Superman Returns Why Don't Some Superman Fans Like Superman Returns?

[Angeloz]

Here he is. Not major bodybuilder, but still a big guy with big muscles and an emphasis on the chest.

Don't tell me you have a chest obsession too. Here's a test how do you feel about Routh? Any other actor that's played the part? Answer carefully.

Angeloz

 

[mego joe]

Don't tell me you have a chest obsession too. Here's a test how do you feel about Routh? Any other actor that's played the part? Answer carefully.

Angeloz

Not sure what you mean by an obsession, I was just making an observation on Swan's drawing of the character. I think that the way comic characters are drawn are fundamentally different from how actual anatomy works when real people work out. Think about Wayne Boring's hugely barrel chested SUperman. THat's just not possible. Swan reduced that, but SUpes still has a larger than normal proportioned chest. THat's the way it looks in comics. Actors aren't going to look like that and over pumped weight lifters would look ridiculous in a superhero role, except for the Hulk maybe ala Lou Ferigno. An actor has to be in tremendous shape and toned out, but not muscled up to the point of looking ridiculous.

Physically, I had no problems with Routh. Actingwise I think he got weak material and stiffiling direction.

I don't think there's been a Superman actor that I have a real problem with physically. The closest I can think of that I went 'hmmm' on was Dean Cain b/c he has the asian/ pacific islander heritage. It didn't bother me once I got into a few episodes of the series though. Oddly, George Reeves b/c of his paunch and padding had the biggest chest of the Superman actors I think.

Playing the part, doing the acting is the most important part of the role, but for a character like SUperman you have to hit some of the physical requirements as well.

 

[nosebleed.]

I think Routh met those physical requirements you referred to. He was just wearing a poorly designed suit that didn't compliment the effort he put into sculpting his body.

 

[Angeloz]

Not sure what you mean by an obsession, I was just making an observation on Swan's drawing of the character. I think that the way comic characters are drawn are fundamentally different from how actual anatomy works when real people work out. Think about Wayne Boring's hugely barrel chested SUperman. THat's just not possible. Swan reduced that, but SUpes still has a larger than normal proportioned chest. THat's the way it looks in comics. Actors aren't going to look like that and over pumped weight lifters would look ridiculous in a superhero role, except for the Hulk maybe ala Lou Ferigno. An actor has to be in tremendous shape and toned out, but not muscled up to the point of looking ridiculous.

Physically, I had no problems with Routh. Actingwise I think he got weak material and stiffiling direction.

I don't think there's been a Superman actor that I have a real problem with physically. The closest I can think of that I went 'hmmm' on was Dean Cain b/c he has the asian/ pacific islander heritage. It didn't bother me once I got into a few episodes of the series though. Oddly, George Reeves b/c of his paunch and padding had the biggest chest of the Superman actors I think.

Playing the part, doing the acting is the most important part of the role, but for a character like SUperman you have to hit some of the physical requirements as well.

Well it seems you don't have an obsession because you seem to not have a problem with the actors (physically). If you're wondering there's a couple of Welling supporters and some others (on a couple of other boards) that like bashing Routh on his chest. And have a love affair with "Superman III" look too. By the way I was interested in what you had to say about George Reeves but was afraid it might be negative. Nice to know it's not that way.

Angeloz

 

[mego joe]

Well it seems you don't have an obsession because you seem to not have a problem with the actors (physically). If you're wondering there's a couple of Welling supporters and some others (on a couple of other boards) that like bashing Routh on his chest. And have a love affair with "Superman III" look too. By the way I was interested in what you had to say about George Reeves but was afraid it might be negative. Nice to know it's not that way.

Angeloz

In many ways Reeves' SUperman/ Clark Kent is my favorite filmed version of the character.

 

[Angeloz]

Clark Kent really? 'Cos the clothes and goofiness. Though I didn't mind when younger also he was my first Superman. So I'll always love him. Even as an adult.

Angeloz

 

[FCEEVIPER]

I'm a superman fan, and I liked SR.

 

[The Kid]

I'm a superman fan and I can see where it went wrong and where it went right.

It went right in the depth and drama department.

It went wrong piggy backing on donner's film.

It's bipolar in the sense that it begins like donner's movie all fun and happy with the same music, then bam we're dropped into this depressing dark story with a woman dying and lex is just horrible. It's a bait and switch and very jarring to have what was once so light and happy become so dark and depressing.

Superman Returns is what Batman Begins should have been.

 

[El Payaso]

It's bipolar in the sense that it begins like donner's movie all fun and happy with the same music, then bam we're dropped into this depressing dark story with a woman dying and lex is just horrible.

It's a matter of perspectives, I cracked up when I understood what Lex was able to do to get back in bussiness again.

 

[Angeloz]

Batman lifting a landmass to save the world Wesyeed?

Angeloz

 

[The Kid]

No, I'm completely serious. Batman begins is a silly cartoon adventure compared to this movie tone-wise.

 

[The Kid]

It's a matter of perspectives, I cracked up when I understood what Lex was able to do to get back in bussiness again.

i did this:

Lex really brings this movie down for me.

 

[El Payaso]

Lex really brings this movie down for me.

Yeah it's Superman who lifts things here. lol

 

[Angeloz]

No, I'm completely serious. Batman begins is a silly cartoon adventure compared to this movie tone-wise.

I'll admit I liked it ("Batman Begins") but I didn't need to watch it more than once at the cinema. However I wanted the DVD. It's been too long though for me to compare the two because I haven't watched either in the same year. Let alone month. I'll probably watch it again sometime this year. I'll admit I love many aspects of "Superman Returns" including that I can enjoy it at an adult level. Though what do you mean by tone? If you feel like elaborating.

Angeloz

 

[The Kid]

Certainly.

Tone's the level of emotional depth and darkness in this case. Whereas Begins has some soap opera crap with katie holmes, a scuffle with ra's and scarecrow, Superman in this movie is basically put through hell in the gang bang scene and later the part where he lifts the island. He sits and broods through 90% of the movie. This was a batman movie in disguise.

That said, begins doesn't have dog eating and is more cohesive overall than returns.

 

[Angeloz]

I don't remember any sitting. I think you need to look up the words "gang bang" as it doesn't mean what you think it does. Unless there was extra footage I wouldn't want to see. By the way what do you mean by cohesive?

Angeloz

 

[The Kid]

fine, not gang bang, group hug.

Cohesive just means nothing sticks out as too stupid in begins. While returns has a few too many moments here and there that hurt the flow of the film. No one told bryan "hey this is dumb"

 

[Angeloz]

I see kind of. By the way you could look it up on Wikitionary: en.wikitionary.org. Because I'm serious.

Angeloz

 

[CodeRed_123]

As far as the general public is concerned I agree, action was the biggest issue.

I can understand why people didn't like the plot; I loved it as a modern day update of S:TM but I can see why people weren't fond of the rehash. I can also see why people hated Richard and Jason, and I agree Lois was a b*tch...

Here's what I dont get:

I don't get the suit talk. Really, I don't see how any fan could be so nitpicky as to dislike the movie over that. It's too dark... The neckline... Who cares? It's still the Superman costume. The Batman Begins costume wasn't perfect, but it's not like he doesn't look fine.

I don't get how anyone could say the movie was too depressing. What was remotley depressing about it?



Explain to me how this movie had any less of a message than any Spider-Man, Batman, or X-Men movie.

I totally agree. You guys are making a big thing out of nothing. Putting some strong reviews. A little TOO strong in my opinion... Just relax, sit back, and try to enjoy the movie. So you didn't come out with the best feeling in the world! It's ok! Sheesh... someones gotta knock some sense into you guys... =/

 

[Super Kal]

I can't enjoy it when my childhood hero is treated so horribly

 

[Angeloz]

Fighting Nuclear Man.

Angeloz

 

[The Kid]

ugh, the more I think about returns the more I get dissapointed with all the wasted potential. I have a feeling maybe this movie was released in the 80s, it'd work better but we've moved on from the days when a kid tossing a piano would seem cool. It's pretty obvious why superman fans are turned off by it. It really takes its time telling a story no one wanted to see. I remember going into Matrix Reloaded thinking "awesome, another great matrix movie." Then I left wonder what the hell that was I saw. This was definitely deja vu.

 

[X Knight]

actually.....I finally sold my Superman Returns DVD...

I.....just......can't......stand.........it.......anymore!!!!

I mean.....I tried......I really tried! I really wanted to like this movie. I really wanted to see my home-state hero in action, in all of his glory.

But, when I watch SR......I just don't see Superman. It's not Routh......It's not even the suit. It was the direction which Singer chose to take the movie...........

 

[Lighthouse]

I don't like it because I didn't feel any connection in any way to Superman. I'm not a person who wants a pure action movie like some others, but I wanted some good drama. A lot of people say this movie has lots of depth and layers, and I sure as hell wish I could see them. I feel its a shallow movie that pretends to be deep. Routh is given very few lines in this movie, and I never knew how he felt about anything. Basically, its just him giving facial reactions and action scenes with a little bit of dialouge thrown in. Nothing is explored about how he feels when finding Krypton, or returning to Earth after so long, being lonely as the last one, or even his anger towards Lex Luthor. You get this momentous moment of Lex and Superman meeting again but only two lines of dialogue from Superman? I could have forgiven every flaw in this film, the anti-climax, in-your-face Jesus overtones, the zero chemistry with Lois, if I had been able to feel anything for this Superman. And I'm sorry, giving him a kid does not equal giving him depth. If this was explored a little, maybe, but it isn't. Routh might be a great Superman, but he's given so little to do, I don't even know if he can act.

That said, I don't hate Bryan Singer. I think he is a good director. Overrated, but still a good director. I'm pretty excited to see Valkyrie when it comes out, but for SR2, I just have no enthusiasim.

 

[superbaby]

I'm a superman fan and I can see where it went wrong and where it went right.

It went right in the depth and drama department.

It went wrong piggy backing on donner's film.

...

i said it again the problem isn't the close reference to donner's superman film.

the problem is singer's. he only got 2 clear concepts for SR.
1. superman returned to find that he is a father
2. superman returned to get his ass kicked.