Superman Returns 3 out of 5

Rated: PG-13

Directed by Bryan Singer

Cast: Brandon RouthClark Kent/Superman,
Kate BosworthLois Lane, Kevin Spacey Lex Luthor, James MarsdenRichard White(Cyclops from X-men)


Ok, essentially I was disappointed. The original Superman was iconic. Both the film itself and the character Christopher Reeve embodied were perfect in there depiction of Superman. So to compete with this American icon is like leaping over a tall building in a single bound. (Pun intended) There were certain things about the movie I did like. I think Brandon Routh played Superman to the "T". If you liked Christopher Reeve's portrayal of Clark Kent then I think you will like Brandon's as well, as he seems to pick up exactly where Reeve left off. I was very disappointed in Lois Lane. She is supposed to be a tenacious, Pulitzer Prize winning Journalist. But, she comes off as a bland, heartbroken little girl. It's hard to believe she ever accomplished anything in her life much less become a super successful reporter.

Kevin Spacey was Just O.K. as Lex. Nothing to brag about. I think this was poor writing and poor directing more than anything. In the original Superman, Lex was a genius surrounded by idiots. Giving the menacing Lex an almost comical air on screen. For some reason Singer continues with this silly representation of one of the most dangerous super villains of all time. This man is a genius, someone who consistently goes head to head with the most powerful man in the world. Yet, we hardly feel that he is better than Moe from the three Stooges.

Finally, though I like the story that ran throughout Superman Returns, the climatic battle in the end was disappointing. Not because I thought it should should have been bigger or more dramatic, but just the opposite. It was too big. I don't want to give away anything but, the final catastrophe that Superman must face is so big, that while it is unfolding I found myself thinking, "there is no conceivable way that Superman can stop this." But, by ignoring any sense of rules that the director has tried to create in this ficticious world, he does indeed save the day.

Well to sum it all up, the movie wasn't that bad, it just wasn't that good either. And for a character as big as Superman, that's a real shame. I really liked the story in this one and I loved just about everything about Superman himself. Visually it was great. There are some really great scenes toward the beginning of the movie that show Superman's powers and their limits (but those limits are totally ignored at the end).
So, tell me what you think.