After all the hype, all the excessive marketing, all the promise of reliving the glory of the wonderful 1978 version, what do we get? A $260 million promotion for the Richard Donner original. Poor writing, miscasting, and an obsession for the original by the director results in a movie that has no heart, no emotional depth, and no sense of wonder, quite a feat for a film that goes 154 minutes. Director Bryan Singer also makes the mistake of assuming that everyone has seen "SUPERMAN : THE MOVIE" and "SUPERMAN II". For a young generation who would not have been born when the first two movies came out, important plot points are not explained, and characters are just meant to be known and understood. While newcomer Brandon Routh looks and sounds creepily like Christopher Reeve, he shows none of the charisma, warmth, humanity, and humour of the late Mr Reeve, making both Clark Kent and Superman very dull indeed. As for Kevin Spacey as Lex Luthor, he doesn't even seem to be trying, as if he knows he can't come close to Gene Hackman's brilliant portrayal, therefore creating a boring screen villain. It seems to be unanimous that Kate Bosworth gives a terrible performance as the made-for-the-new-millennium Lois Lane. Bitchy, selfish, totally career-minded, there is nothing that reminds us of Margot Kidder's spot-on performance, showing that Lane could be both strong-willed and likable. As written and performed, you feel like you are watching a completely different character, and it doesn't help that Bosworth looks about 10-15 years younger than Kidder, despite this film taking place 5 years after "SUPERMAN II". Although technically impressive, you are always aware that you are watching computer-generated imagery, and as the film progresses, it seems to resemble more-and-more a Playstation game rather than an involving, flesh-and-blood story. The only times when interest picks up is when Mr Singer re-uses elements from the 1978 film; the music; the Brando footage; as well as other shots and references; otherwise this bloated, self-conscious, self-important mess is dead in the water. After all is said and done, this new film certainly makes you appreciate Richard Donner's 1978 version even more.
Review of Superman Returns
