movie mondays #1
watch out: there's spoilers about!
the gory details:
director: Bryan Singer (also known for X-Men)
main cast: Brandon Routh (Scott Pilgrim vs. the World)
Kate Bosworth (Blue Crush)
Kevin Spacey (The Usual Suspects)
James Marsden (X-Men)
plot: After a long visit to the lost remains of the planet Krypton, the Man of Steel returns to Earth to become the people's savior once again and try to reclaim the love of Lois Lane. Enter dastardly villain Lex Luthor, fresh out of prison and gearing up to unleash his newest maniacal plan upon the good people of Earth...
Does Lex finally succeed in taking over the world?
Can Superman save the day?
Will Lois fall in love with him again?
How does he get that little bit of hair on his forehead to curl so perfectly?
Stay tuned, folks!
a little introduction:
I went and saw this film in the cinema when it first came out, and I want to say I went and saw it again a few days later. I remember loving it with an almost alarming passion, and didn't understand why everyone else I talked to didn't like it or why it was doing so badly at the box office.
I am a real sucker for what I will generally term The Cinematic Experience. I like to go to a dark cinema, gaze up at a huge screen and get completely consumed by the film in front of me. Genuinely, if a big-budget action extravaganza fails to do that for me, I'm going to be seriously disappointed no matter how much of a quality film it is. If it promises me a cinematic world, I want to go live in it for a few hours.
Superman Returns delivered that for me, and then some. Moreso than any of the other comic book films being released at the time (if you cast your mind back, you may remember the near-violent onslaught of adaptations being hurled at us in the mid 2000s), this provided everything I wanted to see in a superhero movie. It had stunning cinematography, charming lead actors, beautiful music, great action scenes, drama, suspense, a dash of romance, (gasp of air!) heroes, villains, funny lackeys... but most of all, it had something that was missing from other comic adaptations: hope.
I am a comic book fan and had been mostly disappointed with the biggest adaptations. Aside from the original X-Men film, comic book movies embarrassed me. I felt no connection to any of the Spiderman films, the horrific Hulk attempts, the shameful Fantastic Four... even the far more "credible" Batman films were so-so (aside from Heath Ledger's contribution, of course, which was amazing). So why on earth is Superman Returns, a veritable box office flop, the comic book film for me?
why I love it:
...It's not because Brandon Routh is a really ridiculously good-looking guy, although his controlled performance is a major high point for me. From the get-go, this film captures my attention and (more importantly) my imagination. Lex's creepy and triumphant return to his evil ways followed by Superman's dramatic and lonely return to earth... it gets you interested! It makes you wonder what's been going on before this happened, what got each character to this place in time. And from there, you just sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride.
What mainly strikes me about this film is the visual impression it leaves on me. There are scenes of real beauty here, and they shouldn't be dismissed simply because they exist in a genre which is generally critically slated (and rightly so). Bryan Singer creates some really memorable images, most of which I've attempted to capture with my inclusion of a graphic or two (or ten). The ice palace, the joyous scenes of young Clark learning to fly, the thrilling freefall scenes during the plane deabacle, Superman lifting the Daily Planet globe on his shoulders, his exhausted fall to earth and all the spectators watching from the streets, the strange horror of Superman lying in a hospital bed... I mean, stop me before I geek out too much here! This really is the stuff that impacted me when I first saw it. It's heroic. All of it is so heroic and superhuman and that's exactly what you expect from a comic book movie.
Brandon Routh is the most important aspect of Superman Returns. If you cast Superman right, the rest of the movie should fall into place--and it does. He flips perfectly between the dweeby Clark and the stoic Superman, and the cherry on top is how great he looks. Because I believe the character, and, importantly, trust the character, I can forgive some of the satellite performances. Kate Bosworth as Lois Lane, for example. Who thought that would be a good idea?! However, Routh delivers in every scene between them, so I forgive it.
What next? Oh, the music. Yes, the music is brilliant. The main theme is uplifting and hopeful and perfect. This film doesn't rely on a cheesy Nickelback single to bring any kind of emotional drama to it. It's John Williams for crying out loud! Seriously, a brilliant score... it contributes so much to your interaction with the film. Every time they use that triumphant theme, my heart skips a beat. Yes, I have downloaded it. Yes, I do listen to it.
In my opinion, this film is well-thought-out, and the pace of the story is great even if the plot seems rehashed from a 70s Saturday serial. It follows a simple story arc that isn't anything original, but it doesn't have to be because it serves as the perfect vehicle for the characters. The history between Lois and Superman is dealt with quite delicately in the early scenes between them, Lex's maniacal impulses are played out with a funny eloquence, and you do get a real sense of the Superman world, as it were.
The big climax, with the crystal and the land... it's a bit forced, let's be honest. I'm the first to admit that. However, the drama works because I'm emotionally invested. Lois & her family locked in a sinking ship? Help them! Superman getting beat up? It's sick! Superman drowning? Oh my god! Superman presumed dead? Make it stop!
Also, I really love the poetry of the sequence where Superman is drowning and Lois manages to grab onto his cloak and pull him to the surface... As far as a "in the hands of the people" scene goes (I'm looking at you, Spiderman 2), this one is quietly beautiful.
To try to conclude, this movie makes me feel. That's it. I feel a lot of emotion when I watch it. No other comic book film has done that for me before or since.
why other people don't:
Contrary to my belief, this film was actually well received critically. It has a 72 on Metacritic, which is of course the ultimate test of quality for any film ;).
But seriously, even if audiences rejected it, critics largely didn't. And they get it right--this film is a big-budget spectacle with a heart at its centre. It's nostalgic for the Superman series of old, and it's bathed in symbolism while also delivering all the fast-paced, CGI-based kickass action sequences. What more could you want from a popcorn flick?!
From reading multiple forums and fan reviews, the big problem seems to be the plot. And the cast. And the characters. The plot is anticlimactic, the cast is all wrong (see: Kate Bosworth), and Lex Luthor is the least threatening villain in the history of film. Also: Superboy. Yes, Superboy. Many took issue with the inclusion of Superboy.
My take on all this: yeah, the whole "I'm going to create LAND!" plot seems really, really dated. I don't know how I would have changed this because I also hate it when writers force "relatable current issues" on films like this (see: Iron Man). It should be a crazy, otherworldly plot because none of the rest of the film is realistic. Realism is not the goal here, but believability is. So, is Lex's crazy plan believable? Not really. But I desperately believe Superman's attempts to foil it.
I've said my bit on the Bosworth thing. Otherwise, I loved the casting. Kevin Spacey manages to toe the line between sanity and insanity, and I appreciate the way he deals with a pretty badly-written character. James Marsden is as American as apple pie in his role as Richard, Lois Lane's fiancee (I like how he isn't inept or bumbling or unlikeable, but actually a really viable replacement for Superman in her life. Nice take on it). Parker Posey makes for a great background character. I don't get the hate, really.
Okay, the main issue seems to be Superboy. I think a lot of people reacted to this with uproarious laughter. The moment you realize the adorable little Jason isn't Richard's son but is instead Superman's... it's kinda surprising, I think. I actually thought it was adorable and left the door open for a sequel. But it also brings a nice circularity to the film, which constantly references Superman's own father (played famously by Marlon Brando in previous films). It's necessary for the plot. It's cheesy, and I accept that, but it's also necessary. I even tear up at the end when he's talking to him... "You will see my life through your eyes as your life will be seen through mine."
Edit: on second thought, my main issue with this film is the goddamn Kryptonite. It renders him powerless, right? So when he's ON the Kryptonite landmass, he can't do anything and he's getting beat up and it's all very tense. THEN, he somehow manages to not only lift the huge Kryptonite island out of the sea, out of our world and into space... but he manages to do all of this with a shard of Kryptonite EMBEDDED in him?! I mean, you have rules in a universe, right? Once you disregard your own rules, you render an entire story futile. So that's my only gripe with the film. He basically defeats Kryptonite, not Lex Luthor. Which should never happen.
you should watch this if...
If you like consuming films, give this a go. Cinematography, music, performances, atmosphere, even the damn color scheme just all fits. It's heroic and hopeful, and in my opinion the best comic book film by a country mile.
It's not perfect, by any means, but it has a reptuation it doesn't deserve.
This will always be a favorite feelgood film for me. I just love it. And maybe you will too.
