It's a Bird...

What is possibly the most incredibly anticipated movie of the summer has finally landed with a giant craterous explosion.  It took off over the weekend in a thunderous blast and seems nigh invulnerable at this point to be the box-office champion of the year.

At least that's how I interpret the arrival of Superman Returns.

Finally, after being mired in development hell for over 15 years, the big blue boy scout has made his way back on to celluloid or, in this case, the digital world.  While there are a lot of narrative cues similar to what has come before, technology has come far enough that the movie stands out as a testament to what comic adaptations can really be.  Many of this can be attributed to Bryan Singer, of X-Men and X2 fame, and his ability to really understand and exploit the strengths of his material.  While X-Men was very much being an outsider, this film creates its own themes of strength and relevance.  

What we had before, with Christopher Reeve, Margot Kidder, and Gene Hackman , has been updated with younger leads and another Academy Award Winner.  Brandon Routh easily slips into Mr. Reeve's boots but shines when he slips on the glasses,  Kate Bosworth, while arguably too young for the part, gamely shows resolve and determination as Lois Lane, and Kevin Spacey gnaws at the scenery whenever he's hamming it up as Lex Luthor.  All of the supporting actors made the lead performances all the more effective with stellar work all-around.  Even if Initial casting did raise some doubts, the final product proves that they may have been right all along.

Most amazingly, where the most strides are made have to be within the story itself.  If anyone remembers those moments of epic bliss in the original Superman, you will be pleased with the grandiose protestations behind Mr. Singer's lens.  At first glance, you have the story of Superman's outsider status within the world, but what you really end up with is how does Superman fit within the world today and what he represents.  So many stories have been written of Superman as savior, as father-figure, as gay icon, as religious deity, but what I interpret the story to mean most is whether there is still hope and majesty in our world.  As cynical as today's culture is, with a worldview of "Why the world doesn't need superman," there still exists a need for hopes and dreams.  As Superman explains to Lois Lane when questioned if the world really needs a Superman, "I hear everyone... and they're telling me they do."

If there were any complaints, it would be the length of the movie.  2 and a half hours is quite a  bit of time to be sitting in the theater, but from the first moment he shreds the sky, you are hooked.  There are moments that felt could have been left on the cutting room floor, but the movie doesn't suffer from it at all.  Perhaps a controversial choice was to include Lois Lane's son as a plot-line.  Although I think it could go either way, maybe his presence was just enough to show how much life had changed with the absence of Superman from the world.  Myself, I'm on the fence on that one, it could go either way, but it still didn't take away the fact that I really, really enjoyed this film.

Overall Score:  4.5 out of 5 stars

PS - Having seen it in 3D, I'd recommend the experience.  I'll have to see it again in its native aspect...