Superman Returns isn't very good.

I’m not going to say it’s a bad movie, because it’s not. It just isn’t very good. I went in with big expectations, and it pains me to admit what a huge disappointment it was. I really wanted it to be great.

My problems with it:

  • 1 Kevin Spacey’s Lex Luthor - He’s watered down. A great hero needs a super sinister villain. Thankfully, this version of Luthor wasn’t as silly as Gene Hackman’s, but unfortunately not menacing enough either. Luthor needs to come across as a real threat to Superman. He didn’t in this movie.

  • 2 The Plot - I specifically found Luthor’s plan and the kid subplot lame and unnecessary.

  • 3 The Passion of Jesus Superman - C’mon! Maybe just a little over the top with the “savior” stuff?!

On the plus side, Brandon Routh was likeable. Even though this was a misfire, I’ll go back for the sequel.

Posted by chuck at July 5, 2006 10:49 AM

Comments

You saw my notes before…

But I heard in the Hollywood Reporter that while filming, Bryan Singer got poisoned with “Craptonite”

Posted by: Andy at July 5, 2006 4:50 PM

As a gigantic fan of all things Hackman, I’d like to offer that Gene Hackman’s Luthor, while really kind of silly, by no means serves as a black mark on the legacy of Hackman. It’s just Hackman being “Comic-book sized” Hackman.

The black mark is that movie he did with Dan Aykroyd in the 1980s. And then, later, that movie he did with Ray Romano.

Hey, look over there! It’s Hoosiers and The French Connection and Unforgiven!!!

(Zoom … exit stage left)

Posted by: Jim at July 6, 2006 12:52 PM