Superman Returns

The film Superman Returns requires the viewer to suspend their imaginations enough to believe that an alien in a red spandex suit and the ability to fly would deem humankind worthy of swooping in and saving the day while simultaneously hiding in a dubious disguise of glasses and scruffy hair. Thankfully, in our culture, we seem to have collectively accepted this premise wholeheartedly without question. Perhaps it's because the Superman comics have been around long before most of us were born (1933) or because Christopher Reeve did such impressive legwork making us believe it in the first few films. Regardless, the acceptance of premise in the Superman movies is essential to understanding their function in any modern society ? if one can only allow themselves to believe that such a character can exist, they can stretch just a bit further to begin to question his place in our world which is fraught with evil and desperately yearning for an equivocal supernatural savior.

Singer understands the savior in the sky question better than any director of a Superman film yet and illustrates it beautifully, both with dialogue and imagery. It appears in the evil ramblings of Lex Luthor who compares to his bid for world domination to Prometheus (the rebel God who stole fire and gave it to the mortals) and in numerous Christlike images of Brandon Routh's Superman surrounded by a halo of light with arms extended. But perhaps it's most poignant application is in the words of Jor-El, Superman's father, hauntingly voiced by Marlon Brandon, who advises his son of human beings, "They can be a great people, Kal-El, they wish to be. They only lack the light to show the way."

Though Singer's direction of the film may seem a bit heavy handed at times, the film has more than it's share of pointed humor, including a scene stealing turn by Parker Posey as Lex Luthor's floozy lackey, Kitty Kowalski. Newcomer Routh also demonstrates a surprisingly good grasp of comical timing, especially in depiction of Clark Kent, which is so similar to Reeve's that it seems almost an homage. And of course, Kevin Spacey nails the goofy evilness of Lex Luthor spot on, especially in his interactions with Lois Lane (Kate Bosworth) during which he taunts her with the plan he has in store for destroying Superman.

Perhaps one of the most poignant aspects of the film is the extent to which Superman depends on humankind, especially in the last hour when Luthor's plan to spread a Kryptonite landmass over the globe looks perilously close to succeeding. The lesson is simplistic but powerful - the world needs Superman but Superman also needs the world. For an action movie, it's a good enough moral, and one that can be contemplated far after the thrill of saving the world has subsided.