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I came in to the movie theater very skeptical. I am a huge fan of the first two Doner Superman movies, and I hated the X-Men movies. I watched it a few times to make sure I got the whole scope and every detail.
I loved it. It was perfectly in the spirit of the first few Superman films (the best) in almost every way.
The directing was strikingly similar to the first films, in some parts I could have sworn I was watching the original with a Lucas-esque CGI update. The perspectives on each scene were handled very, very well...something that was missing almost completely from X-Men, and that was only rare in X-Men 2. The only real complaints I had about the directing would be Clark walking around his house in the beginning. Somehow it seemed somewhat articifial and forced, as if it wasn't given the same amount of focus and concentration that the rest of the movie enjoyed.
The score was surprising. When I heard that John Williams would not be approached to do the music (because of the monster budget being stretched too thin), I was a little more than worried. What is Superman without John Williams sweeping Superman themes? Well, it actually had them. John Ottoman managed to do a really good job arranging the various themes from previous films, along with a few of his own tunes. He made a few small changes that I wouldn't have made (he changed the opening theme...why?), but it was really, really good. Ottoman is up there with Zimmer and Horner in my mind now.
Acting seems to be everyone's gripe, so I'll go down the line. Spacey as Lex: fan-f**king-tastic. He is obviously one of the best actors of our time and was more than a match for obvious comparisons for Gene Hackman's Luthor. "WRONG!" is a classic line that will go down for decades. Routh as Superman: how would you feel if you had just come back to a world, and more importantly the woman you love, to find that they resent you? Even the most brazen, brave, superhero type would be daunted by that. I think that Routh played the hurt in Superman better than Reeve did back when Lois died back in Superman: the Movie. When Routh was watching Lois and Cyclops talking in the house about him, he wasn't just being an odd peeping tom, he was very vulnerable - a side of Superman that's rare. Not only that, but the "it's the safest way to travel" line was delivered perfectly. I think that Routh was perfect for the role. Routh as Kent: HOLY PERFECT, BATMAN!! Routh played a better Kent than Toby McGuire played a Peter Parker, and that made me happy because I was really worried about that. Routh gave the role exactly what it needed. Bosworth as Lois Lane: Probably the worst cast in the movie, but still really striking. I think there is a problem casting someone my age as the parent of a 4 year old boy and as a long-time journalist. I think she did her best, like her dialogue with Lex Luthor or her discusson with Cyclops. I look forward to seeing her in the next movie, as she will be older. Langella as Perry White: this was probably the best casting in the movie. I loved Frank Langella in Good Night and Good Luck, and he really is a fantastic actor. I loved watching him say, "Great Caeser's ghost". Sam Huntington as Jimmy: overactor!!! He was hilareous, seriously hilareous, but I think the Jimmy Olsen role should show some signs of maturing considering that this kid must be at least in his early 20s (drinking beer). Cyclops as Richard White: hmmmm. James Marsdon is a really good actor, as was proven in Second Noah (I can just hear people going, "THAT'S WHERE I REMEMBER HIM FROM!!" while reading this). His character is destined to be dumped, and it feels like he knows even at the beginning of the movie. Is that because he had suspicians before the movie started? Maybe, but it's distracting. Parker Posey as Kitty: why? Parker Posey is waaay too good an actress to play this role. This type of roll is better suited for a simple, one dimentional actress like Drew Barrymore or Jessica Biel. Parker Posey overacted the part and was distracting. She was so funny on Boston Legal.
Storyline seems to be another thing people zero in on. I do have a few thoughts. The idea that Superman left for 4 years to find Krypton was very usefull as a device to bridge from the old movies and excuse his absence...but it was uncharacteristic for the character. The "I was too afraid to say goodbye because I thought you'd make me stay" thing seemed too weak for such a super character. Not only that, but it screwed with one of the few solid story points, putting Superman's orgins into question. It distracted me from the movie. Lex getting off scott free because Superman was gone was hilareous, and worked really well. Lois shagging Cyclops was absolutely breathtaking, and confused the crap out of this comic book fan, but it worked. Superman's love child is an interesting point, and could open up a lot of possibilities in the future, but it also ties Superman down to at least one story line for the next few movies. I'd rather have an open ended ending to a Superman movie. Kryptonite planet? Could come back. Kal Penn dead? That made me want to cry.
I'm looking foward to the next film.
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