"SUPERMAN RETURNS" (2006) Review

 

"SUPERMAN RETURNS" (2006) Review

The 2006 Summer movie season was a memorable one for me. I never got around to review movies like"MISSION IMPOSSIBLE III", "POSEIDON", "THE DaVINCI'S CODE", and "X-MEN 3: THE LAST STAND". I had just started on my first blog and never really bothered to put much effort into a movie review. However, I did managed to write a few words about "SUPERMAN RETURNS".

I supposed one could say that "SUPERMAN RETURNS" is almost a direct sequel to the 1980 film. It begins with Superman aka Clark Kent's return to Earth five years after his journey to a location where astronomers believed they had discovered the remains of Krypton. During those five years, his nemesis Lex Luthor served time in prison before his release, which coincided with Superman's return. Upon the latter, Clark resumes his old job as a journalist for Metropolis' The Daily Planet. He also learns that the love of his life, Lois Lane, is now engaged to Perry White's nephew Richard, with whom she has a five-year-old son named Jason. Lois also won a Pulitzer Prize for her article "Why the World Doesn't Need Superman".

While Clark deals with this personal drama, Luthor and a new group of minions steal Kryptonian crystals from the Fortress of Solitude and Kryptonite from the Metropolis Museum of Natural History. These thefts set in motion Luthor's plan to utilize a combination of both to to grow a new landmass in the Northern Atlantic Ocean that will supplant the continental United States. In other words, Luthor has plans for another land swindle that might cost the lives of millions of people.

I wish I could say that I had loved "SUPERMAN RETURNS". I wish I could say that I found it very original. I wish I could . . . but I cannot. Because I would be lying if I had said so. Do not get me wrong . . . "SUPERMAN RETURNS" was a pretty good movie. Well . . . it was entertaining. And the movie featured a first-rate performance from leading man Brandon Routh as Clark Kent aka Superman. I also enjoyed performances from Kate Bosworth, James Marsden, Frank Langella, a young Tristan Lake Leabu, Eva Marie Saint, and Sam Huntington. I was especially impressed by Kevin Spacey's witty take on the villainous Lex Luthor and Parker Posey's hilarious performance as Luthor's ditzy henchwoman, Kitty Kowalski. Unfortunately, the movie also turned out to be something of a disappointment for me. It possessed a plot that failed to support its roster of talent.

First of all, I felt that it was a big mistake on director Bryan Singer's part to continue the story, following 1980's "SUPERMAN II". It was bad enough that he had re-used John Williams' score and Marlon Brando's image as Jor-El. But he also used plot lines from the 1978 film, "SUPERMAN"(1978). He re-hashed the following:

*Lois' rooftop meeting with Superman, followed by a flight over Metropolis

*Some of Chris Reeves' dialogue

*Lex Luthor's plot to destroy part of the U.S. for a land swindle (which was not handled very effectively).

Singer also borrowed the love triangle from Marvel's 2004 movie, "SPIDER-MAN 2" . . . but with only a few twists. And the movie's final action sequence seemed to drag forever.

In the end, I could not tell whether the movie was a sequel to "SUPERMAN II" or a remake of "SUPERMAN". Very confusing and very disappointing. Although I believe the movie proved to be pretty good with a first-class cast, it also proved to be one of the most unoriginal comic book hero flicks I have ever seen. Singer could have done better. I rated the movie a "B-".

Favorite D.C. COMICS Moments in Movies and Television

 

Below is a list of my favorite scenes from various movies and television shows featuring D.C. Comics characters:

FAVORITE D.C. COMICS MOMENTS IN MOVIES AND TELEVISION

1.  “Justice League” (2017)  – Barry Allen aka the Flash tries . . . and fails to save his Justice League colleagues from the paranoia and wrath of an amnesiac and resurrected Clark Kent aka Superman.

2.  “Batman v. Superman:  Dawn of Justice” (2016) – D.C. Comics original trinity – Superman, Wonder Woman and Batman – gather together for the first time in a live action production, when they team up to take down Doomsday, the monster created by Lex Luthor.

3.  “Legends of Tomorrow” (2.07) “Invasion!” (2016) – The Arrowverse heroes gather for a final confrontation against a group of alien invaders known as the Dominators in this crossover event.

4.  “Suicide Squad” (2016) – Chato Santana aka El Diablo confesses the true details about the death of his family to his Suicide Squad colleagues in a bar in this poignant scene.

5.  “Legends of Tomorrow” (2.14) “Moonshot”– Legends member Dr. Martin Stein aka Firestorm I, distracts the Mission Control members at NASA circa 1970 with his rendition of “The Banana Boat Song”, while the other half of Firestorm, Jefferson Jackson, work to prevent them from detecting Dr. Ray Palmer aka the Atom from moving the Apollo 13 capsule.

6.  “Superman Returns” (2006) – In a spectacular action sequence, Superman saves both a space shuttle in route to a launching pad and the jet plane conveying it, following a nationwide power outage.

7.  “Wonder Woman” (2017) – A determined Princess Diana of Themyscira aka Wonder Woman leads the charge against a battlefield dubbed as “No Man’s Land” in an effort to reach a Belgium town and General Erich Ludendorff, whom she believes is Ares, the God of War.

8.  “Batman v. Superman:  Dawn of Justice” (2016) – Bruce Wayne aka the Batman battles against thugs hired by Lex Luthor in order to save Superman’s mother, Martha Kent, from them.

9.  “Man of Steel” (2013) – In this controversial scene, Superman is forced to save a family of humans by killing the last remaining Kryptonian, General Zod.

10.  “Superman:  The Movie” (1978) – Superman makes his first appearance in Metropolis, when he saves Daily Planet reporter Lois Lane after her fall from a damaged helicopter, atop the Planet building.

11.  “Arrow” (5.17) “Kapiushon” (2017) – After being tortured for a while by the villainous Promethus, a distraught Oliver Queen aka the Green Arrow finally admits his penchant for killing.

12.  “Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman” (1.12) “All Shook Up” (1994) – While a deadly meteor streaks toward Earth, Jonathan and Martha Kent tries to convince their adoptive son, an amnesiac Clark Kent, that he is Superman.

13.  “Batman v. Superman:  Dawn of Justice” (2016) – Various journalists, commentators and scientists debate in a montage scene about Superman’s true nature and goal on Earth.

14.  “The Flash” (3.23) “Finish Line” (2017) – Before a defeated and vindictive Savitar can kill the Flash, the latter’s fiancee, Iris West, shoots him dead.

15.  “Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman” (2.18) “Tempus Fugitive” (1995) – The vindictive and sarcastic evil time traveler, Tempus, reveals Superman’s true identity to an astonished Lois Lane.

16.  “Batman v. Superman:  Dawn of Justice” (2016) – Clark and Lois enjoy a sexy respite in a bathtub, following a serious discussion over his rescue of her in North Africa.

17.  “Batman” (1989) – Bruce Wayne aka Batman crashes through the glass roof of  Gotham City’s Museum of Art in order to save photojournalist Vicky Vale from criminal Jack Napier aka the Joker.

18.  “Legends of Tomorrow” (2.17) “Aruba” (2017)– Before he can kill Legends leader Sara Lance aka White Canary, the villainous speedster Eobard Thawne aka Reverse-Flash is killed by Black Flash, the Speed Force enforcer and former villain Hunter Zolomon aka Zoom.

19.  “Green Hornet” (2011) – Newspaper publisher Bret Reid aka the Green Hornet and his partner Kato are chased along a Los Angeles highway by minions of gangster Benjamin Chudnofsky in order to prevent them from publishing an article exposing a corrupt district attorney in Chudnofsky’s pay.

20.  “Gotham” (1.01) “Pilot” (2014)– Rookie police detective James “Jim” Gordon of the corrupt Gotham City Police Department is forced to fake the death of minion Oswald Copperpot aka the Penguin, after being ordered to kill the latter by gangster Carmine Falcone.

Honorable Mention:  “Batman Begins” (2005) – Batman refuses to save the life of his former mentor Henri Ducard aka Ra’s al Ghul from a runaway monorail, after foiling the latter’s plans to destroy Gotham City.