Superman Returns

There was a long gap of nineteen years before Superman would grace the silver screen again. In that time, he died and was resurrected, was the star of a television series for four years (which I actually liked and own all of on DVD), and the subject of several increasingly odd attempts to get to the silver screen, with the likes of Tim Burton, Brett Ratner and McG as possible directors. None came to fruition until Bryan Singer picked up the project. Crafting a film that picked up where Superman II left off and ignored parts III and IV, comes Superman Returns.

Superman (played by Brandon Routh) has been missing for five years, having journeyed deep into outer space to see if there are any remains of Krypton (there weren't). He returns home to his mother, Martha Kent (played by Eva Marie Saint), feeling more alone than ever. It's not long before he returns to Metropolis, resuming his identity as Clark Kent and job at the Daily Planet, reconnecting with Jimmy Olson (played by Sam Huntington) and Perry White (played by Frank Langella). He discovers that Lois (played by Kate Bosworth) has moved on and is married to Richard White (played by James Marsden), Perry's son, and they have a young son, Jason. She also won a Pulitizer Prize for an article entitled, "Why the World Doesn't Need Superman Anymore," so clearly she's stinging from all the abrupt leaving stuff that Superman did. Meanwhile, Lex Luthor (played by Kevin Spacey), is out of jail and newly funded after inheriting the estate of a rich widow (played by former Lois Lane Noel Neill, in a cameo) he conned and ready to launch his latest world dominating scheme. Along with his cronies and new girlfriend, Kitty (played by Parker Posey), he is plotting to use crystals he retrieved from Superman's Fortress of Solitude to create a new land mass all his own to rule himself. Once again, the only one who can stop him is the newly returned  Superman.  

Bryan Singer labored hard in creating a film that not only continued on from the Richard Donner films, but also honored them and what they meant. From the very opening credits, perfectly replicating and building on the opening credits of the first film throughout the entire film, tonally this movie captures what the previous sequels failed to, backed by fantastic score from John Ottman who mixes the familiar John Williams themes with his own compositions to great effect. I just wish the script had been a little stronger and not feeling it had to retread so much of what the previous films already did. Once again we have Lex Luthor as the bad guy with another land based scheme for domination. It just feels a little been there, done that. I wish they had come up with a more unique plot for him. There's also this third act plot twist that I won't spoil, but continues to bug me to this day and I really wish they hadn't done it, if for no other reason than it is now sort of this thing left hanging that will never be explored further or resolved completely since they decided to reboot rather than make a sequel to this film.    

The cast for this film is actually for the most part quite good. I really enjoyed Brandon Routh as both Superman and Clark Kent. I know people like to make fun of him for the role, but I think he did a good job in both parts and wished he could have played the role at least a couple more times, but that's apparently just me. Kevin Spacey killed it as Lex Luthor and is clearly having a blast in the role much in the same way that Gene Hackman did. However, prison time was not good to Lex and he has re-emerged this time around as a bit darker and crueler. It adds a welcome sharper edge to this entry. Kate Bosworth was okay as Lois Lane. I wouldn't rank her with Noel Neill, Margot Kidder or Teri Hatcher, but she isn't terrible either. James Marsden plays Richard White and I like that they resisted any urge to make him unlikeable or "the other guy." He's a good, decent man and husband to Lois and figures into the climax well as a dependable ally to both Lois and Superman, and Marsden does a good job capturing that. 

Overall, Superman Returns is a film I have generally speaking really loved. I do have some nitpicks, but overall it fits in nicely with the Richard Donner films quite nicely. I originally saw it opening night when it was released in the Summer of 2006. I actually won a full size theatrical movie poster from the film that night that is currently framed and hanging on my living room wall. At that point, it was also the first Superman movie I saw theatrically and I remember feeling a chill and getting goosebumps when that familiar John Williams theme came on and the credits started. (I have since rectified things and have seen the original Superman on the big screen at a revival screening). I know it's popular to hate on this one, but I just can't do it. I dug it then and I still dig it now, nitpicks and all.