DVD Review: Superman Returns
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::Movie review
I know that the primary purpose of this site is DVD reviews, but I wanted to take a moment to give some thoughts about Superman Returns. Rarely has a film experience lived up to, and even surpassed, the expectations I had for it.
First, some background. For me, there are three films that I distinctly remember from my childhood. By that, I mean that I can remember everything about my experiences with them, from the drive to the theater, to the taste of the popcorn, to even where I sat in the theater (in the case of one, where I was in the drive-in lot). Those three films are, Star Wars (6 years old), Close Encounters of the Third Kind (6 years old), and Superman: The Movie (7 years old).
I know that there are many other films that I saw in my childhood, but those are the three that I remember vividly. I remember the line stretching around the block for Star Wars. I remember sitting in the car for hours coming back from the drive-in after Close Encounters, because the draw bridge got stuck in the up position and all of us movie-goers sat helpless in our cars while they fixed it. I remember spending weeks convincing my mother that I wouldn't be like those other "stupid" kids who jumped out of windows after watching Superman, because they thought they could fly.
The reason I bring this up is because those three films are what shaped my love of movies. I have seen each of them dozens of times, and yet I can still sit down and watch any of them all the way through again and not consider it time wasted. Coming from a childhood that I didn't much enjoy, they remain some of my few good experiences.
Therefore, I had no small measure of trepidation when I heard that a new Superman film had entered production. Not only is the Superman character an American icon – a modern day myth and legend, but I am forever biased toward Superman: The Movie. In my mind, Christopher Reeve owned that part more than anyone else ever has or ever will.
Still, the new film was being handled by Bryan Singer, a director who knows how to tell a good story. After all, this was the guy who managed to take what many thought was an entirely un-filmable comic franchise, the X-Men, and spin two really good movies out of it.
So I resisted passing early judgment.
There came a moment, well before the film's release, when I knew beyond any shadow of a doubt that Superman was in the right hands. That moment was a fleeting scene during the teaser trailer. It is a crowd shot, with the camera well above, looking down. The crowd is not really doing much. No one is pointing. No one is screaming. No one is moving. They are simply all silently looking up in awe. That small moment told me all I needed to know about whether or not Superman was in the right hands. It told me that Singer “got it,” that he too would have been standing in that crowd, looking up at the sky.
Superman Returns is nearly a direct sequel to Superman II. A pre-credit prologue informs us that astronomers discovered the remains of the planet Krypton. Following this news, Superman vanishes from the planet Earth so that he can verify the planet’s destruction and, hopefully, find other survivors from his home world. He has been gone for 5 years.
After the familiar march of credits (oh, it was amazing to hear that John Williams score filling the theater in surround sound), Superman (Brandon Routh) returns to Earth. More specifically, he returns to Smallville to recuperate from his trip and to reacquaint himself with the world. He discovers that things have become more violent than before, but that people have also learned to live without a god-like savior to watch over them.
The head of the Superman anti-fan club is, surprisingly, Lois Lane (Kate Bosworth). Having been so close to the Man of Steel, she was perhaps the most hurt by his unexpected, and unannounced, departure and she harbors bitter resentment. This is expressed by her Pulitzer Prize winning article, “Why the world doesn’t need Superman.” Further complicating matters is the fact that Lois now has both a child and a fiancé.
Also none too happy to witness the return of the caped wonder is Lex Luthor (Kevin Spacey), who has recently been released from prison (in an ironic touch, Luthor was released from prison on a technicality because Superman wasn’t available to testify as a character witness) and swindled a massive fortune from a dying old woman. Luthor has had only one thing on his mind for the past 5 years: revenge. Using his new wealth, he quickly journeys to Superman’s Fortress of Solitude, where he learns some of the secrets of Krypton technology and begins to devise a plot to not only realize his dream of becoming a tyrannically powerful land baron, but also to destroy Superman in the process.
The basic premise of Superman Returns is simple, but the vast sea of emotions at play make the film very complex. While the world in general quickly re-embraces their flying hero, those most important to Superman cause him the greatest anxiety. He desperately wants to reconnect with Lois, and seeing her living a new life is a personal catastrophe that not even his great powers can touch. This is a super hero movie that isn’t just about being a thrill ride, and the film is all the more rich for it.
To say that I had high expectations for Superman Returns would be a grave understatement. To say that the film exceeded those expectations would also be an understatement. Bryan Singer has managed an almost unthinkable task. He has paid the most perfect tribute to the original Superman film that one could possibly imagine, but he has also updated and reinvigorated the character to fit modern sensibilities.
Some might argue that this film is a little too much like Richard Donner’s efforts. In my mind, that’s a little like complaining that all of the James Bond films (with all of their various directors, writers and even actors) are too much alike. Donner set the tone and created the cinematic world for the Superman films. If Singer’s version is similar in style, it is only because it is meant to fit within that franchise.
Most surprising to me was the performance by Brandon Routh. As I said at the beginning of this review, Christopher Reeve owns the role of Superman and I had a very hard time envisioning anyone else in those blue tights. To his credit, Routh sports the “S” shield with natural ease. He doesn’t just try to mimic Reeve’s performance, but rather references it and makes the part his own. Despite Clark Kent not getting nearly enough screen time, Routh proves that he can capably juggle both Superman and Kent.
For all of this gushing, I do have a few nitpicks with Superman Returns, and I do question how the situation with Lois Lane’s son will be handled in the future. However, all of my gripes are minor and in no way detract from sheer entertainment value of this film. If it was Warner’s intent to kick start a new franchise, then all I can hope for is that Singer, Routh, Bosworth and Spacey are all on board for many more sequels. I’ll buy my tickets now.
::Video
Details pending the DVD release.
::Audio
Details pending the DVD release.
::Special Features
Details pending the DVD release.
::Bottom Line
Since I began running this DVD review site several years ago, I have rarely had the chance to see movies in the theater. I just don't have the time, what with stacks of discs theatening to bury me in a DVD avalanche. Having said that, I'm glad that I not only saw Superman Returns in the theater, but I fairly certain I'll go see it a few more times before it departs for DVD land. My recommendation to you is to go see it in the theater. Then pre-order the DVD.
Buy the Ultimate Superman Collection at Amazon.com
| Movie |  |
4.5 / 5 |
| Video | |
Pending |
| Audio | |
Pending |
| Extras | |
Pending |
| Family Friendly | |
3.5 / 5 |
| The action in Superman Returns is much more intense than previous films in the franchise, but not nearly on the same level as, say, Batman Begins. For the most part, this one is pretty safe for the kids. | ||
| Overall | |
4.5 / 5 |
- Robert Wurth, ©2006
::Technical Specs
Studio:
Warner
Year of Theatrical Release:
2006
Disc Format:
Details Pending
Image Format:
Details Pending
Aspect Ratio:
Details Pending
Region Encoding:
Details Pending
Sound Format:
Details Pending
Running Time:
154 minutes
Director:
Bryan Singer
Stars:
Brandon Routh, Kevin Spacey, Kate Bosworth, James Marsden, Frank Langella, Parker Posey
MPAA Rating:
PG-13
Disc Supplements:
- Details pending
