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In Reply to: "Superman Returns" posted by rico on June 28, 2006 at 13:46:50:
I have to say I'm going with Roger Ebert on this one -- he is usually overly generous with comic book films and in a way **/**** is a little too generous.I found the entire movie to be problematic and it's so hard to find a place to start. First we have the score which I have always liked but here they attempted to overpower it to drive it into your head and quite frankly John Williams' original had a delicacy and intimacy to it when Reeves and Kidder were having their "romance scene." Why pick on the music first because it is representative of the entire film. Whack you over the head rather than let it play. I like Kevin Spacey -- he's one of my favorite actors but here he just doesn't remotely capture Gene Hackman's tenacity or wit - but then he had much less to work with here.
Reeves probably got overshadowed in star power on the release of Superman and probably doesn't get the credit he deserved for the first two films -- he took a cardboard charicature and breathed life, charm, humour, and wink to the camera that made Clark Kent something special -- A Joe average with the alter-ego of a God. Something no doubt that the original writer had dreamed of being. None of this was here with Brandon Routh -- though to be fair -- Reeves could not save Superman III or IV so Routh was the least of my problems with Superman Returns.
Lois Lane -- wow what a poorly written mess of a character. Kate's probably a fine actress but she is replacing Margot Kidder -- it is absolutely assanine casting to have a woman who looks maybe 22 has a 5 year old kid (who seems 8) in a story where Superman has been gone 5 years. Aside from winning the pulitzer prize and aside from the fact that what she was working for the Daily Planet at 12 years old, one wonders what the writers were thinking here. (and the entire Dopey scene where Richard is asking Lois if she was ever in love with Superman.
I'll even cave my head in on all the points given that it's a comic book movie IF the two leads had the slightest bit of chemistry -- but since Lois is engaged to another man -- that kind of plot line kills any hope of this. So they want to play it darker perhaps like Batman -- but it just doesn't work (even darkening Superman's Red Cape - if that's all they can come up with they need some help). His people are all dead -- ohh but let's get to the next special effects sequence because 8 minutes have gone by -- arrrgh.
Then the effects --- ohh sure they're better they oughta be -- but even here they're tired. Like X-Man III. Singer doesn't get it. There is no sense of any real danger here -- it's about the effects sequences rather than what's at stake. With Superman II they had 3 supervillains who could do real damage to the people of metropolous and to Superman. Lex Luther in Superman One -- had the multiple missile scenario that "even Superman with his great speed can't get to both" and he couldn't. These fisrt two films had a foe that truly were threats -- and handled with brilliant charm wit and tongue firmly in cheek -- they were fun romps into the comic book world. Superman Returns/
What do we have now - a humourless special effects extravaganza with almost zero tension, zero chemistry, zero charm that makes Superman III look more appealing to watch a second time. In fact it does and that probably says it all.
The film needed Richard Donner (Or Sam Raimi) -- then it needed a casting call -- pay Gene Hackman the huge money but get him. Then it needed a 35 old Clark Kent and a 35 year old quality actress with a bit of an edge - someone like Jennifer Connoly or Ashley Judd. Women who are sexy enough but not just pretty girls and people who might actually be believable as get their way reporters rather than the mousy weakling Lois we end up with. The Superman Character need not be someone trying to look and act like Christopher Reeves (that only illustrates that you don't have Christopher in the role and that the guy you have you don't have much confidence in). This is like James Bond -- sure he ain't Sean Connery but Moore managed to be successful in a different way and it is a valid choice by the actor.
Superman Returns is Super Banal moviegoing - It's bird, no it's a thumb, no it's a thumb WAY WAY down! (Yeah i copied -- but this film isn't worth original criticism)
*1/2 / *****
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Follow Ups
- I wish he returned with a script and some charm... - RGA 09:09:27 07/01/06 (0)
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