Lois Lane, intrepid girl reporter, has moved on with her life, whilst Superman was away investigating the remains of his home planet Krypton (for 5 years amazingly – one would think being Superman he’d zip there and zip right back, but maybe Krypton is too far away 🙂 ). And emotional attachment to Lois notwithstanding, Superman found it too difficult to tell her that he was going (for 5 years !! – apparently not as sharp as he looks) and that has left her pretty miffed. Well, yeah, one would think so. So off she goes and has a baby and gets engaged – presumably in that order (OK, OK no spoilers). Her fiance Richard (James Marsden) is a nice guy and works for the “Daily Planet” too. I’d say Marsden had his job cut out for him with this role. How do you manage to appear nice while playing the kabab-ki-haddi, and handling jealousy at the same time ? Coz you know (yeah you do !) that baby and all Lois still love the man in blue. So how is Richard supposed to be nice while understanding that his lady-love might have a thing for Superman ? Tough competing with a handsome, good, kind super-hero, no ? And seriously I felt bad for poor Richard. I mean he was there and all for Lois while Superman was off gallivanting.
Inline with Superman film tradition we have archenemy Lex Luthor, still bald, and still hating Superman, and now played by Kevin Spacey. Spacey as Luthor makes the character more bookish, a criminal armed with knowledge – all the more deadly, and I’ll say I really enjoyed the rendition ; where’s the fun in competing with dumb goons ? Of course there are planty of dumb goons in Luthor’s employ, one of whom is played by our very own ABCD Kal Penn. Kalpen bhai had high hopes from this film, but I’d say they are well and thoroughly dashed ; his non-existent role consists of a few fleeting seconds where he grimaces/smiles, and he speaks one line in the entire film. He’s better off playing leads in smaller films.
OK back to Lexy – Luthor now has grandiose plans of creating new continents (and destroying a few) with pilfered crystals from the Fortress of Solitude. And this time he’s got a foil for Superman, who will definitely try to upset his evil plans. You think Superman will succeed ? Now, now let’s not get cynical folks, let’s believe that there is indeed a man is blue tights flying about our skies saving us from disasters, and he’s oh-so-good he’d melt your heart. And all will be well.
As for the film, I liked it – it worked up slowly, but it got there nevertheless. However since I am not as blinded as I used to be as a super-hero-dazed kid, by the flash of the Superman logo, I’ll say I found a few logical faults. For one the folks at the “Daily Planet” are not the sharpest tools in the shed . Looking at Kent’s profile and Superman’s profile (on TV) does not reveal any similarities of facial structure to them. Nor does the fact that Kent and Superman have been gone the exact same time (Kent took a break “seeing the world” for 5 years after which his boss gave him his job back – nice boss, huh ?). What – you wan’t more clues ? So much for being “investigative” journalists !
Technically speaking, the effects are good, Superman lifts off and speeds up without missing a beat. Stopping planes inches from the ground, and batting away lethal bullets with his eyes, seem’s like child’s play with good special effects. Which got me thinking, why does Superman fly wih his arms straight up overhead ? Is that the only position for flying ? Must the fists be balled up (at times in the film – I looked) or flattened out (at other time in the film – I really looked) ? We do know for a fact that Superman can indeed fly in other positions, with objects and women (mostly Lois, unless he’s saving otherm damsels in distress) in his arms. So why the diving pose ? Propulsion ? Need to look athletic and graceful (this is Superman after all) ?
Sundry musings aside people, do go out and see the film. It’s entertaining and worth the bucks.
Categories : _films , _film_reviews
