Superman Returns. I hadn't even known they were making another Sup movie until recently, when I read the entire sordid 10-year tale of script after script after script after script (with equal number of directors and writers to boot). What good could come of that, I thought. The trailers were vague, but piqued my interest. See it opening night? Why not...
[Potential spoilers to follow]
I'd seen the first few Superman films ( I luckily missed out on IV) when they hit the theatres way back when, and while I liked them I've never been big into comic books or considered myself a big Superman fan. So the intense giddiness and exhilaration that I felt when the infamous Williams theme began was quite a surprise to me. Who knew that it (and he) held such a deep-seated spot?
The glee didn't die for the entire film. On this count, the film was definitively a success.
The thoughts:
1 - Kikin' it oldskh00l. The film is such an homage (almost to a fault, see next entry) to the first movie and that was a great choice. Right from the get-go, even the opening titles are of the same style, with the classic theme playing. This wasn't a film to re-invent Superman, it was to continue where 1&2 left off (3&4 were discarded in this continuity). The sets have been brought up to 2006, but the style remains.
2 - That being said, the plot was kind of a rehash of the first film, in that it is another real-estate plot by Lex. This is one point where the film falters, the evil plan not feeling altogether very terrifying or even exciting. That the film still works despite the lackluster main plot is a testament to… well… something.
3 - This is one of the best incorporations of Humour I've seen in a film, period. Plenty of humour, meshed so well and so seamlessly with the whole that it didn't jar or make you suddenly think 'oh, they're trying to be funny here, this is a funny bit'. Well-written, clever humour delivered with precision that even forwards the plot (forex the "Are you sure?" sequence in the boat which gives the coordinates)
4 - Lex like you've never seen him before. Spacey adds a nice 'bored super genius' edge to Lex that really works, IMHO.
5 - Lack of variety: Ok, he's Superman. He's strong. He can lift things. But that's not all, you know. You can even show his super strength without him lifting things. (At least) Four of his major acts of heroism involve him lifting something big. You can come up with better than that.
6 - Lots of nice little touches, like a soundless flying save for the sound of his cape flapping, the vapour cone when he crosses the speed of sound (that guy's got acceleration!) , basking in the sun, Brando's voice-overs, etc.
7 - Routh makes a FINE Superman and Kent. Not as buff, but just as earnest.
8 - The last sixth of the movie dragged, and was a bit ham-handed. Also, ya might have waited for the 'revelation' till the next movie. And the flashbacks never really worked out well, there were too few to get a sense what they were there for. For that matter, why not use a flashback to introduce the opening of the film, rather than just text?
9 - The soundtrack has some very nice (original) moments in it (when it isn't successively borrowing from Williams' score), but then, you put a choir in the score and I'll love it no matter what.
10 - The effects were very well done, not too over the top and actually made good and not over-use of slow-mo.
11 - There's something about Kitty's character that I'm not sure about. Early on she becomes 'distraught' at Lex's plan, but takes no action until near the end, and even then the action is debatable (we better hope those crystals also didn't fall into the water). Nice to show conflict of loyalty and emotions, but they didn't really do anything with it. Actually...
12 - There were a lot of 'dangly bits' to the story, things introduced (kinda like the flashbacks and voice overs) that didn't amount to anything or really get expounded on or show up or anything. Not sure if this was due to the film being cut, teasers for later films, or what.
13 - And I found it very sad that Sup now has no connection with Jor-El with the crystals now lost.
14 - Best. Use. Of. A. Trainset. Ever. In a film.
That probably covers most of the gamut of my thoughts. I enjoyed the film (saw it twice, even), though I wouldn't call it a masterpiece (Lex needed a more dastardly plan, and oddly more expose needed in some places). As a superhero film, Superman Returns delivers.
Posted by kannik at July 5, 2006 12:14 PM in Arts&Media