by Alex Bentley

It may likely be the biggest film of the summer, but it comes up a little short of the bar set by others this year.

The movie world to which Superman returns is vastly different from the one he left nearly 20 years ago. Back then, he was essentially the only superhero on the block. Few other comic books had been adapted to the big screen, and none had had the success of the Superman franchise. Nowadays, comic book movies are everywhere, and two series (Spider-Man and X-Men) have raised the stakes considerably in regards to quality and box office potential.

If there is anyone who could usher in the new era of Superman, it is Bryan Singer. The director of the first two X-Men movies knows how to find just the right balance between action and emotion, brains and brawn, as evidenced by those two outstanding films. The beginning of Superman Returns seems to bear out that talent, as Singer simultaneously pays homage to the original Superman films and creates a whole new image for him. Fans will thrill at the familiar opening credits and theme song, and then gape in awe at a spectacular set piece involving a shuttle launch gone wrong off the back of a jetliner, with Superman (Brandon Routh), of course, coming to the rescue.

Having started off the film in such an exciting manner, one is prepared for a nonstop, 2 ½ hour joyride. Singer, however, seems content to rest on his laurels; never again does the film rise to the level of the first half hour. It’s not bad, mind you – it just fails to leave as much of an impression. Superman settles back into his role as savior of all humankind, no matter how big or small the problem, while his mild-mannered alter ego, Clark Kent, tries to start life anew in Metropolis at the Daily Planet newspaper. Lois Lane (Kate Bosworth) struggles with her feelings after the reappearance of Superman. She’s alternately torn between her instincts as a journalist, her love for her son (who just happens to be five-years-old, the exact length of time that Superman had been gone), and who she wants to be with: Superman, or the new love of her life, Richard White (James Marsden). All of this is complicated, naturally, by Lex Luthor (Kevin Spacey). In a grand scheme only he could cook up, Luthor plans to use crystals from Superman’s Fortress of Solitude to not only create a vast new landmass (for world domination, see), but to also get rid of Superman once and for all.

Let’s give credit where credit is due: not once does Superman Returns feel like your average summer blockbuster. As beloved as the original Superman films are (okay, at least the first two), they do not hold up well as marvels of technological achievement or great acting. I’d wager that you won’t say the same about this film 20 years from now; both elements are top notch. The flying sequences, in particular, don’t disappoint, as well they shouldn’t. Thankfully, Singer has chosen to forgo the level of cheesy situations/dialogue that permeated the first series. There are the occasional one-liners and such, but for the most part, Singer takes the high road. This includes the triangle between Superman, Lois Lane and Richard White; their respective relationships are treated with dignity and respect, and never overplayed to elicit audience sympathies one way or the other. Routh makes a pitch perfect Superman/Clark Kent, bringing to the role both the strength and vulnerability that was needed. Bosworth is great as Lane, and Spacey’s turn as Luthor is deliciously evil.

But still, there’s just this nagging thought that there could have been more. The plot, while interesting enough, still leaves something to be desired. Several of the emotional twists in the film fall flat for no discernible reason other than that Singer doesn’t reestablish various relationships strongly enough. Superman Returns may likely be the biggest film of the summer (and year), but it comes up a little short of the bar set by others this year.

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