Wednesday, July 19, 2006

Movie Review : Superman Returns

I have finally managed to squeeze some time to watch Superman Returns. I entered the cinema not expecting much from the movie. Although I rarely read movie reviews before actually watching them myself, I've heard mixed opinions in the internet of this latest movie directed by Bryan Singer (of X-Men). Admittedly, I've also read O-K's spoiler free mini-review of the movie.


Superman (Brandon Routh) disappears for some soul-searching after astronomers discovers his planet Krypton and returns 5 years later. Much to his surprise and disappointment he discovers that Lois Lane (Kate Bosworth) has moved on and is engaged and has a son. At the same time Lex Luthor (Kevin Spacey) is planning to utilise technology from Krypton, destroying America in the process.


Needless to say, the action sequences and the computer graphics are amazing. I've said this before, and I'm going to repeat it here: In all movies with CGI, I consciously try to differentiate between live elements and CGI ones. In this movie, the dichotomy is much less clear, in fact I could rarely tell when Superman is CGI. Kudos to the CG artists and animators.


I was enthralled watching the airplane sequence, to me, the most visceral action sequence in any Superman movie to date. I also loved the gattling gun sequence (and the “eye-shot” LOL), where Superman is literally demonstrated to be “faster than a speeding bullet”.


To be honest, I didn't mind both Brandon Routh as Superman or Kate Bosworth as Lois. There were parts where I thought Routh definitely does not have the same charisma as Christopher Reeve but he does play the boy-scout Superman and Clark Kent convincingly. The only thing I did not like about Routh was his make up. Anyone else think he looks like Michael Jackson? (i.e either the make up is too heavy, or his features too sharp/pristine).


The emotional ride in this movie is not bad, where there's a sense of loss, loneliness, yearning and fatherhood etc2.


Overall, I did enjoy this movie and I do recommended it to everyone. However, I probably wouldn't be buying the DVD.


Arbitrary Rating: 3.7/5 (i.e almost a “4” but not quite)


PS

  • My favourite character in the movie is hands down, Cyclops. However, I wondered why he didn't use his optic blast in the movie? Hmm.
  • They say Superman is a real “boyscout” and in this movie, that fact is both subtly and convincingly portrayed. In fact, Superman reminds me of some of my more “schema” friends (I'm looking at Exdua aka Uncle “30 miles-per-hour” De here).
  • This article was wholly composed using OpenOffice.org Writer (the free and open-source alternative to Word).

27 comments:

Orangkilang said...

Like I said.. it is not an action movie. The plane scene was excellent.. especially when Supes walked out of the plane and the Superman music was playing... naik bulu roma sikit... Routh did remind me of Reeves sikit2.

Loved the funny piano scene... (dont want to explain in case someone still has not seen the movie and wants to)

Disturbed by the scene after...

Parker Posey has the best lines in the movie as Kitty...

hehehe... nope I won't write them down..

Jamil said...

Routh looking like Michael Jackson?

Now where'd you get that idea?

Orangkilang said...

unfortunately there is a resemblance, esp since MJ wears white pasty makeup and Routh happens to have very white skin..so there you go. Unfortunately sunblock does not work on the last son of krypton simply because his skin is impervious to all that....makes you wonder really...

So now we have playing Superman

a) George Reeves
b) Christopher Reeves
c) Some unknown playing superboy
d) Dean Caine - Superman/Clarke
e) Tom Welling- Clarke
f) Brandon Routh

Batman

a) Adam West (holy batman robin!)
b) Michael Keaton
c) Val Kilmer
d) George Clooney
e) Christian Bale

Anonymous said...

the piano scene was one of the most unexpected, funny and amusing scene ever! i also feel disturbed by the scene after - because the first deed of that young boy is killing a person. not a good start.

i don't know what you mean by naik bulu roma O_K but i got the goose bumps when the title was playing and the planets were wooshing around - that title screen has more CGI than probably all movies combined in the 1990s.

hiyoshi
as OK said there is a resemblance. he has an sharply angular face, macam michael jacson, and his complexion looks like his made is made of porcelain. the make up, as O-K said is white, thick and pasty - it makes him look abit strange. if you look even closer, you'd even notice the eyeliner and mascara. *shaking my head*

probably because they were shooting in High Definition, make up zaman sekarang has to be pixel perfect and heavy to conceal even the minutest imperfections.

pycnogenol said...

Of course they have to conceal even the minutest imperfections - he is afterall SUPERMAN, that perfect man!!

I quite like Routh playing Superman...some kind of tribute to the late Christopher Reeve, one Super of a Superman!!!

ayumi said...

Salaam..
I don't know why but I just can't be bothered by the movie. Haha. I've heard rave reviews about it, but all of them failed to spark an interest in me to watch the movie. I hope it's not too melodramatic and too focused on whether or not Superman gets the girl. Heh.

On the other hand, I'm still itching to watch Pirates of the Caribbean 2.

Anonymous said...

Alamak, tak leh baca lebih2...sebab esok nak tgk Superman.. takut spoil pulak..

Anonymous said...

dyanna
hope to read a review on your blog after tomorrow :):)

ayumi
as for me, i havent heard very good reviews of the movie, so i went in with tepid expectations. you're half right though, it is abit melodramatic and focused on superman yearning for the girl but there's an extra layer to it which you'll learn towards the end.

as for caribbean, anyone has seen & recommend that movie?

pycno
haha, some truth about superman being perfect & has to have a perfect complexion there. (why's our topics revolving around complexion nowadays??) i agree -- i kinda like routh as well... especially as kent. as superman, most times he's good, and I like the half smiles he gives for example when he stopped the bullet. however, i think with more experience as superman he'll be better

dith said...

You are sure one movie buff who would go see a movie even if it means to sneak out alone even when your parents have just arrived and jet lagged! haha

Superman ke Batman ke Spiderman ke Batwoman ke Kluangman ke...ish...these genre of movies dont entice me much...but dont mind me!

Btw I recieved this in the sms:

Datuk K seemed too old to drive a brand new Honda City. He should emulate the more humble Datuk Effendy Norawi who settled just for a second-hand Tiara!!!

Orangkilang said...

hahaha mesti dari p5 tu

dith said...

Dear OK- it wasnt! Perhaps from someone who could neither afford a City nor a second-hand Tiara!! And guess what was iKelah's respons when I sent him the sms?

pycnogenol said...

What?....the response, I mean. Ikelah wants to get himself a second hand Tiara too?

dith said...

Pycno- Nauzubillah! :p. On the contrary, ikelah despise Tiara to a tee!

Jamil said...

Sorry if this has nothing to do with Routh or Superman.

I just got the City-Tiara joke. My, adults can crack jokes too, can't they?

Orangkilang said...

hahaha Second hand tiara pun dia orang buat face lift... jadi macam model baru... tgkjerlah PGLTM

Mama Sarah said...

laaaaaaa... i pun baru faham honda city-tiara

ish 3x...

so DITH, what was ikelah's response? and what exactly happened during the announcement that put you off?

pycnogenol said...

Mama Sarah - Perhaps Ikelah wants the Serena, yes the more accomodative and family-friendly MPV. (Sorry Ikelah, jangan marah....we just want to know your response..;))

Anonymous said...

it took me a day to understand that tiara joke! (tu pun Puan Mama Sarah yang explain just now). kelakarnya!!
unfortunately not knowing many celebrities or names of cars in malaysia i couldnt add to the joke ;(

cepatlah dith, what was ikelah's response?

dith said...

Baru balik kerja and found these row of responses to the joke....hehe

Seganlah nak cakap apa response iKelah, hahaha

Btw....I was just put off by the way they made the announcement on TV...like it was so important that it had warranted a special TV announcement...kalah anak raja...menyampah nya! Now apparently few tv stations are vying to air the wedding and offered them 3 million!! Masyallah!! Org dah kaya nak kaya lagi! Menyampah 3x

mynn said...

dith, your response is exactly the reason why i like to tease Puan Mama Sarah with Siti Nurhaliza.

why do women react so violently to siti???

Anonymous said...

mynn what do you mean by ".. the reason why i like to tease Puan Mama Sarah with Siti Nurhaliza"?

Hang on a sec;
1. Waaahh since when did you start calling me Puan? Bunyi so formal. isykh..

2. Rasanya I RARELY and close to NEVER kutuk Siti Nurhaliza. Although she is not my favourite singer. Not that I have one. I heard so many bad stories about her. Tapi I found myself hard to believe all those tales. Not that I care, but still...

Selamba je cakap you like to tease me with Siti Nurhaliza?

heh heh... Try again lah bby!

I rasa you yang kena rephrase your statement you are/were not her fan.

eleleleh... I wonder siapa yang lukis portrait Siti Nurhaliza. I'm sure minat tahap maximum masa zaman sekolah dulu ah???

whoops; terbagi link pulak...
http://app.tabblo.com/studio/stories/view/3958/

Anonymous said...

eh, bunyi macam marah ke comment kat atas tu?

tak marah tau. ejek you je bby! :P~~

dith said...

Confession of a neutral non-Siti-fan:

Mynn:

FYI, I have always given good reviews on her and defended her ways especially to my kids who loathe her. I have always taken her as a good singer who abides by our malay tradition and thats good.

So, no, I havent reacted SO VIOLENTLY before, until the WEIRD announcement.

There you go! Feel so much better getting that off my chest!

pycnogenol said...

I'm just enjoying myself here, reading ALL of the above comments..hehehe....

Mama Sarah said...

DITH you are so funny!

kesian gak kat siti tu. berahsia pun kena marah. announce rahsia pun orang menyampah. semua tak kena.

tapi yealah. sampai ada special time for her announcement tu, agak melampau lah juga. macam pengumuman keluar anak bulan pulak yea.

isykh... susah jadi celebrity ni rupanya. ikutkan hati ni, banyak nak komen pasal isu siti. tapi saya terkenangkan saya jua ada anak. takut berbalik pada saya pulak nanti.
nauzubillah.

pastu teringat pulak orang dok berperang dan tsunami di pulau jawa. wajarkah kita berleka?

dith said...

Mama- saya setuju dgn kata2 Mama. Saya sekarang sedang dlm dillema untuk melepaskan ikelah ke Palestine...

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