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Superman Returns - Review
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What's the story?
After an unexplained absence of five years, Superman/Clark Kent (Brandon Routh) returns to a Metropolis that's no longer in need of his heroics. Life has moved on, as have the staff at the Daily Planet - most notably Lois Lane (Kate Bosworth), who is now engaged to the editor's son and the mother of a five-year-old son. Lex Luthor (Kevin Spacey), meanwhile, is fresh out of prison and hell-bent on revenge having discovered a formula for sapping Superman's power with some Kryptonite-laced crystals. With the Man of Steel out of the picture, he can realise his plans for global domination via the property market.
What we say
You have to take your cape off to Bryan Singer given that the director has done what many thought impossible and made you believe that a man really can fly again. Having turned the X-Men franchise into an all-conquering success for Marvel Comics, he now breathes fresh life into DC's Man of Steel with the equally impressive Superman Returns. The result is a film that's both deeply respectful to its source material and Richard Donner's first two Superman movies, but that's also brave enough to explore new avenues. The film is an effortless crowd-pleaser - one that boasts cutting edge special effects and some breathtaking action sequences, but also a film that has plenty of heart besides and a cast worthy enough to engage on an emotional level. Bryan took a big risk when he cast the unknown Brandon Routh in the title role, but the actor proves an excellent choice, capably mixing the amiable, nice-guy charm of the slightly awkward Clark Kent with the smooth charisma required of Superman. That he looks uncanninly like a young Christopher Reeve is merely icing on the cake and lends the film a nice sense of familiarity from the outset. Strong, too, are the rest of his cast, including two of the usual suspects from the director's past movies - most notably Kevin Spacey as a much more sinister Lex Luthor and James (X-Men) Marsden as the new love-interest of Lois Lane. The plot is also involving enough to hold viewers' attention during the two-and-a-half hour running time, providing Superman with a nemesis worthy of his superpowers and a moral dilemma that's every bit as compelling. The love story works because the director allows us to care about every one of the characters. Though slightly darker in tone than earlier movies, Superman Returns still delivers some superb tongue-in-cheek moments and has fun toying with the Superman/Clark Kent double identity. It also boasts some amazing set pieces, including the rescue of an airplane early on and the inevitable confrontation with Lex during the finale. It's a blockbuster that soars, much like its central character, so much so that viewers will probably even be prepared to forgive it a sentimental conclusion. The result is box office gold rather than kryptonite.
Star rating:
Certificate: 12A
Running time: 2hrs 30mins
Review: Rob Carnevale
- Watch clips from Superman Returns >>
- Read our interview with Brandon Routh >>
- Read our interview with Kate Bosworth >>
- Read our interview with Kevin Spacey >>
- Return to the Superman special site >>
