Okay, I don't start threads that often, but I know Mikz and Phil like the Superman legend so I'm expecting at least two replies.
I went to see this film this afternoon. Everyone must have seen the Christopher Reeve films. They're modern classics (maybe not III and IV which are bags of wank), but Superman Returns is told from the perspective that Superman II has just finished and it's five years later in the story.
Superman has just done away with General Zod (one of the best villains in any film, EVER, Ursa and Non), astronomers have found remains of his home planet Krypton and Superman takes five years out to explore the far reaches of space to see if his old home planet is really there or not.
It's not. Not really a spoiler, we all knew that anyway.
Then he comes back to Earth to generally save the day a few times, get his old job back as Clark Kent at the Daily Planet, but discovers his true love Lois Lane has a fiancée and child.
Lex Luthor is back on the scene as well, being a career criminal, wanting to vanquish billions of lives in the process of his latest diabolical scheme. Kevin Spacey is very impressive in the role as usual.
I was very impressed with the film. I have been waiting for it for ages now, watching trailers and catching up on on-set gossip here and there. Superman is an American institution which I have no personal affinity with, but the character reminds me of when I was a kid. Some films just do that to you. The Karate Kid is another one. Some might laugh but to me it’s a classic. I can quote so many lines from the script because I watched it so much as a kid.
Superman Returns carries on in the same vein as the first two films in the Reeve-era. You could be forgiven for saying that newcomer Brandon Routh who plays Superman could be imitating or copying Christopher Reeve's portrayal of the Clark Kent/Superman character. Everything he does, down to his clumsiness when portraying Clark Kent to his speed, strength and heroism when he's playing Superman, comes (no pun intended) straight out of a comic book. But the role now belongs to him. He convinces you that a man can really fly.
Everything you could wish for is here. Complementing the original late-1970's opening credits, John Williams’ original score is replicated perfectly, with added features such as soprano choirs added for effect. Marlon Brando even makes an appearance.
Rouths voice mimics Reeve’s tones vividly and the iconic shot of Superman flying over the planet Earth which concluded Reeve’s four cinematic outings so perfectly has been re-created flawlessly, down to the smile at the ‘fourth wall’; the audience. Plus there is an enlightening twist I for one didn’t see coming towards the end of the movie.
It only came out on general release in the United Kingdom today. If you see it, tell me what you think of it here. I could have posted this in the Smallville thread but this was a little bit of a big deal for me. I made a point of seeing this film. It didn’t disappoint.