Review by: Kreg Steppe (Spyndle.com)
I saw it at the 10pm showing on Tuesday. There is a lot to say about this movie. Here are my reactions being a Superman fan, and a fan of the original two films. (3 and 4 didn’t work for me in the [same] way Star Trek 5 didn’t either).
I thought Brandon Routh and Kevin Spacey really knocked it out of the park. You could see shadows of the former actors in their parts (Reeve and Hackman). Kate Bosworth was a great Lois, but lacked a little something…but She worked non-the-less. The special effects were spot on. Seeing Superman work himself and his powers was fantastic. Pacing on the movie slowed [at times] a little too much for character development…but I think that it was needed.
Overall, a [very] good movie, and [one that] keeps pace with the good Superhero movies we have been given (Spiderman, and Batman Begins).
Superman is at a crossroads in his life now, and they updated the world that he lives in. I do get the feeling, and I read another reviewer who thought the same, that all the character development was really a set up for the next film. I will definitely see this again.
I agree! Really great movie. And the presentation of Superman’s powers were incredible. Amazing effects. A definite must see.
Walter from LA
Most of the movie worked for me. I would like to have seen more of Spacey: he was perfect as Lex. I know there are those that believe Hackman could do no wrong in the part, but, being a fan of the comics, I think it was good to have a Lex that was darker. There were a few things that I think weren’t thought out too well, but I’m very anal retentive: it could just be me. I will definitely see this movie again.
At this point, DC is two for two for their movies as big hits (Batman, Superman). I can’t wait to see another DC hero featured in a movie. And as for the comments about Spacey, I will say it thus: It wasn’t Kevin Spacey playing Lex Luthor. It was Lex Luthor playing Kevin Spacey playing Lex Luthor. His performance was absolutely brilliant, and for Brandon Routh, I was surprised at his performance of the Man of Steel. It was great.
I said it on air, and I’ll say it again (and often if people ask me 🙂
Kevin Spacey should have been given another 15-20 minutes or so on screen, and that would have been a delicious way to replace some of the time in areas where the pacing became almost painfully slow.
I understand the desire to do more character development, especially given that Singer was knocked for not doing enough of it in the first two X-Men movies, but Lex Luthor is a huge character, and failing to spend as much time developing that character was a big blind spot for someone, and it does show. The scenes he was in were far too short.
This is not a fatal drawback, and it doesn’t mean I won’t go see the movie again 🙂