Superman Returns (DVD)

It's been a long time since Superman last graced our cinema screens. But now he's back, courtesy of Bryan Singer. And it was well worth the wait.

Wisely deciding to sweep the final two dire movies under the carpet, Singer sets 'Superman Returns' after the events of the second movie. Superman has been away for five years, following up astronomers' claims that Krypton may not have been destroyed after all. But they are wrong, and Superman returns to Earth to discover that things have moved on in his absence - he is shocked to learn that Lois now has a son and a fiance. More importantly, she seems to think that the world doesn't need Superman anymore. Superman's life has just taken a drastic change of direction.

Which is exactly what Bryan Singer intended, taking the legend in an entirely new direction while still managing to honour the original movies. Brandon Routh makes an excellent Superman/Clark Kent, seeming almost uncannily like Christopher Reeve in the role. Kate Bosworth makes a feisty and creditable Lois Lane, yet somehow losing the wackiness that Margot Kidder brought to the role. And Kevin Spacey is excellent as the scheming Lex Luthor, reminding me from time to time of Gene Hackman yet still managing to make the part his own.

'Superman Returns' contains some wonderful and touching tributes to the original movies. Whole chunks of dialogue have been lifted from the first movie and inserted seamlessly into 'Returns', notably Superman's speech to his son. The Kent's farm manages to look so much like the original that I wonder if it was actually filmed on the same set! And the opening credits - a superfast journey from Krypton to Earth - captures the feel of the originals perfectly while bringing them bang up to date.
Yet, for me, the ultimate tribute is Singer's decision to keep John Williams' original score. Hearing the Superman fanfare on screen again after so long actually brought tears to my eyes! Alright, so sue me, I'm a softie!

The special effects are exactly what you'd expect from a movie of this calibre. The plane crash sequence is well worth a mention and, in my opinion, is the best in the whole movie. The rest of the movie just doesn't seem to live up to this first glimpse of Superman in all his glory and the finale seems rather downbeat in comparison. This isn't a criticism, just an observation. I love the movie in its entirety, but I wish the final showdown with Luthor had been as visually stunning as the plane crash scene.

All in all,'Superman Returns' is a fine piece of film-making, and I would like to think that Christopher Reeve would think so too. He made the role his own during his four film outing, but Brandon Routh has proved that he is equal to the task and I, for one, cannot wait for the sequel.

Long live Superman!

So, Superman Returns.
Lets start with the main man himself, the man in the cape, supes himself.
Unfortunately, I never felt that I was watching superman. It kinda felt that I was watching a random film about a hero who had supermans powers. This is no-ones fault, its just that through no fault of his own, Brandon Routh is not Christopher Reeve and Kevin Spacey is not Gene Hackman. The reboot of the Batman Franchise worked I think, because you dont see Batmans face. It is all about his manner. Unfortunately you do see Supermans face and this is its downfall. For 99% of the worlds population, Christopher Reeve is, was and always will be Superman. Superman Returns could of been better if they had made it earlier and followed one of the earlier plot synopses wherein Superman is played by Christopher Reeve after the Doomsday Fight and regenerates ala Dr Who into Brandon Routh. The plot could of followed the graphic novel Superman Lives and actually given Supes a super villain!
6 out of 10