Die ruckkeher von Ubermensch

Movies based on comic books and graphic novels have hit their stride. After abominations like Tank Girl and Judge Dread, I'd have hoped that producers would learn from their abject failures and stop making them. But they persevered and, over the past six or seven years, commercial success in the genre has opened the path to artistic success such that these genre films are the most awaited of the year, and not just from fans of the comics. Superman Returns may not stand as the greatest of the genre, but it is very smartly put together and moves quickly despite its 154 minute run time.

I was skeptical about the film, and I may not have gone if I wasn't called directly off work and told that a ticket had already been bought for me. We went to the Movie Tavern, the most comfortable place in town to see a movie (I, like Erik, will always extol the virtues of theaters that serve drinks), and then the trailers came. It was one of the most disturbing sets of trailers I've ever seen, capped of by Nativity, coming this Christmas to a theater near me. Is it not enough that I have to watch a bunch of idiots dressed in stupid outfits in the middle of winter freezing their asses off just to pretend like they're ogling Jesus? No, now I get to watch them all do it on a $200 million budget...great (I have two questions about the wise men in the movie: What race will they be? and Will they already be Christians?).

Needless to say, I felt relieved when the movie finally started. The opening credits start with the familiar theme; I was disappointed that they stuck with John Williams, but I'd expected it, and I found out they only used the theme and hired journeyman John Ottmann instead. Good choice. The credits are a reprisal of those in the original and, it being a chronological sequel to Superman 2, they try very hard to make you feel like it's 1983. They studied the details of the first films and, though the technology in Metropolis is modern, the feeling around the city is one in the past. I was very happy to hear a few jokes in the first minutes; Superman has always been a little over-serious, but they were having fun here. They skim the origins, and get right to business. Kevin Spacey is fun as Lex Luthor and Parker Posey is pure 50's trash as his girlfriend. The action is beautifully choreographed and, as I said before, I was amazed when I left the theater and almost 3 hours had passed; the film really does move quickly.

My one real complaint is the piety they force into it. There is no doubt that Superman is a messiah figure, and that's fine. However, there is no need for Superman to save the world with his last ounce of strength, then fall to Earth with his arms outstretched. Look up in the sky everyone! It's a bird! It's a plane! No, it's our lord and saviour Jesus Christ! C'mon....

All that said, I have a real problem with the character of Superman in general. All the performances can be there, the stories can be great but, no matter how good they are, Superman is still making a mess of everything. I find him to be a very dark character. On the surface, everyone wants to be clear from death. But destiny wants Lois Lane, and Superman refuses her the right to die. The implications of Superman's work are staggering and would surely cause the self-destruction of the planet. To what end? So he can continue to be worshipped, so he can mug for the camera and make out with Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists? What a selfish prick.