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Superman Returns
Superman Returns marks the not so triumphant return of
the most iconic American hero in the history of
pop-mythology. There is a potent cultural
significance that accompanies the idolized character
in the movies he's appeared in, making an undeniable
impression with his grace and heroics. This
significance makes it easier to believe in the emotion
of the stories - emotion that usually represents the
joy of the American spirit. The original Superman and
its arguably better sequel are examples of some of the
best classical escapism seen on-screen. Those movies
are joyous adventures of the type of serial fiction
that inspires so many. Light-hearted entertainment
that both amuses and excites, and most importantly
delivers on what classical entertainment thrives on:
Innocence. The romantic and thrilling aspects of the
first two Superman films are what make them so
enjoyable, no matter how outrageous, unrealistic, or
impossible the circumstances. It’s that sense of
innocence, pleasure, and joy that is so clearly
missing in Bryan Singer’s updated/remake/sequel,
bloated Superman Returns. Yet, even with its
considerable missteps, Returns still manages to
somehow inspire a few smiles and moments of genuine
wonder, and a large part of it is because of that
cultural significance the caped-crusader will never
shake.
Singer is without a doubt the right director for the
material, and he does an outstanding job of
visualizing the characters and universe in a cinematic
context. He uses the original films as a guideline,
and then takes off from there. On the technical side,
Superman Returns is easily the most stunningly
beautiful film released in theaters so far this year.
The imagery is rich and detailed, and the effects huge
and sharp - a handsomely mounted epic for a handsome
and epic hero. The imagery is so powerful at times
that it helps keep an interest in the not-so-sharp and
rich screenplay. The tedious structure, flat humor,
and overly dramatic tone prevent the return of
Superman from being as thrilling as it should. More
interested in deep, introspective thought than witty
banter and extravagant heroics, the screenplay almost
completely mars the entire experience.
Superman movies usually rely on some sort of adversary
to create a sense of danger and conflict, but Singer
and his writers disappointingly rehash a similar
real-estate scheme from the original film, including
criminal mastermind Lex Luthor (Spacey). And this
material is one thing and one thing only: Tedious.
Every single time Luthor appears, the film comes to a
screeching halt, and it unfortunately struggles to
regain its momentum. The lack of spirited romance
from the originals doesn’t help anything either.
While Singer’s attempt to more deeply explore the
relationship between Lois (Bosworth) and Superman
(Routh) is admirable, the actual content itself is too
somber and melodramatic to work efficiently.
Both actors do solid work to try to make the romance
seem as powerful as Singer imagines it to be, but they
can never overcome the emptiness of the story. It’s
disappointing, especially since Routh is so damn good
as Superman. He’s so good, in fact, that whenever
he’s not on screen, the other tedious material seems
even more boring. Routh has the confidence and
presence needed to portray the man of steel, and
hopefully he gets better material in the sequel.
Which is not to say everything is wasted. Singer
gives Superman some terrific moments - the visceral
excitement of the space-shuttle set-piece, or the
tender warmth of his speech beside his son’s bed.
Singer fills the movie with beautiful moments
in-between the lackluster screenplay, and its those
moments that keep Superman Returns from being a wholly
unsatisfying experience.
Sorrily missing is the laughter. In a film about
Superman returning to a problematic world that learned
to move on (including ex-lover Lois Lane), little time
is given to the hilarity of working at the Daily
Planet or the hopelessly romantic swooning that makes
the story so amusing. This is serious business in
Superman Returns, which unfortunately means lots of
long stares and tears and frustration. That results
in a film with little sense of fun. I certainly don’t
expect, nor want, serious drama from a Superman film,
and that overall tone overwhelms the classical joy.
This story was never meant to be the dark agony of
something like Batman Begins, so every time (and
there’s a lot of them) that Superman and Lois have an
internal moment of despair, the film slows way down.
Epics are a difficult thing to accomplish, and Singer
falls into King Kong territory with the length. It’s
an hour too long, and unevenly paced. While not as
self-indulgent and manipulative as Jackson’s magnum
emptiness, Superman Returns does suffer because of it.
Things need to pick up, and never really do. Moments
of excitement appear sporadically throughout the two
hour and forty minute run-time, but they never
develope into fully realized exhilaration. The finale
is the most memorable sequence of mayhem and drama, so
at least the film goes out with a bang.
With a leaner screenplay that has a more exciting
adventure, Singer could do wonders with a sequel. He
has his star, he has the visual elegance, now all he
needs is a stronger story to demonstrate his talents.
For now, Superman Returns is a pretty, but
underwhelming start.
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