Superman Returns
I'm not going to get into plot or anything, so no one needs be afraid of spoilers.
Well, the movie came, and I doled out my 9 dollars to see it opening night. I wanted to like it, and it wasn't terrible like Daredevil or the Hulk were, but in my opinion it fell short of the standard spiderman has set and didn't even live up to the Reeve Superman movies.
I felt the script was weak and for the most part, just a rehashing of a lot that's been done before with Superman. There weren't really any surprises or twists that would have made Superman Returns unique in any significant way. It pulled at the heart strings at all the appropriate times, but only in the same way that all the other Superman movies have already done. Batman Begins was a retelling of a known story, but it took some very interesting turns and had some unique story elements that hadn't been in previous Batman movies, I would have been happier if Supman Returns had managed this same feat.
The CG was rather unfortunate too. I didn't like their style and I thought a lot of the Supman focused CG was very clunky and made him look more like bad animation I see on the web and less like the Iconic images of Spiderman, Batman, and the X-men that now plaster or mind's-eye. They had a lot of "3D scoping" (new term learned from Meredith) that I didn't like either. It felt like yet another example of movies that saw what the Matrix did with CG, said "NEAT!", and proceeded to over-use every innovative and interesting technique till the movie suffered under the oppressive weight.
The Jesus imagery got to be a little too much too. I know Superman's a Jesus figure, he's been that way for a very long time, but most writers don't beat it into their audience with a sledgehammer. I could have definitely done with at least 1 less heart-felt-monologue bemoaning the fate of the world and it's need for a savior that had left them.
I have an utter contempt and hatred for Parker Posey, but I don't think I can use that as a point for why the movie wasn't good, as that's more of a personal dislike.
One good thing though, the acting was very solid, and down right good in a lot of places. Brandon Routh was a good Superman, despite my dislike of the movie itself. Kate Bosworth was a very believable Louis Lane, and Kevin Spacey was an incredible Lex Luthor.
Over all, I didn't regret seeing it, but I can't say I'm glad I did either. It sits firmly in a "blah" sort of zone with me, and I think that's mainly cause it would have had to be absolutely terrible for me to truly dislike a Superman movie. I just wish it had been better is all.
Well, the movie came, and I doled out my 9 dollars to see it opening night. I wanted to like it, and it wasn't terrible like Daredevil or the Hulk were, but in my opinion it fell short of the standard spiderman has set and didn't even live up to the Reeve Superman movies.
I felt the script was weak and for the most part, just a rehashing of a lot that's been done before with Superman. There weren't really any surprises or twists that would have made Superman Returns unique in any significant way. It pulled at the heart strings at all the appropriate times, but only in the same way that all the other Superman movies have already done. Batman Begins was a retelling of a known story, but it took some very interesting turns and had some unique story elements that hadn't been in previous Batman movies, I would have been happier if Supman Returns had managed this same feat.
The CG was rather unfortunate too. I didn't like their style and I thought a lot of the Supman focused CG was very clunky and made him look more like bad animation I see on the web and less like the Iconic images of Spiderman, Batman, and the X-men that now plaster or mind's-eye. They had a lot of "3D scoping" (new term learned from Meredith) that I didn't like either. It felt like yet another example of movies that saw what the Matrix did with CG, said "NEAT!", and proceeded to over-use every innovative and interesting technique till the movie suffered under the oppressive weight.
The Jesus imagery got to be a little too much too. I know Superman's a Jesus figure, he's been that way for a very long time, but most writers don't beat it into their audience with a sledgehammer. I could have definitely done with at least 1 less heart-felt-monologue bemoaning the fate of the world and it's need for a savior that had left them.
I have an utter contempt and hatred for Parker Posey, but I don't think I can use that as a point for why the movie wasn't good, as that's more of a personal dislike.
One good thing though, the acting was very solid, and down right good in a lot of places. Brandon Routh was a good Superman, despite my dislike of the movie itself. Kate Bosworth was a very believable Louis Lane, and Kevin Spacey was an incredible Lex Luthor.
Over all, I didn't regret seeing it, but I can't say I'm glad I did either. It sits firmly in a "blah" sort of zone with me, and I think that's mainly cause it would have had to be absolutely terrible for me to truly dislike a Superman movie. I just wish it had been better is all.