Amac Productions

https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ashley-mcdonald31/episodes/Superhero-Sunday-1×01—Superman-Returns–This-Movie-is-Actually-a-Gem-e2nmphr

This movie is a delight.

I don’t care what anyone says.

Let’s talk about this movie, actually. Because I don’t think it gets talked about enough for how good it is.

At all.

Let’s start from the top!

Superman Returns is a soft reboot slash sequel to the Superman: The Movie starring Christopher Reeve. It’s also the first Superman movie since Superman IV: Quest for Peace. This movie also chooses to ignore the third and fourth movie of the original series, but because it follows up the quintessential Superman, Christopher Reeve it takes hits it doesn’t deserve.

Not in the slightest.

Brandon Routh isn’t given enough credit for the role he takes on here.

He’s forced to emulate another Superman. Not just any Superman, but the Superman. The one most people think as the iconic portrayal of the character. He is the peak of perfection as Superman. Reeve made the world believe ‘a man could fly.’

Routh does an incredible job of emulating the dorky persona of Clark Kent while maintaining the formidable Superman confident in his abilities. While also being a complete doofus in the face of the love of his life.

He hides his excellent physique. He’s sweet. Charming. And he never overpowers the screen, giving the same warmth and care that Reeve brought to the role.

But nevertheless, if we take this movie on it’s own merit, it’s actually kind of mind blowing.

I rewatched this movie the other day and I decided that if it’s meant to a be a reboot in its own way and tell the story for itself, it actually does.

Taking the Christopher Reeve movies out of the picture and let this movie stand on its own, suddenly it took a new light for me. I always thought this movie was good. But if I gave it, it’s own world, without the context of the other movies, it tells a great story.

It builds tension.

It explains Superman’s origins without showing the origin story. It gives context for his absence and how much he meant to the world that they’re still mourning his absence five years later.

Lois has tried to move on with her life after the love of her life left without any warning, leaving her pregnant, and alone.

Also, I don’t like the deadbeat father thing people talk about when talking about this movie. I seriously don’t believe either of them knew at the time that Jason was a thing. If Superman had, he wouldn’t have left. Not at all. Or he might have taken an entirely different path to make contact with his planet or discussed it with Lois.

Superman wouldn’t have left his son. Look what he does the moment he finds out. He goes to his bedroom and delivers the same speech his father gave him, smiling so proudly, and wildly at Lois and Jason. You know he’s going to be there. Get out of here with that.

Lois has tried to move on. It’s taken five years and an article written in grief and a little bit of hate to do so, but she does. Maybe she’s finally ready to move forward with Richard at that point, but then Superman blows back into everyone’s lives.

And the world is overjoyed while she’s feeling mixed emotions.

She clearly knows Jason’s true father, even Richard might know he’s not the father. But Lois certainly does.

“How could you leave us like that?” She could be referencing the world, but she could also be referencing her and Jason. Screw the world. As that interview turned more into a personal conversation than a professional interview.

In all their interactions you can feel the history between them.

“I forgot how warm you are.”

“Are you alright?” Staring right at Lois regardless of the others on the plane.

How about this one? “He’s going to grow up big and strong just like his dad.”

A line Lois literally says to Clark Kent after going through all of Jason’s meds he needs to take. She assures Clark that he’ll grow up to be just like his dad, which he later proves to be when he chucks a piano across the room.

Something Lois is surprised but not nearly as surprised as the henchman.

Like they’re freaking out and she’s like, yeah. I was wondering when that would happen.

She knew.

She then also tells Superman while he’s in the hospital and I don’t need to hear it to know it.

Lois used Richard as a cover. Even with Lex Luthor when he asked about the father, notice Lois is clutching her son ever tighter when he pulls out the familiar green rock. She’s nervous as it’s waved in her son’s face. And relieved when Luthor pulls away.

The movie builds tension slowly as Superman adjusts to being on Earth again with all the changes. Somehow fitting in and yet not fitting in at all.

And in the background, Lex’s evil plan unfolds. One that’s five years in the making.

Which I also love.

Luthor isn’t planning on ruling the world just because Superman is around. No, he was gone and using that to his advantage to make this plan.

Except Superman returned.

Whoops.

Well, time for plan B. Make the world poisonous to him. Luthor’s ability to pivot plans and add in new things to accomplish what he wanted while Superman was around was pretty slick.

And the actor being not a nice dude helps with his creepiness because he was disturbing in a new way.

He’s creepy. He’s smart. But he’s also nuts.

He has no morals whatsoever.

He’d cut the brakes on one of his own people. He’d hurt a child. Kill a hero. Make the world a place he can never be again so that both of his homes could kill him. Not to mention stab him in the back.

Luthor here is a soft spoken crazy.

He’s nuts, he’s a madman, and he has temper flares, but they only last a brief moment. But he’s wildly crazy and able to blend in well.

I love the slow build of this movie.

Because I think movies, especially superhero ones, focus too much on CGI and fighting and special effects instead of real character moments.

Lois and Luthor get to interact here.

He gives her an interview, a perfect excuse to monologue as the villain. She’s disinterested and callous towards him. All while protecting her son, showcasing two sides of the same person.

We have moments where Metropolis is crumbling, and Superman is faced with a choice: Save Lois or Metropolis.

Clark returns home and even as Superman and Clark he feels like an alien.

Someone had to die for him to return to work. Lois never mentions him. Jimmy is excited to see him, but Jimmy’s basically a puppy.

Clark and Richard are forced to deal with each other while searching for Lois. Looking through the computer they both discover her password is Superman, meaning different things for each of them. They also discover how similar they are. They knew the message Lois sent were coordinates and each raced off in their own respective way to fly there to save her.

Each actor has a moment to shine and let you know what the character is thinking.

Because basically from the removal of Kryptonite in Superman’s back on the little plane, Richard is forced to realize that while Lois clearly loves him, she’s still in love with Superman. No matter what she says.

She was willing to risk all their lives and then her own to rescue him.

Something you cannot take lightly considering how she tried to bargain with Luthor before to get Jason to safety.

The movie gives each character moments to breath.

To flesh themselves and their history out.

It would have been amazing to see where the story went next.

Although, I’m grateful to the Arrowverse and Brandon Routh for returning to this story once more to complete it. As we learn that Lois and Clark will be married at some point and the world knows Jason is his son. At least, Clark’s if not Superman’s.

I’m glad to have that ending. But it would have been nice to see the other movies as well since there were supposed to be three of them.

Superman Returns is not a perfect movie, but it’s a great movie. It hits the beats of what makes Superman great.

Because I love that Luthor says, “Mind over muscle.” He believes that’s all Superman is and it’s why he can never beat him.

That moment when he lifts the island into space, that was mind and heart fueling him. All the people he loves, the planet he calls home, and for himself to have a place called home. That’s not muscle working there, that was sheer willpower to overcome the Kryptonite.

To overcome anything.

That’s what I love about Superman.

Thanks for reading! Spread the love and read on!