Superman Returns (2006)

Rating:

Slick, polished and stunning, Superman Returns pulls off a feat that sets it at par with other excellent modern Superhero films like Spiderman 1 & 2 and Batman Begins. A lot of believable flying and his powers this time realized convincingly because of present technology in filmmaking, Superman fans wouldn’t be dismayed.

Picking up where Superman II left off, Superman Returns now stars Brandon Routh as the Man of Steel himself, returning to Earth after spending years on Krypton to confirm if indeed he’s the last of his kind. As Clark Kent, he returns to work for the Daily Planet and soon realizes Lois Lane is already engaged to Richard White and has even a kid.

Meanwhile, Lois Lane is aboard a Boeing 777 covering a spacecraft launch when a massive odd black out triggers a malfunction in the pilot control putting everyone aboard in jeopardy. Superman’s grand rescue efforts (the biggest scene) mark his surprising return to a world where people are used to not having him around anymore. This reunites Superman and Lois Lane who herself has learned to move on and even hate Superman for leaving and not even saying goodbye.

Now back in the business of helping people, Superman is in the news everywhere. Traveling across continents in just minutes, Superman is spotted the world over even in places like Manila, Philippines. Lois Lane, now reunited with Clark Kent in the workplace and appearing undaunted by Superman’s return, communicates interest in covering the unusual black out actually assigned already to Clark Kent as she as told will cover Superman again. With Lois Lane’s insistence to identify the cause of the black out, she puts herself in a trap reuniting her with Lex Luthor who uncovers his evil plan in front of her and her son—who by the way poses a very interesting innate ability that is really something to look forward to. Superman’s big mission this time is to rescue the two and stop Luthor from fully realizing his design.

Brandon Routh closely resembles the late Christopher Reeve and some scenes make you believe you are seeing the latter. Relatively a newcomer, Routh truly personifies the socially inept Clark Kent and the calmly confident Superman making him fittest for the role among others who voiced out interest or were considered to star as this franchise’s protagonist. Seeing this hit coming, Warner Brothers was quick to have him sign for three other films including Superman vs Batman that is definitely something to watch out for. The pretty Kate Bosworth stars as Lois Lane who initially pulls off an OK acting but later becomes plain and dour. Genius Kevin Spacey is perfectly cast as Lex Luthor combining humor and menace.

Though there may be dragging scenes, the movie as a whole is a triumph. A far cry to the filmmaking feats of X-Men I and II, which took into service the same team who’s behind Superman Returns. It’s clear Superman had a good deal with Bryan Singer (who left the X-Men franchise for Superman) and X-Men had not so good a deal with Brett Ratner to finish the last X-Men installment (who left Superman as he and the Warner Bros execs could not agree on who to cast as who). Superman Returns takes a compelling, serious, and intelligent approach to the hero’s known powers, keeping away from the sometimes far-fetched and random manifestation of power witnessed in previous Superman films.

Well, Superman is back! Make your way to a movie house to show you welcome him home.

© 2006 Jonathan Susvilla