Superman Returns - Not that bad, but not that good

Superman fans waited what seemed like a long time to see their lycra-clad hero back in action.  Then they got this.  In a world filled with reboots and remakes you have to give the film-makers credit for actually daring to make a sequel to the original Christopher Reeves quadrology.  According to ‘Superman Returns’ the ‘Man of Steel’ went back to his home planet for five years and has only just got back.  Of course now he looks slightly different (like Brandon Routh to be precise), but obviously acts exactly like Reeves and his portray of the character.

It certainly feels like part of the original set of films, but, for some reason, it just doesn’t work so well now.  Perhaps cinema goers are more used to heroes who have a ‘darker’ background and general and outlook on life.  Routh’s Superman is totally squeaky clean and people are probably just getting a little tired of the fact that he can change his clothes and put on a pair of glasses, therefore rendering him completely undetectable to everyone (including those who know him best).  The Christopher Reeves movies were campy and you could kind of ignore things like that.  I think people now desire a little more realism and it’s hard to take it all seriously.

Kevin Spacey adds some noteworthy prestige to the story, playing Superman’s arch nemesis Lex Luthor.  However, despite being an actor as talented as Spacey, he’s not really given that much to do.  He’s not that threatening and, seeing as he’s only a human, you know he has to get his hands on some of the mythical mineral from Superman’s homeworld, Kryptonite, in order to really threaten the titular hero.  Luthor has a plan which revolves around creating a new land mass, which will basically destroy the continent of America in the process.  He doesn’t really have an army, nor the means to defend his new homeland, making his whole plot a little ridiculous.

The special effects are okay and obviously they’ve been cranked up since the eighties – including the (seemingly mandatory) CGI effects for the set pieces.

I think the best part of the film is the music.  It’s taken straight from the original films and when it starts to play, it does feel like you’re right back in the eighties.  I guess this only applies to people of a certain age (like myself!) to get this one.

‘Superman Returns’ isn’t bad.  It’s just about twenty years too late o be relevant.  It kind of gets overshadowed by all the other – far superior – superhero movies currently on offer.  I’m guessing it will probably be more forgiven by those of us who still like the originals and it will probably keep young boys happy on a Saturday afternoon.  Otherwise, the modern generations will only really like ‘Superman’ through his newly-rebooted persona as ‘The Man of Steel.’

7/10 if I woke up on Groundhog Day and had to watch this again, I could live with that