Dean Cain vs Brandon Routh

[Bruce Malone]

Who do you think did a better job in their respective roles?

[Rockstar]

Brandon Routh.

He actually played Superman. Meaning he actually played Clark and Superman as two believably distinct persons.


Cain just played Clark and Superman as the same. His Superman was halfassed and cheesy.

[Bruce_Begins]

Comparing actor in a TV series with actor in a movie ?

I would say Brandon Routh, simply because I just cannot imagine Dean Cain giving a performance like Routh did.

But, better comparison would be between Dean Cain Vs Tom Welling.

[MarvelKnight]

Brandon Routh, imho, was perfect as superman. He was victim to a horrible script and overall movie concept.

[bonoferox]

DC took a while to get used to the role, but there is something I just love about his Superman/Clark. He had the chance to make the role his own where Routh (though it's too often reiterated) had to continue on Reeves' Superman.

Still, I love what Routh and Singer did. Too close to call for me.

[hopefuldreamer]

Dean Cain for me.

I know most people complain that his Superman wasn't strong enough... but it was absolutely the intention of the show. They were TRYING to make Superman seem like a characature because they were making Superman out to be the disguise. That's not a flaw on Cain, whether you like that interpretation or not.

And for me, he just owns his character in a way Routh simple didn't. He's a much better actor IMO.

Every line Routh speaks sounds like it's rehearsed. For me, every line Cain speaks, sounds sincere. And he has a much better range of emotions and facial expressions.

Plus, Cain had 1000x more chemistry with Hatcher than Routh did with Bosworth

[B]

Dean Cain did a far better all round job. He actually tried to put his own stamp on the character, he played his Clark Kent as confident & very mildly goofy. Whereas Routh played his Clark as a complete pushover & clumsy.. extremely similar to Reeve's version only not executed on the same level. Personally I found Dean Cain's Clark & Superman far more likeable than I found Brandon Routh's..

The problem with Routh's performance as Superman/Clark Kent/Kal-El was that he tried to emulate Reeve's characterisation/performance however wasn't believable or as likeable as Reeve was in the role & will remain firmly in Reeve's shadow because of it.

Niether really gave good/memorable performances as the Superman aspect of their character, Dean Cain's problem was that his Superman seemed too similar to his Clark Kent at times particularly in the later seasons as opposed to the first & second. It is a similarish story with Routh's Superman, his I felt was a little too close to his Clark Kent as well in some aspects. His Superman was very soft spoken much like his Clark Kent, whereas for example if you go watch Reeve's performance his Clark Kent is fairly soft spoken & his Superman is strong, confident & straight to the point for the most part. Then there was the whole thing with him spying on Lois that I didn't care for.. the bottom line is neither of their Supermen were stand out good, however if I had a gun to my head & was asked to pick a favourite, I'd say Dean Cain's.

[B]

Originally Posted by hopefulsuicide

Dean Cain for me.

I know most people complain that his Superman wasn't strong enough... but it was absolutely the intention of the show. They were TRYING to make Superman seem like a characature because they were making Superman out to be the disguise. That's not a flaw on Cain, whether you like that interpretation or not.

And for me, he just owns his character in a way Routh simple didn't. He's a much better actor IMO.

Every line Routh speaks sounds like it's rehearsed. For me, every line Cain speaks, sounds sincere. And he has a much better range of emotions and facial expressions.

Plus, Cain had 1000x more chemistry with Hatcher than Routh did with Bosworth

I agree 100% & just to comment on the last line, that was one of the things that made Dean Cain's Clark Kent/Superman good. His chemistry with Teri Hatcher was superb.

[Rockstar]

I'd rank the Superman actors like this.

Christopher Reeve
Henry Cavill (probably)
Brandon Routh
George Reeves
Kirk Alyn
Dean Cain


Cain definitely left his original mark on the character, but it wasn't a good mark. It was downright embarassing at times.... but I'm glad we got him. Things wouldn't be the same without this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EZ1vdcHnDw

[hopefuldreamer]

Originally Posted by Rockstar

Cain definitely left his original mark on the character, but it wasn't a good mark. It was downright embarassing at times.

The show was incredibly cheesy and campy, and FULL of the most ridiculous villains the world has ever seen - but I never found Dean Cain specifically embarrasing in his acting.

It was just the tone of the show.

[B]

Originally Posted by Rockstar

I'd rank the Superman actors like this.

Christopher Reeve
Henry Cavill (probably)
Brandon Routh
George Reeves
Kirk Alyn
Dean Cain


Cain definitely left his original mark on the character, but it wasn't a good mark. It was downright embarassing at times.... but I'm glad we got him. Things wouldn't be the same without this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EZ1vdcHnDw

I can't even take your opinion seriously because you've ranked Henry Cavill in there & we are still over a year away from the release of Man of Steel..

[Rockstar]

It's easy to rank Cavill. He can either be not as perfect as Chris Reeve or better than Reeve.

He doesn't have much competition from any of the others. That isn't a compliment to Cavill. It's more of an assessment of how weak the other Superman interpretations and performances have been.

They are easy to top.


You have the Superman from an outdated Donner sequel.

The Superman from a campy 60s kids show.

The Superman from campy serials for children.

The Superman from a cheesy romantic comedy series.


Aside from Reeve, Superman has been fail in live action.

[B]

Originally Posted by Rockstar

It's easy to rank Cavill. He can either be not as perfect as Chris Reeve or better than Reeve.

He doesn't have much competition from any of the others. That isn't a compliment to Cavill. It's more of an assessment of how weak the other Superman interpretations and performances have been.

They are easy to top.


You have the Superman from an outdated Donner sequel.

The Superman from a campy 60s kids show.

The Superman from campy serials for children.

The Superman from a cheesy romantic comedy series.


Aside from Reeve, Superman has been fail in live action.

You've seen absolutely zero footage of Henry Cavill as Superman or Clark Kent, there isn't even anything concrete on the tone or setting of the new film yet & yet somehow you've managed to conclude that Cavill will still give a slightly lesser performance than Reeve, but a better one than Routh..

Also Reeve wasn't perfect, thus far he is the best person that has portrayed the character & his incarnation has been the most well recieved.. you won't get very many people that will argue otherwise. However like anything, his portrayal of the character wasn't what I'd call perfect by any means, there are always ways to improve.. particularly when you consider his incarnation was from 1978 & it's now 2012.. times have changed, and so has the character.

[Bruce Malone]

The one thing you can say cain had for sure over routh was charisma. He was at least engaging in the role. Routh's superman i found quite dull and listless. Reeve had charisma as well. Routh sort of took that role and dulled it.

[B]

Originally Posted by Bruce Malone

The one thing you can say cain had for sure over routh was charisma. He was at least engaging in the role. Routh's superman i found quite dull and listless. Reeve had charisma as well. Routh sort of took that role and dulled it.

Of all the actors in the role that I've personally seen I consider Routh to be the least charismatic of the lot of them. I didn't find either his Clark Kent or his Superman to be likeable. I mean when you watch SR & you hear Jimmy ranting & raving about him, when you actually see how Routh portrays Clark around him it's hard to see how he has made such an impression on him.

I don't know whether it's a case of poor dialog/writing for Routh or just a poor portrayal.. I suspect a little bit of both.

Dean Cain's Clark on the other hand I could have believed that the L&C Jimmy would react in such a way had he been returning after 8 odd years away considering how his Clark acted around & treated that Jimmy.

[Odneyson]

Originally Posted by Bruce Malone

Routh's superman i found quite dull and listless. Reeve had charisma as well. Routh sort of took that role and dulled it.

Reeve's Superman and Routh's Superman are identical

[Lunar_Wolf]

Dean Cain = Too cheesy

Brandon Routh = Emo creepy stalker

[charl_huntress]

Dean = very hot Clark

Brandon = Chris Reeve clone

[Lead Cenobite]

Originally Posted by Odneyson

Reeve's Superman and Routh's Superman are identical

I don't see it. I know it's popular these days to say Superman Returns was a carbon copy of the Donner movies but people fail to see that they aren't identical. The things that were similar were Lex's motivations and the crystal theme of Krypton and the fortress and maybe the timid, clumsy Clark. Other than that, nobody really looked or acted that similarly to the Donner versions of their characters. Routh's Superman wasn't anywhere near IDENTICAL to Reeve's, certainly.

[DrMylesOBoogie]

Cain of course. He did amazing work portraying the character on TV. Routh, nice guy, terrible actor.

[Elevator Man]

Originally Posted by DrMylesOBoogie

Cain of course. He did amazing work portraying the character on TV. Routh, nice guy, terrible actor.

He did such an amazing job that I don't hardly hear anything about him when people mention superman. You call Routh a "terrible" actor but praise Cain in the same sentence. Let me ask you something name something else Cain did that was "amazing work"?














































YOU CAN'T!!!

He hasn't done anything memorable or amazing post L&C, which is pretty much forgotten itself and far from amazing.

Oh and at least Routh looked like supes. He wasn't under six feet, or ignored the spitcurl unlike Cain, who for the most part folds his arms to try to look tough and intimidating in pretty much every episode.

[DogofKrypton]

Originally Posted by DrMylesOBoogie

Cain of course. He did amazing work portraying the character on TV. Routh, nice guy, terrible actor.

You forgot to add Box Office Cancer to Routh's description.

And this really isn't a fair comparison. Out of the two, only Cain was able to play Superman more than once...

[Elevator Man]

Originally Posted by DogofKrypton

You forgot to add Box Office Cancer to Routh's description.

And this really isn't a fair comparison. Out of the two, only Cain was able to play Superman more than once...

What movie Cain starred in let alone played in that was a box office hit?

[DogofKrypton]

Originally Posted by Elevator Man

What movie Cain starred in let alone played in that was a box office hit?

Four seasons on a SUCCESSFUL NETWORK SHOW > Three FAILED feature films.

Deal with it.

[Elevator Man]

Originally Posted by DogofKrypton

Four seasons on a SUCCESSFUL NETWORK SHOW > Three FAILED feature films.

Deal with it.

That was 15 - 20 years ago. The ratings was hanging by a thread. You're comparing the success of a 15-20 year old show to a man's career that's just starting. It had 4 seasons so Smallville had 10 seasons does that mean Welling had a more sucessful career than Routh. AGAIN WHAT MOVIE CAIN STARRED IN LET ALONE PLAYED IN THAT WAS A BOX OFFICE HIT?












































































THERE ISN'T ANY!!!!

DEAL WITH IT!!!