Film reviews
Title: Superman Returns
Director: Bryan Singer
Stars: Brandon Routh ; Kevin Spacey ; Kate Bosworth
Reviewer: Matt Eccles
Rating (out of 10): 8
Review:
After years in development and more than a few false starts, Superman Returns finally arrived after Bryan Singer managed to tear himself away from the X-Men franchise. That sacrifice proved to be worthwhile, as he made both a fond tribute to the mostly excellent Christopher Reeve starrers and a genuinely worthy blockbuster in its own right.
Previously obscure TV actor Brandon Routh is an inspired casting choice for the title role, uncannily recalling Reeve both in look and manner, particularly in the guise of Clark Kent. The story has Kal-El returning to Earth after a five-year hiatus visiting the remains of his home planet Krypton. He discovers life has moved on without him, his former sweetheart Lois Lane (Kate Bosworth) being married with a child and Lex Luthor (Kevin Spacey, obviously having a ball) up to his usual barmy tricks.
Singer’s affection for the original films is evident throughout, from the retention of the whooshes of the opening credits set to John Williams’s unmistakable score, to Superman’s fly-past and smile flashed at the viewer just before the closing crawl. Fittingly, the film is dedicated to Reeve and his wife, and the original Man Of Steel would no doubt have approved of what turned out to be one of 2006’s best summer offerings.