Movie #149 - Superman Returns

Title: Superman Returns

Director: Bryan Singer

Release Year: 2006

Plot Summary: After a long visit to the lost remains of the planet Krypton, the Man of Steel returns to earth to become the peoples' savior once again and reclaim the love of Lois Lane.

Thoughts: Lots of people didn't like it. I liked it. The ending was way too long, though.

I think probably a lot of people were expecting non-stop action and the like, but Bryan Singer made a much more introspective film, and I think that's a strength personally. Superman is the last of his race - loneliness is at the core of who he is. I think the film did a fantastic job of exploring Superman's motivations and emotions; but then, that's probably why people got bored with it. ;)

Also: love Kevin Spacey as Lex Luthor. He was perhaps a bit nuttier and less "together" than I expected, but his obvious disdain and contempt for the idiots he had to work with just brought a smile to my face.

I really wish I'd seen the first two Superman movies sometime more recently than the last fifteen or twenty years - I didn't really realize going in that this was meant to be a more-or-less-literal "sequel." For some reason I was expecting something more along the lines of Batman Begins. That said, I don't really feel like I suffered too much from not knowing what was going on - it just piqued my curiosity more than anything.

Recommendations: I think it's worth seeing. Just don't go into it expecting an action tour de force like X-Men or Spider-Man. Well, maybe a bit like Spider-Man actually.