Superman Returns Thread

[Jaguar]

It was pretty mediocre. I saw it earlier today. I'll make a longer post shortly.

[Jaguar]

I should mention that I've never read the geeky comics or anything like that. Here are some of the many things I found absurd or unappealing about the film.

The premise: Superman has returned after a trip to Krypton. You know this from some text at the opening. Other than that, it's referenced only a few times. You never learn anything about what happened on that journey.

While Superman was away, Lois Lane has apparently won a Pulitzer for an editorial titled "Why the World Doesn't Need Superman." Now, I know very little about Superman, but one would think Lois would be a bit more grateful given the six or so times he's saved her life already.

Now, the main plot is a silly and unnecessarily complex get-rich-quick scheme by Lex Luthor. One wonders what's the point of a get-rich-quick scheme when you already have your own yacht. Minor spoiler: his plan involves creating a giant spikey landmass that supposedly will be habitable but definitely doesn't look like it.

But the biggest problem with the main plot was that there simply wasn't very much of it. Luthor hatches a plan, puts it into action, explains it to one of the good guys in typical bad-movie bad-guy fashion, and then it eventually gets foiled by Superman. Brief sidetrack when Superman gets blindsided by the fact that Luthor has procured some kryptonite for the ninth consecutive time. But the execution and subsequent foiling of Luthor's plan take about fifteen minutes of screentime. The rest of the movie is spent with Superman creepily following Lois around and eavesdropping on her (she's got a fiance now) and resolving the soap opera, etc. And of course, the requisite action scenes, some of which look really cool, but others are pointless. There are some bankrobbers, who, for some reason, have a gatling gun, and the bullets bounce off of Superman. Who would have thought?

The Jesus imagery gets really tiresome. Superheroes don't have to be Jesuses all the time. There's far more than just that line that was in the trailer.

I think Spacey was a great villain, and I think that Routh looks the part of Superman (his lines were monosyllabic most of the time, though). Kate Bosworth isn't very good, but what could I expect out of someone whose primary acheivement is starring in "Win A Date with Tad Hamilton?" The special effects look awesome. It's worth watching, but don't believe any of the tools who try to tell you how awesome it was.

[Whoha]

what improvement over superman 4 was there?

[Jaguar]

I didn't see Superman 4. I hear it was absolutely godawful. This movie isn't absolutely godawful. It was quite entertaining at times. And it's a good one to see on the big screen with all the crazy special effects and all. I don't regret having seen it. It's just decidedly mediocre for a comic book movie, and several of the recent ones have been better. (Many, like Catwoman, Elektra, Fantastic Four, the Hulk, etc have been far worse)

[FrostyBoy]

Whoha, let me enlighten you.

Superman Returns takes off from Superman II; Superman 3 and 4 were done by different directors and don't count as the "true superman movie story".

There were parts of Supes 3 and 4 I liked, at least I found them better than the recent Spiderman movies - quite an embarrasment to Spiderman over all really.

[Jaguar]

The recent Spiderman movies were good. They were at least coherent.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Spiderman 2 kicked all sorts of ass

[Harry Tuttle]

Originally posted by Jaguar
I should mention that I've never read the geeky comics or anything like that.

Boo. I guess backstory means nothing to you. Everyone knows the Superman story. This shouldn't have to be re-explained everytime the comics are redone.

The premise: Superman has returned after a trip to Krypton. You know this from some text at the opening. Other than that, it's referenced only a few times. You never learn anything about what happened on that journey.

Yeah, he got there, it was a graveyard, he left. That's his explanation. The movie is about his return to Earth, not about flying around in space.

While Superman was away, Lois Lane has apparently won a Pulitzer for an editorial titled "Why the World Doesn't Need Superman." Now, I know very little about Superman, but one would think Lois would be a bit more grateful given the six or so times he's saved her life already.

She loved him and thought they were soul mates. She gets pregnant. He leaves for 5 years without saying goodbye. Put it together, she's pissed.

Now, the main plot is a silly and unnecessarily complex get-rich-quick scheme by Lex Luthor. One wonders what's the point of a get-rich-quick scheme when you already have your own yacht. Minor spoiler: his plan involves creating a giant spikey landmass that supposedly will be habitable but definitely doesn't look like it.

It's Lex Luthor. He doesn't know the meaning of too much. He's a maniacal super-criminal-genuis. OF COURSE he wants more.

But the biggest problem with the main plot was that there simply wasn't very much of it. Luthor hatches a plan, puts it into action, explains it to one of the good guys in typical bad-movie bad-guy fashion, and then it eventually gets foiled by Superman. Brief sidetrack when Superman gets blindsided by the fact that Luthor has procured some kryptonite for the ninth consecutive time. But the execution and subsequent foiling of Luthor's plan take about fifteen minutes of screentime. The rest of the movie is spent with Superman creepily following Lois around and eavesdropping on her (she's got a fiance now) and resolving the soap opera, etc. And of course, the requisite action scenes, some of which look really cool, but others are pointless. There are some bankrobbers, who, for some reason, have a gatling gun, and the bullets bounce off of Superman. Who would have thought?

It's called story reinforcement. The Superman movies have always involved the love story. Other than that it's all special effects. It's a comic book movie, so yeah, typical bad guy fashion is what you're going to get.

The Jesus imagery gets really tiresome. Superheroes don't have to be Jesuses all the time. There's far more than just that line that was in the trailer.

The thing is that Superman is the epitome of a Superhero Jesus. He's pure and has just about every power he can have. Superman is the epitome of a savior, he always has been. Other Superheroes using Jesus imagery are just being overblown. Superman was MEANT to be the end all, the top of the heap, the guy who could rule by force but chooses to serve. He has always been portrayed like that.

It's worth watching, but don't believe any of the tools who try to tell you how awesome it was.

Yeah, go watch some more of the teen angst bull**** that Marvel churns out.

[Jaguar]

Dude, I don't even know the difference between Marvel and DC. They're more or less identical in most respects, but that doesn't stop idiots from deciding that one is the greatest thing since sliced bread and the other sucks.

All I'm saying is that from the perspective of one of the billions of people who haven't read all the junk, this movie was relatively incoherent and mediocre compared to some of the other recent films.

You might say that since you've read the stuff, your opinion counts more than mine. But my ticket is worth the same as yours, and there are a hell of a lot more people like me than there are people like you.

[joncha]

LOL DO YOU THINK THEY'LL PUT VENOM IN THE NEXT BATMAN MOVIE?

[Jaguar]

[Harry Tuttle]

Originally posted by Jaguar
Dude, I don't even know the difference between Marvel and DC. They're more or less identical in most respects, but that doesn't stop idiots from deciding that one is the greatest thing since sliced bread and the other sucks.

All I'm saying is that from the perspective of one of the billions of people who haven't read all the junk, this movie was relatively incoherent and mediocre compared to some of the other recent films.

You might say that since you've read the stuff, your opinion counts more than mine. But my ticket is worth the same as yours, and there are a hell of a lot more people like me than there are people like you.

If you're going to ***** about a movie franchise that's been around since the late seventies and and feign ignorance to what has happened in past movies then be prepared to be criticized.

Why do you think you need to be spoonfed this stuff? Did you need Bryan Singer to come on screen before the film and explain the whole plot to you? Did he do that with X-men?

It just kills me that you need an explanation behind the motive of Lex Luthor. Watch the first 2 films! This is set right after the second one! Don't whine about not knowing what's going on when you can't be bothered to ask questions before seeing the movie. Were you that guy who sat in Spiderman and said: WTF? why can he climb on walls? That is so unrealistic.

[Zkribbler]

I haven't seen the movie and don't know that I will.

But I've heard that Superman returns to find out that he's fathers a kid, never tells the kid that he's Superman's son, and offers no financial support

Is he a Superdeadbeat Dad?!?

[Imran Siddiqui]

[q=Harry Tuttle]If you're going to ***** about a movie franchise that's been around since the late seventies and and feign ignorance to what has happened in past movies then be prepared to be criticized.[/q]



Fanboys... most people who watch this will be more in Jaguar's camp.

[Harry Tuttle]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
[q=Harry Tuttle]If you're going to ***** about a movie franchise that's been around since the late seventies and and feign ignorance to what has happened in past movies then be prepared to be criticized.[/q]



Fanboys... most people who watch this will be more in Jaguar's camp.

Whatever, go oggle Harry Potter.