Superman Returns -- 2006

Superman Returns

(2006)

Rated PG-13 for intense action/violence

My Rating: 3 Stars

Brandon Routh

Kate Bosworth

James Marsden

Frank Langella

Eva Marie Saint

Parker Posey

Kal Penn

Sam Huntington

Kevin Spacey

Summary:

Superman is back and just in time! Lex Luther has a plan to destroy most of the population of the world and get filthy rich in the process.

But life on earth has changed tremendously since Superman (alias Clark) disappeared. Lois Lane has a fiancée, son and a Pulitzer Prize for “Why the world doesn't need Superman”. Lex Luther is out of prison because Superman didn't come to testify against him... (and a rich old widow was deceived into giving him all her money). The only thing that hasn't changed is Superman's mother, her love for him and the world that needs his help more than ever.

After a stunt that saves Lois from death, Superman's is face and deeds are all over the media. Lois, Clark and everyone else at their newspaper company is commissioned to do stories on Superman. Due to conflicting emotions, Lois fights the orders and her boss and anyone else who says that Superman is a good thing. Clark suggests that if she will investigate and write the story she wants (a power surge that nearly caused a major catastrophe), he will do the Superman story for her.

What seemed like an innocent power surge (they should have guessed with Lex Luther out of prison, seemingly innocent major catastrophe starters are never what they appear to be) turned into a very dangerous situation and it will take Superman and all of his friends to save her and her son... and the rest of the world.

What I Liked:

1: Acting was good.

2: Story kept me interested to the end.

3: How sweet Clark/Superman was. Nice character.

4: The story left Lois Lane with her fiancée.

5: How Lois' son protects his mom. :-)

6: Kevin Spacey as Lex Luther was a great choice. He made a wonderful bad guy... in some ways he seemed very normal, almost kindly; so when he pulled out his really nasty card, it was very effective. I have seen Kevin in one other movie and loved his performance. He's a phenomenal actor!

7: That being said, I thought his end was very fitting.

8: My favorite humor in the movie is when his girlfriend asks, “What are we going eat?” and Lex looks at the dog. Lol!

What I Didn't Like:

1: With the score, Clark's glasses/demeanor and stunts, it felt like they were trying to create an echo of Indiana Jones. Bad, bad, bad...

2: Sexual implications... they really didn't add anything good to the story. Superman, when I was a kid, seemed very innocent. Why couldn't they have continued on?

3: The fact that the Superman character replaces God. I liked Batman very much because it was all 'natural' stunts – no supernatural abilities.

4: Clark's friends and associates seem less than smart. Right after Clark arrives in town, Superman starts saving the world from major disasters again. Hm. Imagine that. But do they put two and two together? Nope.

5: I suppose that in the end, what really bothered me about this movie was how much of it was 'stolen' ideas. Everything from God to Indiana Jones... :-P

But if you're a Superman fan, you will probably enjoy this movie. I must admit that I liked parts of it.