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I know this may be a bit tiresome, and I'm not sure how I feel - qualitatively - about the film, it's all kind-of blurry in my memory apart from the action setpieces, but I really want a Luthor/Brainiac team in any sequel. Mostly Brainiac, but I think they could chuck Kandor in too, 'cos it'd tie-in thematically with this not really explained need Superman had to visit his home planet (which is presumably a. very, very far away and b. able to deactivate/dampen his powers, given the old red sun - that's my exp. for the apparent 'spaceship' anyway.)
Things I like - 1) the non-resolution of the romantic triangle; Richard is, evidently, a really great guy and there's never any indication that he could be otherwise - it seems quite nuanced and contemporary for, well, any mainstream romance film I've seen in a long time. I see a few folk on boards are saying the game's up and Superman has already won, but really the only acceptable (as in, not making Superman a douche) resolution in a future film would be for Marsden's character to bite it.
2) The setpieces, yeah. Opening credits & plane-save in particular are great, and I did feel really quite emotional at any point Superman appeared really, but the plane bit is just... everyone's happy he's back. I was quite swept up in that; I'm so happy he's back, I thought. It's really great that he's back. Likewise, while I know as an adult that Superman's not really going to die, I found the beating and descent after removing the cancerous growth, you know - distressing. I'd been very conscious of the supposed Christian symbolism to be found therein prior to watching (on opening night, natch) but barring the 'need for a saviour' bit, which I did not like and didn't really dig Routh's oddly sneery face as he delivered it, I didn't read the descent and coma(?) as any literal resurrection - I think Superman's such a potent symbol it can get confusing imposing the disjunctive readings of 1) 'parable of homosexuality' (which we were supposedly going to get, thanks Rich Johnston, but other than the irresolved triangle which I suppose you could do something with?) 2) Americanism ('truth, justice, all that stuff' supposedly has right-wing blogs in uproar; good, say I) and 3) Jesus onto the narrative. I'm a purist - I just thought of the 90's era Jurgens' Death of Superman guff and just how sad (pathetic and, if you can put yourself in that imaginary space, tragic if you were a DCU resident) the whole thing was.
Yeah, all pretty visceral, emotional reactions - so I guess it worked for me. Think the script was pretty light, regardless, don't mind the wrinkle of the kid at all, and he stayed out of shot mostly (like - literally on the boat, which I suppose was supposed to be an eyeview) which was good, don't really like kids in films. Not too hot on the piano killing, though, but he is just like the boy in 'Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow', I guess. Plays up to the whole 'hurt my family...' conservative thing a bit, maybe?
Other comics moments reified... the super-hearing bit made me think initially of Lois' description of the super-senses in All-Star #3 and then 'He hears alarms' in that Hyperclan JLA arc, which is just such a triumphal moment in itself - it seems to have been subject to criticism elsewhere too, but it sounded good to me, they way it gradually filtered out toward the siren, and then whoosh! Bullet in the eye was great, if insubstantial.
On it's status as a sequel: it's a funny relationship, really, because the only comparison I can draw is Evil Dead I & II - the latter's a remake-cum-sequel iirc, and even that's far from perfect, that analogue. It is a lot like Superman I, in terms of Luthor's (Independent criticised Spacey for taking a lot of humour out of the role, but again as a contemporary comics purist... I don't really want Lex to be funny; in fact, he was a little too comical for my liking. I've never seen him portrayed as anything other than a serious threat. Found the Kitty stuff almost utterly pointless, although the cannibal dog was sufficiently nasty comedy.) plot, and I suppose that's another reason I'd like not to see Zod in the near future.
Ah, seems I found quite lot to say about it actually. I kinda want to see it again, but it'll wait 'til video, reckon. |
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