2006 Movie News Archives

UK Advance Screening Ticket

July 11, 2006: U.K. Review of “Superman Returns”

By Dawn Jones (DJintheUK)

July 2nd 2006 is not a day I will forget. It was such an event for me. Why? Well having waited since a young age to see Superman on the big screen I finally did. Thanks to Warner Bros UK who kindly sent me and the five other UK superfans to an advance screening, prior to the movie's official release here. Below are my thoughts on Superman Returns. I wrote these several hours after the screening and so it is very much a stream of consciousness review with spoilers. It is not an attempt to analyse the movie in depth - I need to see it again to do that.

Whoever took this project on was stuck between a rock and a hard place. How to make a movie that lives up to the expectation before you've even put pen to paper, and how to gain a new fan base without alienating the current one. How do you make a movie that is inevitably going to be compared to what was the first ever comic book superhero movie and one that people still fondly remember with an actor in the lead that no one else has portrayed on the big screen. Not too much pressure then.

Well thank God for Bryan Singer. He and his team have made a movie that slowly eases you back in to a fantasy world grounded in as much reality as is possible for a film about a guy that flies. People have criticised it for being slow to start... I think this slowly easing in is deliberate - it got me wrapped up in the world of Smallville, Metropolis and the Fortress of Solitude again - and for those who are new to Superman - this is their introduction to the key characters and locations. And so by the time you get to the parts of the plot that move the story forward you've invested in these characters and you care for them. I was surprised at how elated I felt to watch Superman literally return and save that plane. It surprised me how that scene was played out but I was giddy with joy once the baseball crowd were cheering. And when Lex literally beats Superman - God that was very difficult to watch, I don't think we've ever seen Superman so vulnerable before.

I thought Brandon and Kate had great chemistry, I don't understand the criticism that I have read others make about that. Brandon had the biggest weight to carry and he carried it well. I adore his Clark Kent, and I like his Superman. I think Reeve would be flattered, but I feel bad for Routh because how do you make your own mark when you are quoting the exact same lines as a previous actor? That's not to say I didn't like it. I loved it - hearing the familiar, and it was all done with such respect. If anything Routh's Superman was limited because he really didn't have that much to do, but Routh's performance was not the problem. He really did take on a different persona as Superman, and I'm going to sound girly here but I just love that voice!

Jimmy Olsen - every scene Sam is in is a joy to watch! In fact many of the Daily Planet scenes added some great comedy moments which received a number of laughs from the crowd who were watching the movie. I thought I was going to hate Richard. James Marsden does a fantastic job as the second guy in the love triangle, I should hate him for being the thing that's getting in the way of Superman and Lois but somehow I still like him - Marsden was very believable and added to this film. Jason, I have no problem with this aspect of the story - it was handled well. Kitty - I liked her more than I thought I would, granted she is the "Miss Teschmacher " of this movie but she played the naivety so well. Again Bryan's got me caring about a character that other directors might just use as window dressing.

And what of Lex? Well this is like the icing on an already yummy cake - its a double bonus being a Superman fan and a Kevin Spacey fan how can I not like this performance?! Made me laugh, made me hate him - exactly what I want from a Lex. I do wish there had been a bit more dialogue between Lex and Superman, but instead Lex brags to Lois about his criminal mastermind plan and Spacey was brilliant here. And of course the joy he appeared to get in seeing Superman suffer - no words, doesn't need to be said when you've got a great actor like Spacey.

I really have little criticism for this movie. If I had one, its one that's been said by many, not enough Martha Kent - and because we've been spoilt with blogs we know additional scenes exist that did not make the final edit. I look forward to watching it again, and again.

With thanks to Kate Hall at Digital Outlook and Warner Bros UK for inviting me to the screening.

Note: Fans in the area who are interested in meeting Dawn should note that she will be at the barrier for the UK premiere on Thursday 13th July wearing a red 'S' T-shirt. Feel free to say hello! Dawn will also be at the 12pm Odeon Leicester Square screening of Superman Returns on Friday 14th July.



2006 Movie News

Listed below are all the Movie News items archived for 2006 organized into various categories:

“Superman Returns” Movie News:

Christopher Reeve Movie News: Hollywoodland (George Reeves) Movie News: Direct-to-DVD Animated Movie News: Other Movie News:

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