Superman Returns

Review by: Doc

I believe I have mentioned in these little rants that I am a true comic book geek. I know the types of kryptonite (there’s more than red and green), the names of all three of Superman’s girlfriends (yes, three), and where the Kryptonian city of Kandor was located (in a jar). Having established my bona fides here, let me say that I have been rabidly awaiting this movie. It was, for me, an event approaching X-Men or Spiderman. This was to be the event movie of the summer. And for me, it failed.


Don’t get me wrong, it’s a good movie. Brandon Routh does an excellent job as Superman and Kevin Spacey is the second-best Lex Luthor (nobody does it better than Michael Rosenbaum on Smallville). Kate Bosworth as Lois was acceptable, although she displayed more angst and irritation than the spunk and grit of Margot Kidder.


Also, the special effects are what you would expect for the $200 million range, outstanding. The scenes of the airliner/shuttle rescue are wonderful, although if Superman had ever saved a plane before you would think he would know to grab the base of the wing instead of the end. Hey Superman,..duh.. leverage! It’s going to break off!


Why then am I not as enamored of this film as is much of the critical world? An event movie should have some scene or some line that reaches out and leaves you saying, “Wow”. In Spiderman one, it was the explosion burning away the mask and Spidey’s comeback when Green Goblin seemed to have him. In Spiderman 2, it was the scene when Mary Jane sees Spiderman’s face in his torn mask as he asks her to move as the wall is awfully heavy. In Superman 1 it was the death of Lois and Superman losing it and spinning the world backwards. In this one, nothing like that occurs. They had their chances, for instance, with Lois’ son in the hospital, for some blockbuster moment. But they settled for a movie merely good when it could have been awesome.


This on suffers for raising my expectations. I give it 4 of 5 scalpels and a wistful phalanx up.



Doc Hollywood

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