Wednesday, June 28, 2006

Superman cannot lie... and neither will I


I went and saw "Superman Returns" at the special screening at 10:10 last night with my boy Aaron.
I will not lie. It was good. From the moment the John William's Superman score hits the screen to the end I was caught in the moment.
I thought the storyline was great and answers the question, "Well where's Superman been?" while Spiderman, X-Men, Batman and others have taken over Superman's spot at the box office.
Apparently Superman (played by Brandon Routh) went home to see if there was anything left of his home planet.
But he returns to earth to see that the world has moved on without him, including the love of his life, Lois Lane (Kate Bosworth). Lane is even being awarded the Pulitzer Prize for her editorial piece, "Why the world doesn't need Superman."
Superman's vile enemy Lex Luther, wonderfully played by Kevin Spacey, has been released from jail after Superman, the key witness in his case failed to appear at his trial. Luther sets out on his next plan to take over the world and of course only one man can stop him - Superman.
I kept sensing a spiritual theme in the movie as Lane tells Superman the world doesn't need a savior. From his viewpoint high above the world, Superman tells her "I hear all the screams and cries for a savior."
The movie also grapples with Superman's mortality as the the others have as well.
Routh plays an excellent replacement for Christopher Reeves and at times you can see Reeves in Routh's expressions and face.
There is definatly a greater element of special effects than the first three movies, but they're done well enough that you don't lose the "reality" of the movie.
You don't get a chance to stop and think, now was that done with computers or the real thing?
I won't give away the ending, but it will leave you applauding the film makers for a job well done.
The movie opens nationwide today.

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