Film Review: Superman Returns

"I hear everything. You wrote that the world doesn't need a savior, but every day I hear people crying for one." - Brandon Routh

Approximately nineteen years since the last Superman films, Superman returns with loads of flash and style! Mirroring the original Richard Donner film, Superman Returns starts off with a magnificent opening credits scene, featuring those same 3D blue letters flying at you across imaginative stellar backdrops. With modern effects, Superman's feats became truly epic and awe-inspiring. Among the film's highlights, the Man of Steel saves a crashing airplane, deals with dozens of problems when Metropolis suffers an earthquake, and in one defining scene, he lifts a huge chunk of planet Krypton out of the sea and heaves it into space.

In between the fun action scenes, the film suffers some slight drag. There is still a fair amount of comedy involved, but it's never as campy as the last four films. For the most part, this was probably the most earnest Superman movie at the time of its release. It's largely admirable, but it also feels a little stilted in a way.

Most fans have been outraged over certain creative decisions regarding the story. I can't deny that I've always been put off by the film's portrayal of Lois Lane, who continues to be rather daft, but not with the silly charm that she had before; this Lois makes dumb decisions, and drags her kid along with her. That's right, she has a kid now too. And there is a certain something about this kid that never sat right with audiences either. Superman himself remains quiet, almost creepily so, especially when he uses his X-ray vision to spy on Lois. Lex Luthor returns with yet another outlandish real estate scheme.

Despite these complaints, the story had a few great strengths of it own. The film boldly explores Superman as an outsider, and the film bears many fantastic scenes that emphasize who he really is. That scene where he floats in space and listens to the sounds of the city, or that shot where he holds up the Daily Planet globe, and that part where he flies above the clouds and soaks in the power of the sun, are all big, epic, character-defining moments. A few good flashbacks regarding Superman's past, and some really fun throwbacks to the first pair of films, give the film a little more depth as well. I also feel that the last act, with Superman literally struggling against a piece of his own homeworld, is thematically interesting.

This film has some excellent photography, with lots of interesting angles and movements. Editing is solid. Acting is not bad for what it is: I didn't mind Brandon Routh as Superman, and Kevin Spacey has a lot of fun as Lex Luthor. I never liked Kate Bosworth as Lois Lane though. Writing is generally not bad. This production uses some good, slick-looking sets, props, costumes, and special effects; it's especially cool to see that they all match up with the original films too. Even though John Ottman's music score uses the same themes as John Williams, he also provides a lot of good original compositions as well.

4/5 (Entertainment: Good | Story: Pretty Good | Film: Good)