Liverpool FC Forum

[jonnymac1979]

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.

[ConnO'var]

I saw it Jonny.
Not bad at all but was expecting a little bit more action like in X-men 3.
This one was a bit more of a love story.

Different expectations I guess.....

[Rafa D]

I thought it was pisspoor.  That is all

[jonnymac1979]

It has had a lot of bad reviews and it's not everyone's cup of tea. 

I enjoyed it though.  Thought it was funny in a couple of bits as well.  Not like the campy Superman III with Richard Pryor though.

I like the whole Superman legend from start to finish.  I've caught a few episodes from the George Reeves era, used to have the cartoons when I was a kid and own the Reeve box set on DVD.  I've seen every episode of Smallville up to season 5 epiosode 10 (eleven left to go I think).

I'm not like Ged Maxwell out of Alan Partridge with a tattoo of Superman on my chest though. 

[Rafa D]

I like smallville and superman reeve era, however superman 3 is the worst film I have ever watched twice.

  I don't know about this one though, maybe because I watched Superman 1 - 4(got the box set that week from chesire oaks) in the week before I went to watch returns, I was fed up of superman, just thought it was boring.

[GOAT]

Going to see it soon i think, always really liked the superman movies, i hope this one lives upto it

[dward]

Just been to see it.

I thought it was very very good. The part were the bullet hit his eye and crumpled was class.

[mitch22]

yeah i seen it , bit of a love story but plenty of action .good ending too

[48-1119859832]

I almost fell asleep watching it; it's not my film and it's a major let down when you compare it to all the other super-hero films. It's nowhere near on par with Fantastic Four, the two Spiderman's, X-Men and the latest Batman.

[Roger Red Hat]

yawn. bag a shite. Never really liked any of the superman stuff, it's nearly as poor as 'star bores', but not quite!

[Judge]

Just been to see it.

I thought it was very very good. The part were the bullet hit his eye and crumpled was class.

thats nowt. i can do that

[Big Niall]

I thought it was rubbish.

I took my two nephews to see it and the next day I was joking with the four year old by taking my glasses on and off and saying I was like superman to which he said "superman never wears glasses" , don't think he got the Clark Kent thing. Ah well, at least there will be no need to worry about university fees when he is older

[JBG]

Ah well, at least there will be no need to worry about university fees when he is older

[jonnymac1979]

I've seen Superman Returns twice now but I have always been a bit of a Superman nut.  Whenever it's on Sky Movies or anything, I just leave it on in the background even if I'm not watching it.  I've got five episodes of Smallville to watch before I've seen every single episode of that as well and I'll be buying the gigantic box set with unreleased footage of the Reeve films when it comes out.

To analyse it is to look into the American Hero thing which I'm not really interested in glorifying to be honest as I don't buy into that kind of s*i*e usually, but I'm just interested in Superman and it's mythology.  It just takes me back to when I was a kid when I loved the films.

This one wont win Oscars by any means but they can keep churning out movies like this for as long as I'm alive as far as I'm concerned.  I'll still watch them.