Superman Returns Official Superman Returns Discussion

[sf2]

this is my 1st post I think April 2004... 18 years ago... and we only get 2 solo superman films. both can't get its own solo sequel. sad

 

[AntonGobbs89]

Superman Returns is easily the most underrated superhero film I’ve come across. Usually when there’s a hive mind mentality regarding a comic book film I can see why that is. For example I really like Spider-Man 3 however, I completely understand those that hate that film. With Returns I’m completely dumbfounded as to why this film has received so much hatred over the years.

I remember looking forward to this film back in 2006 and seeing it opening day when I was 14. I was completely blown away by it at the time. It was to the point that this was the movie of the Summer imo. I liked it more that Pirates 2 or X-Men 3. It wasn’t until a year or two after it came out that I slowly realized it wasn’t well liked by general audiences. I remember reading the criticisms of it and trying to watch the film with them in mind, and still not understanding where people were coming from.

All of that was years ago, and I decided to rewatch the film again recently and I still love it. I like this idea of Superman coming back to the world after an extended amount of time and finding that it has moved on without him. And I like the ultimate conclusion that the film comes to at the end that the world does indeed need saviors as beacons and examples for the rest of us.

I also like that the film takes risks. Jason has become a controversial part of the movie, but I think he fits well with the story and Superman’s arc. Then on top of that, for as much flack as Bosworth gets for her performance, I think the Superman/Lois relationship is very interesting in this film. There are elements of it that could’ve been completely cliched but the movie side steps all of those pit falls. Her fiancé is actually a good man, and Lois decides to stay committed to him. But at the same time there’s still something between her and Superman. It’s complex and within the superhero sub genre I think it’s a unique approach to a love story.

Finally, I think it has so many iconic Superman moments. People have talked at length about how cool the airplane rescue is, but I also love the visual of him hovering above the earth just listening to everything and everyone. I also think the final act is entirely satisfying. I love Superman being put in the moral dilemma of either having to save Lois or Metropolis and him choosing responsibility over his personal life.

There’s a lot of layers to this film, and imo it’s the second best Superman film. It’s a shame that there wasn’t a followup because I love this world and this version of Superman, but even then I think it’s a great stand alone film. At this point I think it would rank in my top 10 favorite superhero films just because it’s a movie that I’ve revisited multiple times and it has never disappointed me. I admire a lot of the decisions that were made with it, and it’s a shame that at this point it feels forgotten more than anything. However, to me a good film isn’t measured in box office or how many sequels were squeezed out of it. I hope people will come back around on it someday.

 

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

SR will always have a special place for me as it's the movie that really got me into Superman as a character. It's got me reading the comics etc and I do feel it's really under rated.

 

[AntonGobbs89]

SR will always have a special place for me as it's the movie that really got me into Superman as a character. It's got me reading the comics etc and I do feel it's really under rated.

In terms of the other Superman films where does it rank for you?

 

[Scarlet Spider]

I'll always have a soft spot for this movie.

 

[Captain Tired]

I for one think Superman Returns is a first rate adaptation of the Superman's GirlFriend, Lois Lane series.

Nah but I do enjoy this movie. Not sure whether I'd rank it above, below or tied with MOS, but certainly below Superman and both cuts of Superman II. So yeah I'd certainly say it's one of the better Superman films.

 

[Herofan]

With Returns I’m completely dumbfounded as to why this film has received so much hatred over the years.

Part of it was high expectations, but that's understandable,19 years since the previous film, about 6 years from the beginning of modern superhero blockbusters, a lot of comparison of Routh to Reeve, it being from director Singer who had big successes and at least some expectations, hopes that there would be sequels (and if not who knows when a next one might come).

I like this idea of Superman coming back to the world after an extended amount of time and finding that it has moved on without him.

To me he seemed immature and overly selfish to leave for years and be surprised that people had moved on and/or were not just welcoming him back and even more so given we learn he had been intimate with Lois.

as much flack as Bosworth gets for her performance, I think the Superman/Lois relationship is very interesting in this film. There are elements of it that could’ve been completely cliched but the movie side steps all of those pit falls. Her fiancé is actually a good man, and Lois decides to stay committed to him. But at the same time there’s still something between her and Superman.

OK but it felt too much like elements of Spider-Man 2, and with Richard not bad but not particularly likeable, Lois not real charismatic and me just preferring the versions of Lois and Superman together.

It’s a shame that there wasn’t a followup because I love this world and this version of Superman, but even then I think it’s a great stand alone film. At this point I think it would rank in my top 10 favorite superhero films just because it’s a movie that I’ve revisited multiple times and it has never disappointed me.

I also just didn't like the length/pacing, that felt really excessive without having much story (or depth or interest with the characters).

 

[Frodo]

SR has sort have fallen by the waist side in terms of fan debates.
In alot of ways, due to how controversial MOS, BvS, and JL were in handling Superman.

At the same time, SR came out midway during the run of Smallville which also overshadowed it in alot of ways.

It's kind of ironic given all the fan debates about SR online at the time, but now, I find that fans don't really even talk about it all that much these days.

 

[Herofan]

Yes, it may be a bit unfair to compare Routh to Reeve (though the filmmakers chose to really invite the comparison), but also Welling had been and was a lot better, I think even the film special effects were not particularly better than what we had been seeing for years on the show.

 

[Captain Tired]

Still waiting for Tarantino's essay about how great he thought Superman Returns was.

 

[AntonGobbs89]

SR has sort have fallen by the waist side in terms of fan debates.
In alot of ways, due to how controversial MOS, BvS, and JL were in handling Superman.

At the same time, SR came out midway during the run of Smallville which also overshadowed it in alot of ways.

It's kind of ironic given all the fan debates about SR online at the time, but now, I find that fans don't really even talk about it all that much these days.

Exactly what I mean by it being forgotten.

 

[Frodo]

Exactly what I mean by it being forgotten.

Yeah.
It is weird when you think about it.

But I guess when you're a film basically sandwiched between the Ironic Reeve Era, and The Controversial Snyder era , it's easier for people to overlook the film in the middle.

And when you throw Smallville into the mix , SR gets lots in the shuffle.

 

[AntonGobbs89]

Still waiting for Tarantino's essay about how great he thought Superman Returns was.

I have a story about this. Back in 2013 a Los Angeles theatre called Cinefamily did a 35mm triple feature with films featuring actor Robert Blake. Tarantino was going to be hosting this event with Blake in person for Q&A’s between films.

Cinefamily was a small theatre. The first three rows were couches and the rest was just regular theatre seating. If you wanted to sit on a couch you had to get there early, which I did and I was able to get a cushion on the couch to myself. It should also be noted that at this time Cinefamily only had one functional film projector. Meaning that there was a break in between reels to load the next one which took a few minutes.

So Tarantino shows up introducing the first film and doing the first Q&A with Blake. Then the film started and Tarantino sat right next me on another couch. I know this is probably hard to believe, but I kid you not. I had some questions for him but I didn’t work up the courage to ask them until the second or third reel change. He was very polite and answered every question I had and shook my hand and what not.

One of the questions I asked was if he ever intended on releasing that Superman Returns review because I was a big fan of the film back then as well and desperately wanted to read it. He said that he didn’t think he’d ever release it. Now that it’s been almost ten years since that interaction I think he’s sticking to his guns on that.

Still, it’s cool for this film to have a filmmaker of Tarantino’s caliber in its corner. I’d love to hear his reasoning for that because even as recent as last year he has still said that Returns is his favorite Superman film. I think the best we can hope for is that someone can get him in a podcast to discuss the film.

 

[AntonGobbs89]

While there’s somewhat of a conversation going, I just wanted to add that this poster and the teaser trailer for this film are phenomenal. That teaser is still up there as one of the best trailers for a superhero film. I still remember seeing it in front of V for Vendetta.

 

[Frodo]

It's been awhile since I've revisited SR since so much has happened with Superman on Film and TV since then , in addition to the genre as a whole.

I do remember the teaser


The guys over at Think McFly Think had an excellent discussion about the film back in the day.

 

[Captain Tired]

It's hardly the main reason, as I know Returns has been fading away in the fan consciousness for far longer, but perhaps another reason is a slight feeling of embarrassment at Singer and Spacey having been involved, given the sort of scandalous things they've been linked to in recent years.

 

[AntonGobbs89]

It's been awhile since I've revisited SR since so much has happened with Superman on Film and TV since then , in addition to the genre as a whole.

I do remember the teaser


The guys over at Think McFly Think had an excellent discussion about the film back in the day.

Can you post a link to that discussion if you ever find it?

 

[Frodo]

Can you post a link to that discussion if you ever find it?

 

[AntonGobbs89]

A three hour Superman Returns discussion? Now we’re talking! Thanks man.

 

[AndrewGilkison]

I rewatched this movie recently, and...

Did anyone else feel that James Marsden look and feels more like Superman in this movie than Brandon Routh does? I ultimately wonder how the movie would have done if they had cast Marsden as Superman and Parker Posey as Lois. I wonder what they would have done with the same material in those roles instead of the supporting characters they were cast as.

And that suit was absolutely terrible looking back on it. It was every bit as stiff and rubbery as the Tim Burton/Joel Schumacher Batman movies, and covered Routh from the neck down and hid his physique (which is one of the defining aspects of Superman), and that cape really did look like a damn shower curtain. It just did not look good.

 

[Pittman4Two]

I would say the material that made up the blue area of the outfit was fine. In fact, Brandon's physique was more on display than Reeve's was in the original.

I do agree overall that the suit looks weird now with the small chest logo and the dark, burgundy accents. Yes, the cape was probably the worst part. I kept thinking the entire time how heavy it must've been. It at least looked heavy and cumbersome.

 

[GreenKToo]

Supposedly, Bryan Singer wanted a certain actor for Zod, but since he couldn't get him, he decided on no supervillain at all.

And the suit, it was pretty awful.
I was here for the debates on it. "Tis brown" no "Tis burgundy".

BR was a good choice for Superman, but it was a poor film.
Superkid and superstalker killed it for me.

 

[Herofan]

To what extent could Superman Returns work as being seen as a sequel to Man of Steel? There is Perry's different race and Jor-El also looking different and Lois at least acting like she doesn't know Superman's true identity (which IIRC doesn't come up much, could be interpreted as just acting) otherwise there could be or is a lot in common especially in terms of the general depiction of the protagonist, I unfortunately could see Cavill Superman abandoning Earth including Lois for hope for Krytpon.

 

[The Lazarus Pit]

I couldn’t see that. Cavill Supes chose Earth over Krypton in MOS and even told Lois “you are my world”. I don’t think he would ever leave Lois. If Lois died then apparently he would be so devastated and vulnerable that Darkseid would take control of him.

Superman Returns only works as a sequel to the Donner movies IMO, and it doesn’t even work that well. It barely works as a sequel or reboot. Total failure of a movie and should have never been greenlit with that stupid script.

Routh and Spacey (**** that guy) were good casting but the characterization and costume design for both was very disappointing.

It’s not an actively bad movie by any means, it’s just boring and makes so many mistakes. Mistakes range from the fact that it’s a sequel to what was seen by the general audience as a corny outdated franchise, casting (Lois! Ugh), Lex’s nonsensical real estate plot, and the complete lack of any physical battle. Lex should have suited up in his exo suit for a fight at least.

 

[Primal Slayer]

Watched this again this morning for the first time in almost a decade.

It's okayyy. Nothing really wow'd me and I still think it was a stupid decision to make this into a Donner film/spiritual successor.

I think the best parts of the film were mainly Daily Planet related and seeing Superman get the krypton kicked out of him since it is a rare thing it had more weight to it.

Still believe this is one of the worst Lois adaptions we've ever gotten and it doesnt even come down to just Kate not being Lois. Having Lois get knocked up with Supermans child and pass him off as someone elses is just not Lois and not a good look. I think its the only Superman live action media where I didnt want Superman/Lois together.

Brandon made a fine Superman, probably an even better Clark since it felt like he didnt really get to say much as Superman.

Lex wanting his own Kryptonian land didnt seem that well thought out. He doesnt seem the type to be happy on a lackluster piece of rock/crystal.

Parker Posey always brings it and was a pure delight as usual. I was far more interested in her character than anyones.