a caricature in his fascist jackboots and thus doesn’t inspire respect. I wasn’t bored by this film, but I would have liked more excitement.
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At the moment when the accident of the trains took place on the screen, I definitively forgave Singer for the great heartache in the form of escaping from my beloved party of mutants. In front of me, an authentic comic drama with elaborate psychology began to unfold slowly but surely, also seamlessly intertwined with two classic first parts. I would really like to have a continuation in this spirit because Routh is a true hero as Kal-El and Kevin Spacey is a perfect bald menace. Moreover, the whole spirit of the film is characterized by the fact that Superman returns only as a prologue to potential sequels. However, as much as Singer played this part brilliantly, the audience does not hear it, and therefore neither do the producers. And that's why this nostalgic (although quite selfish towards new viewers) way of continuing the legend remained just a blind but subjectively perfect alleyway.
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