Film Review: Superman Returns

Superman Returns (12a)
Dir. Bryan Singer

Reviewed by Matt Adcock

“Even though you’ve been raised as a human, you’re not one of them. They can be a great people, Kal-El .They wish to be. They only lack the light to show the way. For this reason above all, their capacity for good, I have sent them you... my only son…”
For so many years we have suffered, adrift without our protector, at the mercy of evil in every form - our once bright hope has begun to fade. But in a dark and most desperate hour there may yet be salvation – look, up in the sky, it’s a bird? It’s a plane? No, it’s superman and he’s back to save us all from mediocre summer films!!
How can I put this? Except… WOW!!
Superman Returns is just awesome, Bryan ‘Usual Suspects and Xmen’ Singer has delivered a heart pounding, pulse racing supernova epic. Fully super and yet equally full of real human emotion – so much of which was lacking from Pirates of the Caribbean 2.
Here we see the ‘man of steel’ return to a modern day earth, he’s been away for five long years and things have moved on in his absence. Lex Luthor (Kevin Spacey) is out of prison and up to no good, Lois Lane has become a mum and is engaged to marry a dashing pilot (James ‘Cyclops’ Marsden) – the world has adapted to not having its number one hero around to save the day. But deep down there is yet a tiny hope that he who is ‘faster than a speeding bullet’ may not have completely abandoned us.
Superman’s return is timely because, as his father Jor-El stated “the human heart is still subject to disastrous deceit.” It seems that the world has been holding its breath and keeping its fingers crossed that he would come back. And for me (who as a boy spent many hours running around with a red towel tucked down the back of my collar ‘saving the day’) Superman Returns is a thing of absolute beauty.
Brandon Routh is perfect as Superman, Kate Bosworth is great as Lois Lane and Kevin Spacey invigorates as worthy nemesis Lex Luthor - making all his fiendish traits sparkle. The action pieces are heavy duty crowd pleasers, the plot will appeal across the board and you simply won’t see better special effects on the big screen this year.
What more can I say?
Love it, live it, believe it… Superman is most definitely back – pray for a sequel!!

Darkmatters rating system (out of 5):
Action öööö – You will believe man can fly...
Laughs ööö – Top comic in jokes and references
Horror öö – Nothing too grim
Babes ööö – Lois Lane has never been foxier!

Overall öööööö (Repeat viewings essential - long live superman!!)


"The world has been waiting... but now he's back!!"

Darkmatters: H O M E