So onto the final part of the Superman film anthology, which is for Superman Returns, which saw the franchise after a near 20 year absence make a reappearance, with a new cast (well it could hardly be the old one!), and production crew. So here's a bit more about the plot.
Its starts with Superman having been missing for 5 years, returns to Earth, as he heard that Astronomers had found the location of Krypton, however on his return he found nothing of his planet of origin. Since Superman has been missing, Lois Lane (Kate Bosworth) has become cynical of Superman and wrote an article "Why the world doesn't need Superman" which she won the Pulitzer Prize for. Superman goes back to his Clark Kent identity and gets his job back at the Daily Planet, due to one of the former employees passing away, and meets back up with Lois, chief editor Perry White (Frank Langella) and Jimmy Olsen (Sam Huntington). However bad things are afoot as Lex Luthor (Kevin Spacey) has been released from prison, and since then he married an aged widow, who on her deathbed, decrees her will over to him. Luthor then travels to the Fortress of Solitude where he steals some kryptonite crystals, which he uses in a scheme to create a new landmass in the Atlantic Ocean, which will result in the deaths of billions of people. Superman prior to this of course reannounces his presence to the world as he rescues a test flight space shuttle, which Lois is on, covering a story, and lands it in a baseball stadium. Superman soon carries on his good deeds, foiling robberies, criminals of all sorts, and he also speaks to Lois to explain his absence. However, Luthor's plan to create a landmass soon comes to fruition, and its up to Superman to stop him, as he soon confront the slapheaded madman.
I have to say that while it stands easily hand and shoulders over Superman IV, that Superman Returns, next to that, is my second least favourite film in the series. Bryan Singer definitely does deserve credit for bringing the superhero back to the big screen, but unfortunately the pace of the film is sluggish, and the tone is pretty dreary, and at 2 hours and 30 minutes, it is way overlong. Many scenes in the film definitely feel slow and lack pace, excitement or any sense of fun, and that's definitely what is missing here: fun. Singer, even in the titles, is clearly paying tribute to Richard Donner's original movie, but Donner, gave that film the perfect mix of drama and humour, but here its mainly 80% drama and 20% very dry humour. I can see that Singer definitely tries to keep the expectations of the kick start of the franchise alive, but here its definitely falls somewhat flat. And on a plot point, it seems very strange that no one seems to arouse suspicion around Clark Kent's disappearnce for 5 years also, but when he comes back, Superman arrives at the same time. Surely based on that they can put two and two together! But I guess Clark's timid nature makes him incosequential in everyone's eyes, unlike Superman, he isn't really missed.
However that's not to say the film doesn't have its good aspects, it certainly does have them, mainly the casting of Brandon Routh, which is actually inspired in a way, as Routh is really good as Superman, and he even bears a close resemblance to Christopher Reeve (particularly as Clark Kent!). However his part in a way largely minimised, especially in his dialogue as both Clark Kent and Superman, as he barely speaks in either role! And I think this was unfair on Brandon Routh, as clearly he is actually a good actor, and I definitely think the script lets him down and to say its underwritten is an understatement! Kevin Spacey however, gets his fair share of dialogue and is excellent as Lex Luthor, as he plays him with a far more twisted sense of menace than Gene Hackman's comic depiction. But Spacey is also let down by the turgid nature of the film, as with a better script and pacing, his role as Luthor could have been even better. The supporting cast are also quite good, as Kate Bosworth does well as Lois Lane, as she get's Lois' bossy, and sassy qualities to the forefront. Frank Langella, while I think was a bit miscast as Perry White, still does a fine job as editor and chief of the Daily Planet, and Parker Posey adds a bit of amusement to the film as Luthor's mistress and henchwoman, Kitti Kowalski.
On the production front of course the film has some excellent special effects, and John Ottman (Bryan Singer's usual composer) does a fine rendition of John Williams original score as well as add new music. Although one thing I didn't like was Superman's custome, as its nowhere near as cool as Christopher Reeve's was. In fact it resembles in colour more like the bad Superman's costume in Superman III, as the colours are darker and more insipid looking, and the "S" crest is also a bit too small and crap looking. And another problem with the film is the look of the film as the photography is just a bit too soft and the muted colours also do precious little to add to the proceedings (actually the film was apparently shot using high def cameras).
So overall Superman Returns for me was a disappointment, it did well to bring the superhero back to the cinema, and Brandon Routh was an excellent choice as Supe. But I think the Brandon and the cast were handed a bum steer on this one and the film could easily have been much better than it is.
And on that note, that concludes my Supe analysis.
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