Superman Returns Review

Warning SPOILERS below the fold!

So I saw -- as is my habit -- a geeky comic book movie on the opening show last night: Superman Returns.

On the whole I would give it two thumbs up. Whereas most comic book movies are not shining examples of good writing, the dialogue managed to walk the fine line between intended and unintended corniness. At least in my opinion, the mark of powerful writing in a science fiction movie is not that the characters avoid saying ridiculous things but rather that when they do you know they actually planned it.

This is particularly relevant in this case because fundamentally the entire Superman premise is so overearnest is sometimes wanders well-nigh into jingoism. You know...truth, justice, the American Way (big A, big W). But the actors particularly Brandon Routh do a fine job of both saying positive maxims with a straight face and making fun of themselves as necessary. And Kevin Spacey makes an absolutely sinister Lex Luthor -- half car salesman pretending to be an aristocrat and half totally psychotic.

The imagery was good but not particularly astounding -- your typical CGI masterpiece. There was this repeated scene where Superman is hovering over Earth and then hurls like a ball of fire into the atmosphere that I thought was really cool. In contrast, when you see the opening credits you will think that they spliced banner lettering from the 1960s onto the opening sequence of the show Third Rock from the Sun.

I am not the type to rant and rave over ridiculous plot turns in a science fiction movie...OK maybe just a little...

I love how in one of the opening scenes they slam Lois Lane against the sides of an airplane cabin in a flat spin with a force that would shatter the human spine, yet she is unsurprisingly just fine. The opening scene of this movie should be put in commercials for airline safety. "You wouldn't be flying all over the cabin if you could keep your damn seatbelt on Lois."

Also, how is it that a planet that exploded light years away managed to get all this Kryptonite onto Earth? You would think the odds would be millions to one against that even space dust from this planet would make it to Earth, yet it seems like there is Kryptonite all over the place.

Also, there is this scene where Lois is with her son and lover (not Superman), but she convinces her lover who is flying a plane away from coming to save them to turn around to go back for Superman. "I am not certain what parenting styles you were raised with Lois, but frankly I think we might need to drop off our 10 year old asthmatic son before we chase off on a suicide mission to save the man you love more than me."

Also, much is made about Superman's hearing, and how he hears everything. One, this would make you crazy. Does Superman have a super ability to ignore shit? And also, he is hearing all this stuff in outer space. How exactly is that working?

Anyway this movie is worth seeing, even if a bit long winded at times. Warner Bros has been sitting on the franchise for a while, and they do not disappoint.