Superman Retrospective: Superman Returns

Superman Returns (2006)
Starring: Brandon Routh, Kate Bosworth, Kevin Spacey
Directed by: Bryan Singer


After the last two attempts at making a Superman movie, it seemed impossible to properly bring the Man of Steel back to life on the big screen. There were a few attempts that were ultimately cancelled, including one directed by Tim Burton and starring Nicolas Cage as Superman. I'm not kidding, look that up if you want to be entertained and horrified. In 2006, director Bryan Singer decided to give Superman a much needed revamp and return to film. Superman Returns was Singer's attempt at putting a modern sequel-slash-reboot to the Superman lore. I use the phrase sequel-slash-reboot because it's clear that there are nods to the previous Superman series (at least the first 2 movies anyways), but it is set in a much more modern setting with updated technology and a younger looking cast. The film has been considered by many to be another flop, but I can value a number of things with it. Maybe it's because the third and fourth movies are beyond awful, but I actually enjoy Superman Returns for the most part. I just need to be in for the long haul, as it is over 2 1/2 hours and has way more talkie bits and plot setup than it does major action sequences. Still, what's good is good, so let's sit back and see why I tend to lean to the pros side of Superman Returns instead of the cons.

Let's start by talking about Superman, played by Brandon Routh. I know Routh gets a lot of flak from fanboys, but to be perfectly honest, I don't mind his performance. On a purely physical standpoint, he looks like Superman. More accurately, he looks like Christopher Reeve. Once again, we have an actor that needs to do very little to alter his appearance in order to fool the world into thinking Clark Kent and Superman are two completely different people. I think where I could see some complaints is that he doesn't have a whole lot to work with when he's Superman. As in, he doesn't do an awful lot of talking, leaving his acting range to appear limited. But looking the part of Superman is one of the most important parts of the role and I think Routh does that well. I know most people think he's more suited as The Atom on Arrow, so seeing him here might seem very foreign. Trust me when I say it's been 10 years since he donned the red cape and boots, give the guy a break. He wasn't THAT bad.

The supporting cast is pretty good too. Sam Huntington is a good Jimmy Olsen, Frank Langella is a fantastic Perry White. There are newer characters played by Parker Posey and James Marsden that I like. They have a competent child actor playing Lois's son (Who's the father? I think you know.). They were even nice enough to use archive footage of Marlon Brando to create some hologram scenes with Jor-El. That was an AWESOME touch! I think the one I'm a little on the fence about was Kate Bosworth as Lois Lane, but I think that's because she looks too young. With Routh, he was young, but you had the idea that he could be from the same universe of films because he looked so much like Christopher Reeve. Bosworth looks nothing like Margot Kidder to me and when she says she's winning the Pulitzer Prize, I'm not buying it. Minor critique, but otherwise, a good cast.

But the character I'm having the most fun with in Superman Returns is Lex Luthor, played by Kevin Spacey. Good God, THIS is the Lex Luthor I was waiting for. This shouldn't be too surprising for me, since Spacey is one of my favorite character actors ever. He's a much more menacing criminal mind than Gene Hackman ever was, in my opinion. Plus, he rocks the bald look a lot better. This just felt a lot more like what Lex Luthor should be in a Superman film, having cheesy moments here and there but also able to plan and plot with a fair amount of intimidation and savvy. This guy could go toe to toe with Superman and I'd be able to believe it.

I really wish Superman Returns could've been better. While not a financial or critical failure by any means, it can't be denied that there is a large amount of disappointment associated with this movie. Plans for a sequel were completely scrapped by Warner Bros. in favor of starting all over and rebooting the story of Superman instead. I think with the amount of Superman adaptations out there, this isn't the worst one ever done, it's just not as exciting as others. On the plus side, the film is a tremendous production and effects film that Bryan Singer should be proud of. If you enjoy behind the scenes documentaries that go into detail on how everything was done, then Superman Returns is a Blu-ray that needs to be added to your collection immediately. They put in hours of footage on how this film was made and you can't help but appreciate the effort. This film was made with love and respect to the source material, but at the end of the day, I think people wanted a bit more action with their Superman film.


Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Superman Returns is a mixed bag for some. Yes, there is a lot of talking and it can be boring, but when the Superman action picks up, it's pretty enjoyable. The cast is good, the effects and visual aspects of the film a spectacle to behold, and I think it was one of the better Superman films we've seen thus far. It showed that a modern representation of Superman could be achieved, it just probably needed a few more scenes that would've kept audiences riveted.

Superman Returns and movie images are copyrighted by Warner Bros.