SUPERMAN RETURNS: An Emotional Restart for this Generation

by Matt Berkheiser (a Dad, Husband, and Superhero Fan)

I have read most of the reviews for this movie: the good, the bad and the silly reviews. I went in hoping to prove the bad reviews wrong, the good reviews right, and the silly reviews (those complaining of costumes, talking about gay issues, and ignoring the fact that Superman III and IV were ever made), well, silly. The main reason I read the reviews was to make sure I could take my 8-year-old to see a movie about a great comic-book character that everyone should be able to look at and ask: What would he do in a difficult ethical situation?

In attendance was my wife, her mom and dad, and my parents. They all had bets that my boy would be ready to go in about an hour. The set-up at the beginning was a little slow, but not enough to ruin this fun, emotional film. Today’s Superman, as opposed to earlier versions, has problems both in the story telling and in his relationship with a world that's five years older. In the story, he has to deal with his non-existent relationship with Lois and his arch nemesis Lex Luthor, and we have to deal with a plot from 1978 retooled for this generation. My only hope is they find a way to put more of a villain in the next one, like Bryan Singer did with X2.

The experience of an 8-year-old:

He sat on my lap for the whole movie, stretched once or twice, and commented several times about funny scenes, like where Clark Kent and his dog are playing catch, or "I bet Superman landed on his feet and is okay."

I covered his eyes during the part where Lex Luthor (cleverly played by Kevin Spacey) and his quiet goons start to beat up Superman and eventually stab him with a piece of kryptonite. That part of the story was the most evil of the whole film. Sure, it may have some links to the story of Jesus or even of any good person (gay, black, white) who's been mistreated or abused, or a leader standing up and being beaten back repeatedly. This scene, along with the talk of the world needing a savior, prompted my mother (62) to say, "You know, this really has some biblical references in it." My son didn’t ask me to uncover his eyes, and he didn’t really enjoy the end of the movie with Superman in the hospital.

The nice thing about watching a movie like this with your child is they love the fun of it. He even “gets” the fun of watching Lois Lane act silly around the men in her life.  He doesn’t over-think the movie like some critics and adults tend to do. He doesn’t say, "Why didn’t they say 'the American Way'? He doesn’t read anything into the storyline regarding politics, gay/not gay, or immigration issues. He just knows that Superman will save us, Lex Luthor is bad, and he gets to see some cool things and laugh a few times. My mother-in-law said, "Well, we'll never get him on a plane again." In reality, SHE will not want to get on a plane again. My son didn't know what she was talking about, because I think he knew it was a movie and for fun, and that Superman will save us or he'll inspire someone else to save him.

Expectations and complaints on length from previous reviews:

The build-up of all the great reviews may have left people expecting more, but this was and is a Superman story for this time period. If you want to talk long, let's talk about Titanic or King Kong or even Lord of the Rings -- take your pick on those. I’m not saying those are not great movies. I've seen them all, some more than once, but let's face it -- three hours is a big commitment.

If you love Superman, you'll love Superman Returns. If you even like Superman, I think you'll enjoy this movie. If you can let your imagination go and just have fun at the movies, this is worth seeing.

My father-in-law has admitted to having a challenged imagination, but he enjoyed this movie as well as the rest of us. The ladies who attended with us “boys” all enjoyed the action and the romance. My spouse and mother-in-law wanted to see more of Clark and his character. Brandon Routh did an excellent job, and any issues with the film are not on his back. Watching Kate Bosworth struggle with her emotions was great, and the scene just after the "smoking on the roof-top" scene was worthy of the crowd-pleasing laughter we experienced.

Superman Returns is a successful start at reintroducing this generation to a wonderful character who stands for truth, justice and humanity in a new and exciting way. The irony of the story -- Superman leaving to find some remaining evidence of his family and what he finds in his return home -- is a lesson in itself. Although the movie is long, we wish it had expanded on more of his trip into space, which is rumored to appear on the DVD.

Finally, I want to say that director Bryan Singer, at his young age, should be applauded for his efforts on both this film and his previous work. I don’t care about his orientation, family life or what he does in his spare time. All of those experiences have made him what he is -- a great filmmaker. If you have not seen this, you should, before you're marketed into seeing anything else this summer.

Matt Berkheiser is a Texas-based movie aficionado.

Read Jane's review of Superman Returns here.

Read reviews of other movies here.