Overdue Superman review
Jul. 19th, 2006 10:06 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
alobearDave and I actually went to see this with Rae on Saturday night, but it's been a bit hectic since then, and I think it needed to settle a bit in my brain before I reviewed anyway.
I seem to have turned into a film critic. I was so busy trying to decide if I was enjoying the film all the way through, and analysing it bit by bit, that I didn't actually have a chance to enjoy it at all.
As with Pirates 2, I identified all the things I didn't like and it wasn't until a few hours after it was over that I realised there was a lot to like about it as well. Dave and I are planning to go and see it again next week, in order to enjoy it properly, and I think a second viewing will definitely allow me to appreciate it more.
Anyway, I've never been a huge fan of the Superman mythos, though I did enjoy the first couple of seasons of Smallville immensely - largely due to the very interesting character development of Lex. However, I am a big fan of Bryan Singer, so I was hoping that he would imbue the story with enough emotional depth and good direction to engage me.
It wasn't fantastically engaging - otherwise I might perhaps have been swept away from writing my review in my head as I went along.
My biggest problem to begin with was that the caped crusader initially came across more as Stalkerman than Superman. He sneaked around, eavesdropping on people and hanging around outside Lois' house, spying on her through the walls. It was all a bit creepy, but then Superman's emotional maturity has never been that high.
The bad guys were a big disappointment. They went the cartoon caricature route, which Kevin Spacey seemed to relish but which left me completely cold. I have no idea what Lex Luther was doing with such two dimensional muppets, especially Kitty - how on earth could he stand to have her around?
The only thing that really affected me all the way through was the scene where the bad guys beat Superman to a pulp and dumped him in the sea with a sliver of Kryptonite stuck in his back. Now, I realise I object to Superman on the grounds that it's extremely difficult for the bad guys to present a credible threat when he's all invincible. However, the flip side of that is that watching such an iconic figure of strength get beaten up was highly disturbing. I like the whumping of the hero as much as the next girl (or generally a whole lot more) but whumping Superman is just wrong.
Then again, the predictability of him swooping in to avert disaster at the last minute was very repetitive and rather wearing - so I guess there's no way to please me!
Additionally, I was struck by the fact that James Marsden really hasn't been getting a very good deal out of his superhero movies. He always get the girl, but it always bites him in the arse. In X-Men, Jean chose to stay with him rather than being tempted away by Wolverine, and then she killed him. Here, he gets Lois, but he knows she really loves Superman and that he's raising another man's child. Seems a bit unfair, if you ask me.
However, there were a lot of very nice touches:
The kid was great - and I don't normally like kids in films. He was cute and funny, and the fact that he spotted that Clark was Superman within about two seconds was brilliant. It was a very Bryan Singer nod to the fact that the whole issue of Clark being a disguise is utterly ridiculous. It always nice when films can make fun of their weaknesses without destroying their premise.
I particularly liked the bit where Superman saved Richard, Lois and sprog from the ship. He grabbed Richard's arm and said, "Have you got them?" Then, he let go of the ship and was left holding onto Richard, who had hold of Lois and sprog. I thought it was a really nice touch that he allowed Richard to rescue his family, rather than just swooping in and taking over the situation completely.
The best bit, though, was when Superman was languishing in the hospital towards the end. When Lois left after her visit, it showed Martha Kent in the huge crowd outside. Of course, she couldn't just walk up to the door and demand to be allowed to see her son without revealing Clark as the secret identity, and it was heartbreaking seeing her standing outside, with no way of knowing what was going on.
Overall, it was pretty good, and certainly a whole hell of a lot better than X-Men 3. Lois and Superman, in particular, were very well written and portrayed, and the whole thing is improving in my head the more I think about it.
Definitely have to see it again, and just enjoy it this time! I'm also looking forward to seeing how things progress in the inevitable sequel - they've certainly set things up for an interesting turn of events.
I seem to have turned into a film critic. I was so busy trying to decide if I was enjoying the film all the way through, and analysing it bit by bit, that I didn't actually have a chance to enjoy it at all.
As with Pirates 2, I identified all the things I didn't like and it wasn't until a few hours after it was over that I realised there was a lot to like about it as well. Dave and I are planning to go and see it again next week, in order to enjoy it properly, and I think a second viewing will definitely allow me to appreciate it more.
Anyway, I've never been a huge fan of the Superman mythos, though I did enjoy the first couple of seasons of Smallville immensely - largely due to the very interesting character development of Lex. However, I am a big fan of Bryan Singer, so I was hoping that he would imbue the story with enough emotional depth and good direction to engage me.
It wasn't fantastically engaging - otherwise I might perhaps have been swept away from writing my review in my head as I went along.
My biggest problem to begin with was that the caped crusader initially came across more as Stalkerman than Superman. He sneaked around, eavesdropping on people and hanging around outside Lois' house, spying on her through the walls. It was all a bit creepy, but then Superman's emotional maturity has never been that high.
The bad guys were a big disappointment. They went the cartoon caricature route, which Kevin Spacey seemed to relish but which left me completely cold. I have no idea what Lex Luther was doing with such two dimensional muppets, especially Kitty - how on earth could he stand to have her around?
The only thing that really affected me all the way through was the scene where the bad guys beat Superman to a pulp and dumped him in the sea with a sliver of Kryptonite stuck in his back. Now, I realise I object to Superman on the grounds that it's extremely difficult for the bad guys to present a credible threat when he's all invincible. However, the flip side of that is that watching such an iconic figure of strength get beaten up was highly disturbing. I like the whumping of the hero as much as the next girl (or generally a whole lot more) but whumping Superman is just wrong.
Then again, the predictability of him swooping in to avert disaster at the last minute was very repetitive and rather wearing - so I guess there's no way to please me!
Additionally, I was struck by the fact that James Marsden really hasn't been getting a very good deal out of his superhero movies. He always get the girl, but it always bites him in the arse. In X-Men, Jean chose to stay with him rather than being tempted away by Wolverine, and then she killed him. Here, he gets Lois, but he knows she really loves Superman and that he's raising another man's child. Seems a bit unfair, if you ask me.
However, there were a lot of very nice touches:
The kid was great - and I don't normally like kids in films. He was cute and funny, and the fact that he spotted that Clark was Superman within about two seconds was brilliant. It was a very Bryan Singer nod to the fact that the whole issue of Clark being a disguise is utterly ridiculous. It always nice when films can make fun of their weaknesses without destroying their premise.
I particularly liked the bit where Superman saved Richard, Lois and sprog from the ship. He grabbed Richard's arm and said, "Have you got them?" Then, he let go of the ship and was left holding onto Richard, who had hold of Lois and sprog. I thought it was a really nice touch that he allowed Richard to rescue his family, rather than just swooping in and taking over the situation completely.
The best bit, though, was when Superman was languishing in the hospital towards the end. When Lois left after her visit, it showed Martha Kent in the huge crowd outside. Of course, she couldn't just walk up to the door and demand to be allowed to see her son without revealing Clark as the secret identity, and it was heartbreaking seeing her standing outside, with no way of knowing what was going on.
Overall, it was pretty good, and certainly a whole hell of a lot better than X-Men 3. Lois and Superman, in particular, were very well written and portrayed, and the whole thing is improving in my head the more I think about it.
Definitely have to see it again, and just enjoy it this time! I'm also looking forward to seeing how things progress in the inevitable sequel - they've certainly set things up for an interesting turn of events.
