SUPERMAN RETURNS **SPOILERS** review thread

[DBN]

The movie was good, not great (which it could have been). They didn't go into enough detail about some of the major story points. Plus, it pretty much requires you to read the prequal comics to fully understand the story.

I don't really agree with you there.  What exactly would you not get or are you assuming the average moviegoer is as stupid as the average voter? :?

I got it, due to reading the Prequal comics and keeping up with the development of the film since Singer signed on. The average movie goer might not.

They should have gone into more detail about these story points, IMO:

1. The Return to Krypton
2. An explanation for Clark's absence.
3. Why Lois knows that Jason is Superman's son but doesn't remember that Clark is Superman.

And while I understand that it's a movie...the notion that Luthor only spent 5 years in jail after instigating a successful nuclear attack on US soil is completly ludicrous...there's a suspension of disbelief and then there's this.

[shazamtd]

I liked "Superman Returns" but it didn't blow me away like the original did. And still does.  
Maybe I'll like it better when I see it again.

[Defender]

I saw it and I thought it was incredible.

 Mind you, I do share a lot of the quibbles that others have brought up, but after nearly twenty years of waiting for a Superman film what could have possibly lived up to our exacting expectations? For what this was; a continutation of the Donner films and as a story it was nothing less than phenomenal.

From the moment the lights went down and the DC Comics logo faded and that Williams score flared up I smiled and felt like a kid again. The credits whooshing at us, the passage through space, that Superman March. . .it was bliss.

What was enjoyed:

 -Brandon Routh. The kid has serious chops, I'll give him that. I didn't once think of him as Reeves's successor, merely a continuation of the role that had previously existed in the first two movies. The moment I saw him on screen, I accepted him instantly as Clark/Superman/Kal-El. Simple as that.

 -Kevin Spacey. Ah, Lex. It was great to see him again, a little older, a lot colder, and even bolder than before. The way he put all the peices of his plan together was quite impressive and worthy of 'The Greatest Criminal Mind of Our Time'. Even Superman's return to Earth doesn't throw him off his stride. He simply takes the appropriate steps to counteract the Last Son of Krypton.

 -Jimmy Olsen. I didn't think it was possible, but between this film and All-Star Superman #4 I am converted to the belief that Jimmy Olsen is cool. All he needs is the signal watch and that devil-may-care adventurer mentality Morrison brought to the table and the kid would be Luke to Supes' Han Solo like that

 -The effects. My God, I not only believed a man could fly, I believed he could rend steel, lift an airplane, fly on his back and incinerate glass and put out raging infernos with a breath of air. Say what you will but the majesty of Superman's powers was in full effect with the film.

 -'The Son becomes the Father. . .and the Father the Son. ' Touching moment. Superman searches the stars fearing he's the last, but he comes home to discover he's not alone.

 -Ma Kent's line about how there may be other survivors of Krypton. Why do I sense that throwaway line might indicate Singer has some other plans. . .? Could just be wishful thinking for a Supergirl spinoff, but still.

What didn't thrill:

 -Okay, so Kryptonians didn't believe in locks? Hellooo. . .mind you the arctic cold should be more than a deterent, to say nothing of the harrowing conditions of the ocean, but apparently you can just roll up to Kal-El's northern estate like some people can cruise to 7-11. Might as well have called it the Bungalo of Solitude, because that was no Fortress. How much cooler would it have been to have Lex storm the place and disable MacDuff or the other Superman robots. . .le sigh.

 -Superman's abrupt departure. Okay, so he doesn't leave Lois so much as a Dear Jane letter? That's just cold, even for a guy from an glacial planet. Yeesh kid.

 -Lex's plan. Land again? That's it? You're Lex frickin' Luthor and you're recycling yourself? I'd be out to make the world pay for snubbing my brilliance by using Kryptonian technology to bring the world to its knees, but hey, what do I know.

 
Now all that said, this movie is incredibly cool. Easily a 9 out of 10 and required viewing for any fan of the Man of Steel. It was just so toe-tappingly good to see Superman back, all was forgiven. Now if we could get them to adapt Red Son or Last Son of Krypton. . .glee.  

 -Def.

[Klar Ken T5477]

Speaking of recycling, think "Japoteurs" the Fleischer toon and the space plane finale.

[DoctorZero]

'The Son becomes the Father. . .and the Father the Son. ' Touching moment. Superman searches the stars fearing he's the last, but he comes home to discover he's not alone

Good points;  Superman leaves earth in search for others of his kind--only to find that the answer lies on earth all along.

I agree with Julian;  Luthor's plan makes a lot more sense than those most super villains come up with.  90% of villain returns seem centered on pointless revenge plots.  One would think that after being defeated a dozen times or so they would give up on simple revenge.  Luthor at least had a plan involving not only revenge but getting wealthy as well.

This movie's intent, I believe, was to give audiences a more human Superman.  He leaves earth looking for what, as it turns out, was on earth all along;  he doesn't say goodby because this is painful for him;  he watches Lois at home to see if she's happy, and when he does find this out he goes off, throwing himself into his work as Superman.  

I don't accept the "deadbeat dad" theory because once he knows he intends to be a part of the boys life, as it should be.  

I find that the portrayal of Jimmy Olsen in this picture was the best next to Jack Larson's Jimmy in the Adventures of Superman.  I hope, if they do a sequel, Jimmy becomes a bigger part of the films.

[Super Monkey]

I for one LOVE it!!!! But it wasn't perfect, but it was great.

I got a kick out of the recreation of famous comic covers, action comics No.1 being the oblivious, green car and all

Brandon Routh was a great Superman/Clark Kent, though he might have been perhaps too much like Chris, even his voice!

Kevin Spacey was great as Lex, much more evil than the last movie version, which was more of a Batman TV show villain. This was more like the real Lex Luthor, his fight with Superman recalling the classic Sliver Age story.

Jimmy Olsen was so awesome, I don't even know the name of the actor, because he WAS Jimmy Olsen!

Kate Bosworth looked just like the Golden Age Lois Lane come to life.

The SPX were of course freaking awesome! The best CGI I have ever seen. It never seem too fake like CGI normally does.


As far as the plot, the problem with the plot was that there wasn't enough of it, it was more of lots of super cool iconic scenes with some vague plot thrown in there to string them together.

As far as the kid goes, yes he was really cute, but the film never ever made it clear that he was Superman's actual kid, after all, Green K had no effect on him and the Piano bit, well the boat was rocking so much, Lex didn't think much of it, and he was the 1st to think he might be Superman's. He was never shown with any actual powers not to mention all the health problems he does have, so I guess this will be address in the other films.

It was weird to see Clark drink beer, but beer isn't evil and he wasn't getting drunk or anything, but rather catching up with his pal Jimmy Olsen.

As far as the "plot holes" some mention, as far as Superman not catching up with Lex's scheming until it was too late, you can say he was distracted with the whole Lois bit, also teh movie would had be over a lot sooner

As far as not saving Lois and the kid during all that time, they were not screaming or anything, so how could he had known? Clark could had left and went looking for her but he needed some clue as to where to start.

Dispite some flaws, it was still one heck of a film, I would give this film 4 stars out of 5.

[MatterEaterLad]

Well, I think a lot of people touched on plot strengths and weaknesses pretty well, so...

It was just weird for me to see a film so tied to the original down to the score and see the different actors, it jarred me constantly...

The Daily Planet for all its art deco touches didn't strike me as much as an important destination, and the first movie had at its central charm for me the original set up of golden farm to gritty city and the journey to adulthood (and the broad comedy of a Superman on Earth which I don't mind being played for some laughs)...

I realize a movie needs to meet an audiences expectation of a story line that blends with modern life, but I didn't think the illigitimate son, other man story matched the grandeur and power of such a powerful being -- which by the way was well-done with full power classic Superman style.

I would have liked less on Lois and her boyfriend, and more on what she really thought when she wrote "Why the World Doesn't Need Superman"...with a character this powerful, that's interesting to me...

Overall:

       out of Five

[JulianPerez]

Mind you, I do share a lot of the quibbles that others have brought up, but after nearly twenty years of waiting for a Superman film what could have possibly lived up to our exacting expectations?

Well, to be fair, I've done other things in the past 20 years except wait for a new Superman movie.

Bathe. Go to the bathroom. Stalk Ernest Borgnine...

-The effects. My God, I not only believed a man could fly, I believed he could rend steel, lift an airplane, fly on his back and incinerate glass and put out raging infernos with a breath of air. Say what you will but the majesty of Superman's powers was in full effect with the film.

What was interesting to see was that Superman used so many of his powers. Nowhere, for instance, in the original SUPERMAN did Superman use his heat-vision or superbreath, for instance.

(The sequels made up for this in a big way, with Superman teleporting and tossing cellophane S-shields. And who can forget "Rebuild Great Wall of China-Vision?")

-Ma Kent's line about how there may be other survivors of Krypton. Why do I sense that throwaway line might indicate Singer has some other plans. . .? Could just be wishful thinking for a Supergirl spinoff, but still.

Really, you too, got a sense that's what they're planning? Strange they would call attention to something like that in the middle of the film.

Supergirl would be the most likely candidate for a spin-off, for sure, though as many others have pointed out, she hasn't really had a great series since the sixties (though some of her Marty Pasko and Maggin stories in SUPERMAN FAMILY were great and underappreciated).