Superman Returns...

[fajrdrako]

There was a time, when I was eight or nine years old, that I loved Superman and Superman comics - particularly Superboy and The Legion of Super-Heroes. This was before I discovered Marvel comics, and my love of Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, X-Men and Daredevil far eclipsed any interest in Superman. Occasionally I read one of the Superman titles - I particularly like Superman/Batman, so nicely written by Jeph Loeb - but my attitude to the character has always been ambivalent. When I was young, he seemed to be always tricking Lois Lane, and I thought it the ultimate hypocrisy for him to stand for truth while hiding his identity from the world and from the woman he loved. He no longer does this, in the comic; but my ambivalence remains.

So I went to see Superman Returns and surprised myself by loving it. Usually I think movies based on comics aren't very good, but this movie managed to evoke the things I like about Superman and to be a good movie at the same time - 'good' in that it reached my feelings. I cried.


Spoilers follow. It might be easiest to list a few things I liked:

(1) Brendan Routh. My favourite version of Superman so far. He seemed real to me, and for the first time, both Clark Kent and Superman seemed intelligent to me. Rather than being remote and alienated, or superior and smug, he seemed quiet, thoughtful, and coping as best he could in a complex and needy world. Perfect! Sexy, too.

(2) The role of Lois Lane in his life. Now, I didn't much like Kate Bosworth - her looks and style didn't convince me of Lois' intelligence, her skills, her good heart or her integrity - but the script did, and the plot. Lois' attitude to Superman made perfect sense on all levels.

(3) I loved the theme of the child, and his relationship to Superman, to Lois and to Richard White. Loved it when the child threw the piano. Loved it when he kissed Superman in the hospital.

(4) Kevin Spacey as Lex Luthor was fun, though much more of a standard crazy-comic-stereotype villain than any of the other characters in the movie, except his companion Kitty. Not sexy, like Michael Rosenbaum. I would have preferred an actor closer in age to Superman. For some reason I was disappointed not to see Mercy or Hope - not that I had been led to expect them.

(5) Good special effects. Yes, I believed a man could fly. Some of the world-building stuff went on longer than I liked, but that was okay. Generally the use of Superman's powers was subtle, convincing, and fun to watch. I loved the way he looked when he was flying, or falling.

(6) Jimmy Olsen annoyed me. Jimmy Olsen always annoys me.

(7) Perry White was wonderful, as is often the case. I like Frank Langella.

(8) I loved it that Martha Kent went to the hospital when Superman's life was endangered.

(9) Things are certainly set up for a sequel. I'd love to see one.