Superman Returns, as a Crybaby

I feel bad that I didn't like Superman Returns. My wife enjoyed the movie, but when I asked her what she enjoyed in the movie, she explained, "The emotional scenes. Like when Lois Lanes family is trapped in the boat, or when Lois is crying over Superman in the Hospital." The problem is that both of those emotions are emotions we identify with secondary characters in the movie. My problem with the movie was that, I wanted to feel like Superman. I wanted to identify with him; just like every six year old who has donned a cape, I wanted to be able to pretend. In Superman Returns, he's nothing but an alien. The most Superman like character in the movie is actually Richard White, Lois' husband/boyfriend. Yes I know, he lacks powers, he's just a human, but when Lois asks him to turn back and possibly sacrifice himself and his family to help someone else, he does. Even against his own desire to be Lois' sole love, he turns around for his wife. Superman should have thought about turning around on his journey to Krypton. The Superman I've come to know in comics and the DC animated universe (Bruce Timm, Paul Dini version) never would have left for 5 years.

Superman pic
I think it was a bad decision to follow directly after the first two movies. Let's hope there's a reimagining of the silver screen superman sometime in my lifetime. Before I get angry e-mails, let me state that I did enjoy the movie, but I don't associate what I saw with Superman. To be honest, Alex Ross has forever cemented in my mind who Superman is. What I saw was not him.

EDIT: Here's some links to people who agree with me in part.

Orson Scott Card's Review

Roger Ebert's Review

Comments

  1. AndrewJuly 5, 2006 at 2:02 AM

    The phrase is "...to each their own" I believe. I enjoyed it and I thought they did a great job of showing the Superman we have come to know.

    I do hope in the next movie they will do more to show off him being Superman and less of everything else.

    ReplyDelete
  2. BJJuly 5, 2006 at 5:11 AM

    Yeah, I know I'm in the minority when it comes to Superman Returns. A lot of people are really enjoying it and I can see why. Part of my problem is I see Superman as what you wished you could be. This movie didn't make me wish I was Superman. I identifed most with Marsden's portrayal of Richard White. At the same time the movie got every Superman shot right. The effects and imagery were spot on.

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