Ellington

"Superman Returns" is a pseudo-sequel to the first two Christopher Reeve Superman movies. Superman (played by Brandon Routh this time around) has returned after a five-year absence to a world that has moved on. Lois Lane is engaged, has a family, and is completely blindsided when Superman swoops out of nowhere to save her life and the lives of several reporters from an airplane about to explode in Earth's atmosphere. But Lois is not the only one who's baffled by Superman's return. Lex Luthor has been able to get off from his double life sentence in prison because Superman was nowhere to be found to testify in court for Luthor's crimes. As Jimmy Olsen tells Clark Kent, "How bad do you think that pisses Superman off?" Luthor, having been to the Fortress of Solitude (Superman's Arctic "home base"), returns to rob what alien technology he can in order to create a new world. It is now up to Superman to find a place in a world that claims to need him no longer and save its people from themselves.

I want to point out that I am looking at this movie strictly as just that, a movie. The screenwriters clearly take a lot of poetic license throughout the story that, as a fan of the Superman franchise, don't sit well with me. But I'm going to put those opinions aside.

This movie really presents Superman as a Christ figure, and there are a lot of Judeo-Christian elements throughout the movie. One of the most predominant examples is in a scene where, while apologizing to Lois, Superman tells her that regardless of how much she thinks people don't need a savior, he can hear them crying for one every day. There is also another scene where Luthor's henchmen kick and beat Superman down in a very "Passion"-esque moment.

I have to admit I was skeptical of Routh (Superman). I knew they had to get someone new, but was insanely worried that he had been cast solely because he somewhat resembles Reeve. Fortunately, they couldn't have found a better actor for the part. As Clark Kent, Routh mimics the bumbling awkwardness that Reeve brought to the character over a decade ago, but as Superman, he faces a much more challenging role than beating up the bad guy. He plays the character as a god among men very intensely. Kate Bosworth (Lois Lane) plays the Pulitzer Prize-winning, hard-hitting reporter and working mom well. The emotional situations she is put in throughout the movie deftly overshadow the physical dangers. What is really great about the acting is that everyone in this movie gets the fact that for it to work, they have to take their characters seriously.

Not surprisingly, the special effects are amazing. Remember the first Superman movie when he and Lois went flying? I hope not, because it was ridiculously cheesy and looked horribly fake. Here Superman takes Lois up, up and away, and it's much better looking and so much more believable. There is also a scene where he lifts an island out of the ocean. Despite how it may sound, it looks really good.

The one thing that gets to me about this movie is the ending, or rather the lack thereof. I can't really go into a lot of what happens in the last half because there are a few "Oh snap, didn't see that coming" moments that I don't want to give away, but I will say there are things that don't get resolved. The loose ends left at the finish are cool, to be sure, but the director and writers just left them in such a weird, almost awkward way that could have used a more specific conclusion.

Overall, "Superman Returns" embraces one of the key elements that separates today's comic-book movie from the movies of the past: It takes itself seriously. The acting is done incredibly well, and the situations are not the typical ones you see in an action movie. Sure, you have a good guy, bad guy and love interest. But the most challenging elements for Superman aren't thrown at him by his enemies—he must come to terms with the fact that this world isn't his home and that Lois Lane has moved on. There are many impressive elements in the way of character growth over the course of the film.

Despite the awkward ending, I definitely recommend the movie. But be prepared—it's not your typical summer action movie; it's got a lot more depth than action.