Superman Returns Brandon Routh. Great Casting Choice or Bad?

[Kane]

This thread is specifically a final follow-up/conclusion to the huge 'Casting Wars' of 2004.

I wasnt around then but I heard there was alot of controversy over Brandon being selected for the role of Superman over Josh Hartnett, James Caviezel, Tom Welling, Ashton Kutcher, Jude Law...etc

Now that we've got a chance to gauge his performance, was Brandon the best choice to embody Superman for this new generation? Did he do justice to the role?

Vote and Discuss.

 

[kal-el2006]

brandon IS my superman.

 

[DA Harvey Dent]

He did a good job, casting wise - I think he was the best choice.

 

[X-Ray]

^^^ Indeed he did. I really liked him as Clark. Kinda reminded me of Reeves when he played him.

 

[The Bat]

I think He was GREAT! Of course...He's still My 2nd choice...Tom Welling is the 1st! But Brandon did an excellent Job.

 

[M.E.H.Z.E.B]

I was initially excited about Routh's casting, but some of his scenes as Clark kind of made me think twice. However, on a whole, I think Routh was good enough for the role, and the studio made the right choice in casting him.

 

[superpal2]

he has won over me easily.

 

[Wilhelm-Scream]

He would've been so good...in 10 or 15 years.

He TOtally looked like "SUPER-BOY".

He did not have the paternal, "M.A.N." part of "Superman" in any way.
His voice was freaking PERFECT! Especially as Clark.
But he just didn't have the whole package.
( btw, if you make a "package" joke? You're Gay. )

 

[Mentok]

Brandon was Great.

 

[Mentok]

I was initially excited about Routh's casting, but some of his scenes as Clark kind of made me think twice. However, on a whole, I think Routh was good enough for the role, and the studio made the right choice in casting him.

The studio didnt cast him, Singer did.

 

[Steelsheen]

there's no "good" casting choice? because to me he didnt suck, but then again he wasnt entirely "great"


btw Kane, the topic at hand is what my Routh as Superman thread is for

 

[Secret_Riddle]

he was awesom. a superman for the new gerneration.

 

[M.E.H.Z.E.B]

The studio didnt cast him, Singer did.

Thanks for clearing that up.

 

[jensmith]

I thought he was excellent.

 

[SUPERMAN .45]

He's good for the role of SUPERMAN I like him nice movie.

 

[thechubbysaint]

He looked ok in the part. Yet, he didn't have enough dialogue as Clark and Superman to really tell.

He did kinda moan like a girl when he was getting beaten up, which was weird.

 

[Max]

He looked ok in the part. Yet, he didn't have enough dialogue as Clark and Superman to really tell.

He did kinda moan like a girl when he was getting beaten up, which was weird.

This is the truth. There should have been another choice with the poll:

"Not enough to judge."

Brandon Routh is okay as Superman. Visually, he did his action scenes fine, but I need far more than that to make a decision. I need to see the man "act." I need to hear him deliver extensive dialogue, not just one or two lines throughout a 2+ hour film.

Do I think BR was the best choice? No. He was the actor that most resembled Christopher Reeve, and I think that's what Singer was looking for most of all in his decision to cast Routh. The fact that Singer never allowed Routh to act in his film seems to reinforce that he simply wanted someone to resemble Reeve for his Donner homage. There were a few moments where you thought Routh would have a chance to truly shine, but then it was squelched. A few minutes at the end doesn't erase his lack of showing in the entire movie.

I've read many reviews that stated pretty much the same thing. "Jury is still out on Routh, whose Superman suggests a lightweight imitation of Reeve's performance . . ."

"Brandon Routh may or may not be a good actor. . . "

All I'm saying is that Singer should have given Brandon Routh a MUCH bigger role in his movie, rather than just use him for action sequences and some facial expressions. How can I judge his performance as Superman when his co-stars got more to say and do in a movie that is suppose to be about him?

 

[thechubbysaint]

There were a few moments where you thought Routh would have a chance to truly shine, but then it was squelched. A few minutes at the end doesn't erase his lack of showing in the entire movie.

I thought when he stepped from the plane and was on the jumbo-tron in the stadium was good chance for him to have a shining moment. BR didn't even crack a smile. He stood there looking depressed.

 

[Sincnarf]

Routh is a great choice. He, like Batman Begins' Bale embodied the character they played making it their own even if it was already played by so many other actors.

Routh CAN act as well (stabbing scene and pretending to be Christopher Reeve, just kidding on the last part!). If given a greater story arc in the sequels, he sure can prove himself as a greater actor and not just some newbie who happened to look like Christopher Reeves.

 

[DV8]

I agree that he wasn't given enough of a chance to really ham it up as far as acting . . . he looks and sounds likes Reeve so much that it was really quite eerie, though . . .

I just watched Superman III yesterday, and even though I know a lot of people aren't too fond of that one, I realized how GREAT of an actor Reeve really was . . . especially as bad Superman . . . . it'll be tough for Routh to live up to it . . . we'll just have to see if they make anymore Superman movies with this cast to prove otherwise . . .

 

[Morgoth]

I bashed the poor guy from the start, but that first pic didn't look right, but the more I saw the better I thought of him.

After seeing the movie, I love him!

He looks like Reeve somewhat and sounds like him, but I think he looks a bit more like some of the comics than Reeve did.

Wonderful choice, and a wonderful movie!

 

[Gamma Ray]

Great choice. At times I could see his soap opera acting days leaking through, but overall he did an unexpectedly good job.

 

[Kane]

I thought when he stepped from the plane and was on the jumbo-tron in the stadium was good chance for him to have a shining moment. BR didn't even crack a smile. He stood there looking depressed.

He did crack a smile. A grin. Just no teeth. He would have looked too conceited if he did.

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

Brandon Routh is Superman.

Period

 

[Kane]

where u get those screencaps

From Superman Returns...