Superman Returns Official Superman Returns Discussion

[Wheels]

Title says it all.

 

[N7 Joseph Shepard]

had to sorry

 

[Wheels]

Sick of people complaing about Superman Returns talk in the Man of Steel forum so I made this. Anytime a thread gets derailled by Superman Returns talk, or someone complains about other fans complaing about Superman Returns I'm posting a link to this. People can argue about SR for as long as they want in here. You can complain or praise whatever you'd like.

 

[G.Godfrey]

I'm happy that Superman Returns got made and that it was as it was and did as it did because otherwise we wouldn't be getting Man of Steel. And Im very happy that McG backed out before Singer came on. Not only did I hate that script but McG also supposedly cast Cavill as Supes and he was waaaay too young and inexperienced at that point. So in a way, Superman Returns was the best thing that could have happened for those of us who love what we see from MOS. And that's the biggest compliment I can give to SR. And now I shall abandon this topic. t:

 

[ЯɘvlveR]

routh wasn't as bad as he's made out to be. movie sucked though.

 

[Wheels]

routh wasn't as bad as he's made out to be. movie sucked though.

Agreed. The characterisation of Superman was bad so Routh seemed worse than he is.

 

[Glassjaw]

Yeah I agree. He just didn't have enough to do, there was no space for him to break into a full stride with Superman or Clark. And the scenes he is in, he gets so little dialogue. After noticing this, its really frustrating watching each scene go by so little contribution by Superman/Clark. He gets no good dialogue. Or we get really long scenes of Lex and a train set, or uneccesary scenes with Lois and Richard or the kid, just eating away at the run time. I don't even think Routh's take on the character was forgettable, it was the role. Any other actor would have had the same problems. It's not the films only problem by far, but it's one of the bigger ones.

 

[I SEE SPIDEY]

I'm not a fan of Singer as a director but I think that he handles actors pretty well. Routh is a bad actor (seems like a nice dude though so I wish him good luck in his life) whom Singer made look as faintly eh as he was in Returns. I think he did his best in that regard.

 

[Tacit Ronin]

There are isolated elements of this film I really like. For example, the scaled, mock up destruction of Metropolis, very expressionistic. The saving of the airline/Lois Lane is another. Great action scene. The scene where Lois and Supes float over Metropolis, a darker, more contemplative, and dare I say mature version of the scene from Superman the Movie. I also loved the stretch of film from Superman falling after getting rid of the island to the aftermath of the doctors (trying) to operate on him. The sound design and visuals are, again, very atypical of what you would see of summer movies, let alone a comic book film. Last but not least, the abandoned voyage to Krypton. Again, Singer delivers a scene of pure subdued cinematic expression. Artistic touches like that is what sets this film apart from hackjobs like X-men 3, Wolverine and Green Lantern. Like Ang Lee's Hulk, it was a cinematically interesting film, (this film aesthetically and Lee's Hulk in how it tackled the character's psychology) even if it didn't succeed as a crowd pleaser. And I would always take interesting failures over mediocre successes, always.

 

[Wheels]

My issues with Superman Returns have nothing to do with it not being a crowd pleaser. I don't like Superman or Lois in the film at all. Superman does a wam bam thank you ma'm and leaves for 5 years. Lois marries Richard White and she's obviously not in love with him. Neither actor is able to get me to like them.

 

[Micromind]

As someone has pointed out, Routh got a raw deal in Superman Returns from the script writers, Costume Designers, makeup artist, Physical Trainers and CGI effects company.

 

[LL2K2]

As someone has pointed out, Routh got a raw deal in Superman Returns from the script writers, Costume Designers, makeup artist, Physical Trainers and CGI effects company.

Add Jeff Robinov and Alan Horn to that list.

 

[Bruce Malone]

I wasn't posting on SHH during this period but for those of you that were and remember were there a good deal of "fan-boy wars" between the brandon routh fans and the tom welling fans?

I can imagine people taking up sides as to who was the better superman.

 

[Mysteryman]

My issues with Superman Returns have nothing to do with it not being a crowd pleaser. I don't like Superman or Lois in the film at all. Superman does a wam bam thank you ma'm and leaves for 5 years. Lois marries Richard White and she's obviously not in love with him. Neither actor is able to get me to like them.

They wernt married, Remember how Jimmy said Lois didnt like being asked when they were going to finally tie the knot?

 

[Wheels]

They wernt married, Remember how Jimmy said Lois didnt like being asked when they were going to finally tie the knot?

You're right. It really doesn't matter though, because she's still stringing the guy along.

 

[Micromind]

I wasn't posting on SHH during this period but for those of you that were and remember were there a good deal of "fan-boy wars" between the brandon routh fans and the tom welling fans?

I can imagine people taking up sides as to who was the better superman.

The fan-base was divided to some extent between pro Welling and pro Routh groups back then, it did nothing good for the character (Superman) though.

It was interesting to note that Tom Welling did not attend SR premiere, though Michael Rosenbaum and Dean Cain were present there.

 

[DarkKnight88]

The fan-base was divided to some extent between pro Welling and pro Routh groups back then, it did nothing good for the character (Superman) though.

Or for either of their careers apparently since neither of them have done anything "stand out" since then.

 

[kalzor]

movie sucked though.

Based on what?

I enjoyed the hell out of it like a lot of people did. Just because you don't like a movie for what it is doesn't means it "sucked".

 

[Nemeres]

One of the (millions of) things that always bugged me about it was the bit when Superman takes Lois flying and he tells her that he hears everything. She was pretty pissed with him at this point for leaving, and after he says his "the world needs a savior" line, she just looks down and doesn't say anything, as if she's realized that it was wrong of her to write her article... when it was the PERFECT excuse to say "Oh great, Superman, then WHY THE HELL did you leave? My article was about how mankind should be able to move on and not be overly reliant on a guy who will leave whenever he wants, and without any warning, mind you. It was a perfectly valid point that I was making. How dare you try to make me feel bad about doing my job?"

Where's the realism? Where's the accurate portrayal of how actual discussions between people take place? Bear in my mind, the only excuse Superman had given her for leaving was "I had to see Krypton with my own eyes". I guess that's a great excuse for letting thousands die while he was gone. Not a good excuse, Superman. Or should I say, not good writing, Dougherty, Harris and Singer.

 

[BustersDogFood]

I think Routh was a major reason this film failed to inspire people. As an actor, he's a flatline.

 

[Wheels]

Based on what?

I enjoyed the hell out of it like a lot of people did. Just because you don't like a movie for what it is doesn't means it "sucked".

He's expressing his view that the film sucked. He doesn't need to draw a diagram.

 

[BustersDogFood]

For me, SR commits the worst crime a movie can commit. It wasn't particularly good and it doesn't royally suck. It's just boring, and it's not only because it lacks action.

The emotional core of the movie feels hollow. It's a shame because it's clear a lot of good intentions went into the making of this movie.

 

[\S/JcDc\S/]

Routh would have been great in a true reboot.

 

[Dr.]

One of the (millions of) things that always bugged me about it was the bit when Superman takes Lois flying and he tells her that he hears everything. She was pretty pissed with him at this point for leaving, and after he says his "the world needs a savior" line, she just looks down and doesn't say anything, as if she's realized that it was wrong of her to write her article... when it was the PERFECT excuse to say "Oh great, Superman, then WHY THE HELL did you leave? My article was about how mankind should be able to move on and not be overly reliant on a guy who will leave whenever he wants, and without any warning, mind you. It was a perfectly valid point that I was making. How dare you try to make me feel bad about doing my job?"

There’s actually a fair bit going on in that scene. Granted, much of it is unspoken or couched in dual meaning (though interpretation is fairly easy to manage).

In the specific exchange you refer to, Superman is essentially explaining that being a “savior” is a fulltime job. So quite apart from his five-year absence, he could never provide the type of relationship that Lois (or he) might have hoped for. The scene doesn’t depict an attempted reconciliation; it confirms their break-up.

 

[Manosman]

Biggest problem with the movie...and you can read the synopsis and not even watch it to know this.....Superman splits without saying a word. That's not Superman. The End.

I remember watching this at the midnight screening, or maybe it was 10:30, anyways, I walked in wanting to love this movie. I remember being so disappointed. I do own it on DVD, but whenever I think about watching it, I always pass for something else. Heck, I'd rather watch the 3 hour making of DVD extra than the actual movie, and sometimes I'll youtube the plane scene.