Superman Returns Rate Kevin Spacey's performance as Lex Luthor

[Gogo Bananas]

I don't think I've seen this mentioned anywhere else, but the opening scene? The old lady saying "You've shown me pleasures I never thought possible."
Dear God! Picture that if you will.

 

[NotFadeAway]

Well I think Lex should be a very a serious character, that's the way he is the comics nowadays and his sense of humour should be low key, sutble and sardonic. That's the Lex I grew up with. Making him an over top clown, rings false to me. If made a serious character like Luthor into a jokester, why not take it further and Brainiac one as well, Brainiac can provide the comic relief in the next movie. I don't like making characters who are sinister and serious in the comics, just comic relief in the movies.

Thats how Ive felt since day one.....but NOOOO!!!!!

 

[Bat Attack]

10, absolutely fantastic.

 

[The Question]

Well I think Lex should be a very a serious character, that's the way he is the comics nowadays and his sense of humour should be low key, sutble and sardonic. That's the Lex I grew up with. Making him an over top clown, rings false to me. If made a serious character like Luthor into a jokester, why not take it further and Brainiac one as well, Brainiac can provide the comic relief in the next movie. I don't like making characters who are sinister and serious in the comics, just comic relief in the movies.

Lex was hardly "just" comic releif. And he wasn't an over the top clown. He had a sense of humor, and he was mildly whimsical at times, but that much makes him seem a bit crazier. Really, I don't think it's that big a deal.

 

[The Overlord]

Lex was hardly "just" comic releif. And he wasn't an over the top clown. He had a sense of humor, and he was mildly whimsical at times, but that much makes him seem a bit crazier. Really, I don't think it's that big a deal.

The scene with Lex talking to Lois felt over the top and forced to me. Lex should have been calmer, snarky and sinister, that would have been good. Lex shouldn't be comic relief at all.

 

[Cmill216]

Kevin gets a 10 from me. Loved him loved him loved him.

 

[DACrowe]

I gave a 9/10 but that is only because I prefer the "I own Metropolis" Lex, which is best displayed in the '90s TAS IMO.

But for a pre-crisis Lex (limited money, mad scientist/capitalist/bruised ego genius in the shadows hatching schemes for world domination) he is brilliant.

The pre-crisis Lex was always a bit humorous (a bald man hiding away with schemes of world domination who felt competitive with a guy in blue tights and a cape) and Spacey shows that. He entertains but he is vicous. When he gives his scheme it is cold and heartless with little humor. He is over the top but full of malice and ego.

He increasingly becomes more evidently remorsless and cruel. The scene where he beats down Superman is kind of showing us what he really is. We keep seeing him worse and worse and more serious and dangerous as the film progresses. He starts charismatic and funny and for a former house maid it is easy to see why Kitty thinks he is charismatic enough to follow. But he is just evil ego and by the time we reach New Krypton his ruthless beating of Superman is intense.

My only qualm is the non-resolution of him. I hate how there is no more confrontation with Superman and he just runs away powerless as his contienent is anti-climatically destroyed and then almost as an after thought we see him on some deseerted island. I would have preferred to show him lurking in the shadows, embrassed, humilated but still rich and very powerful. He will be back for revenge.

But Spacey nailed pre-crisis Luthor and his performance was athe highlight in terms of acting here. Not a surprise though.

 

[J.R.]

Perfect

 

[celldog]

After 8 years of the animated Clancey Brown Lex, I can't take this version anymore. Spacey did a great Hackman........

and that last scene with him stranded with Miss Tessbach....er...Miss Kitty was just silly.

 

[kal-el2006]

i dont think it was silly but i do think it was some cruel irony for lex..
here he had this big ass continent..now what does he have..a small ass piece of an island lol

 

[Carter]

I think Spacey's Luthor is better than Hackman's

 

[Cmill216]

I think Spacey's Luthor is better than Hackman's

That's not a thought. That's a fact. His is better.

 

[celldog]

i dont think it was silly but i do think it was some cruel irony for lex..
here he had this big ass continent..now what does he have..a small ass piece of an island lol

Animated Lex would have pushed her out of the chopper for dumping those crystals.

 

[Carter]

"You can have this....the rest is mine"

lol

 

[NotFadeAway]

Animated Lex would have pushed her out of the chopper for dumping those crystals.

That would have been perfecto....

Im like you man, after all the years of Clancy Brown and Michael Rosenbaum, I just couldn't stomach this version of the character. I tried, I really did, but I just couldn't!!!!

I HATE comedic villians, hate them, direct the laughs somewhere else!!!

 

[Ben Urich]

8.
He was appropriately sinister and calculating and only hammed it up in the WRONG! scene.

 

[NotFadeAway]

I saw more ham scenes that that.......

 

[Carter]

I can't think of any.

 

[celldog]

That would have been perfecto....

Im like you man, after all the years of Clancy Brown and Michael Rosenbaum, I just couldn't stomach this version of the character. I tried, I really did, but I just couldn't!!!!

I HATE comedic villians, hate them, direct the laughs somewhere else!!!

 

[Orko Is King]

I gave a 9/10 but that is only because I prefer the "I own Metropolis" Lex, which is best displayed in the '90s TAS IMO.

But for a pre-crisis Lex (limited money, mad scientist/capitalist/bruised ego genius in the shadows hatching schemes for world domination) he is brilliant.

The pre-crisis Lex was always a bit humorous (a bald man hiding away with schemes of world domination who felt competitive with a guy in blue tights and a cape) and Spacey shows that. He entertains but he is vicous. When he gives his scheme it is cold and heartless with little humor. He is over the top but full of malice and ego.

He increasingly becomes more evidently remorsless and cruel. The scene where he beats down Superman is kind of showing us what he really is. We keep seeing him worse and worse and more serious and dangerous as the film progresses. He starts charismatic and funny and for a former house maid it is easy to see why Kitty thinks he is charismatic enough to follow. But he is just evil ego and by the time we reach New Krypton his ruthless beating of Superman is intense.

My only qualm is the non-resolution of him. I hate how there is no more confrontation with Superman and he just runs away powerless as his contienent is anti-climatically destroyed and then almost as an after thought we see him on some deseerted island. I would have preferred to show him lurking in the shadows, embrassed, humilated but still rich and very powerful. He will be back for revenge.

But Spacey nailed pre-crisis Luthor and his performance was athe highlight in terms of acting here. Not a surprise though.

What he said.

 

[celldog]

That would have been perfecto....

Im like you man, after all the years of Clancy Brown and Michael Rosenbaum, I just couldn't stomach this version of the character. I tried, I really did, but I just couldn't!!!!

I HATE comedic villians, hate them, direct the laughs somewhere else!!!

You watch JLU??? See how he treated Tala when she double-crossed him. That's the Lex I wanted.

 

[DACrowe]

Oh I don't think he was just playing it only for laughs. The scene where he gang bangs Supes was not very funny nor was how cold and determined he was with his plan. In fact it is when Lois interviews him that he becomes less funny and more horrifying. Sure he is over the top but we see how cold blooded he is. When he is playing with the kryptonite and torturing Lois' boy deciding whether to kill the child or not it is actually suspensful. When he stabs Superman in the back it is very intimidating.

It just well done, really.

 

[celldog]

Oh I don't think he was just playing it only for laughs. The scene where he gang bangs Supes was not very funny nor was how cold and determined he was with his plan. In fact it is when Lois interviews him that he becomes less funny and more horrifying. Sure he is over the top but we see how cold blooded he is. When he is playing with the kryptonite and torturing Lois' boy deciding whether to kill the child or not it is actually suspensful. When he stabs Superman in the back it is very intimidating.

It just well done, really.

That was it......nothing else.

 

[DACrowe]

Actually I kind of wish he did throw Kitty out of the chopper....no that would be kind of cheesy. How about he makes it back to his money and restates himself as a powerful tycoon and goes back to scheming and "forgives" Kitty but then it is somehow hinted at that he kills her and moves on then.

 

[The Overlord]

Actually I kind of wish he did throw Kitty out of the chopper....no that would be kind of cheesy. How about he makes it back to his money and restates himself as a powerful tycoon and goes back to scheming and "forgives" Kitty but then it is somehow hinted at that he kills her and moves on then.

That would not have cheesy, that would have been bad @ss, there is no way a real version of Lex would allow such an act to go unpuished, then and there.