51 out of 64 people found the following review helpful:

Tons of Fun

RJTaylor from , 30th June, 2006

The Man of Steel returns, and on excellent form. Starting with a brief explanation as to why he's been away so long, and a short recap of his origins to get the youngsters up to speed, Superman Returns is a whizz-bang comic book action flick that is very hard not to like. Directed with flair, and shot in a wonderfully comic-book style, everyone on screen seems to be having a tremendous time. There is clever use of footage of Marlon Brando as Jor-El, shot at the time of the original Superman, as well as a great update of the familiar credit sequence and a rejeuvenated score by John Williams. There are plenty of plot surprises and a great script, including one very slick use of the Bird/Plane/Superman cliche, and the notable change from, 'Truth, Justice and the American Way,' to 'Truth, Justice and... All That Stuff' (Apparently 'The American Way' doesn't hold the same connotations that it used to. Can't think why.) A few flashes of dark humour are also welcome additions. The downside? Well, the film is awash with corporate logos, branding and product mentions, and it would have been nice if it had been just a wee bit shorter. There are also some rather unsubtle parallels drawn between Superman and Christ which had me puzzled. (Is it really necessary to throw the political hot-potato of religion into a comic-book fantasy?) But they're minor detractors and easily ignored. On the whole, Superman Returns fully deserves to be the summer blockbuster it looks set to become. See it on a very, very big screen.

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31 out of 34 people found the following review helpful:

Shouldn't have brothered returning

Mbub from Westbury, Wilts, 12th June, 2007

The 'man of steel' returns after a 5 year mission to find his home planet, only to find things have changed since he's been gone. This was a big disappointment for me, Superman is my favorite superhero, but this movie did him no justice at all. It had hardly any action, but it tumbled along on the Superman/Lois love theme. Sorry but this had already been covered on the TV series and didn't need to be gone into anymore. What was needed was a NEW enemy and alot more better action. If you love Superman, but not the love side, give this a miss.

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26 out of 31 people found the following review helpful:

Disappointing

LazarusMunkey from , 17th July, 2006

Oh, I expected so much from this, especially following all of the glowing reviews but, alas, it does not deliver. It's no stinker by any stretch of the imagination, the effects are good and it is funny in places, Spacey is obviously enjoying himself as Lex Luthor and the script has some real zingers. Unfortunately, the problems are legion. It is at least twenty minutes too long with some scenes dragging badly and the climactic showdown is no match for the Space Shuttle segment. The problem is that you get no real sense of the supposed global catastophe that is about to ensue, there is no sense of danger. Given that Luthor's plan is a revamp of the first films scheme, you would think that Singer would have had a decent template to work from but he muddles it. Admit it, aren't you a little bored with the 'Baddie Gets Kryptonite' plot to defeat Superman, surely the writers can dream of other ways to put him in peril. Now we come to the films biggest failing, Brandon Routh. True, he had some difficult boots to fill and it must have been daunting and I'm sure he makes a better Superman that the originally-touted Nic Cage. To be honest, the problem is not with Routh as Superman who is, in fairness, a boring character, the problem is his performance as Clark Kent. Christopher Reeve was not a great actor but he absolutely nailed Clark Kent. He knew that Kent is the heart of the film, the clumsiness, the likability, the fruitless pursuit of Lois Lane and even the jealousy of his alter-ego, Reeve created a wonderfully different character but maintained the links to Superman. Routh cannot manage this, his Kent is Superman with glasses on, humourless and tedious. Most of the issues can be addressed for the inevitable sequel but, unless Routh learns to act, the worst one could cripple it.

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24 out of 33 people found the following review helpful:

When I grow up...

Frodo from Glasgow, Scotland, 19th July, 2006

...I want to be Superman!

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Boring

Ratman from from Inverness, 1st December, 2009

Not at all impressed. Typical big budget hero movie, which i've become bored with. The old Superman flicks are far more entertaining. Avoid.

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0.5 out of 5 - and that's being generous!

A Customer from Milton Keynes, 2nd September, 2009

This film is awful. I love comic book movies but this is without a doubt the worst that I have seen. The acting for the most part is terrible - especially Kate Bosworth and the part of Jimmy Olsen is totally unecessary. Why is he even in the movie?!?! Not a single line that he has to say has any relevance to the movie or anything that is going on. Not even Brandon Routh could rescue it - probably why nobody is queuing up to sign him for another movie... So many contradictions in this film and the continuity is the worst I have seen from a movie in the last 10 years. Please don't waste your time with this one!!!

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NOT SO SUPER

paul imrie from PRESTON ENGLAND, 20th August, 2009

THIS IS THE WORST SUPERMAN FILM EVER AND ONE OF THE WORST FILMS EVER, A FRIEND RECOMENDED THIS TO ME...HE ISNT MY FRIEND ANY MORE.

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Superman Returns & Flops

Midgers from , 16th July, 2009

Quite simply one of the worst films ever. I am a huge fan of the first 2 superman films so was really looking forward to his return in this, technically, the 5th installment. Overall very disappointing, the storyline was non existent, the acting woeful (apart from Kevin Spacey making the most of a poor script). At the end of it I did not care what happened. I just wanted it to end! Avoid at all costs!!!!!!

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