Dean(ish)

I had my first IMAX experience last night. I really can’t think of another movie that would’ve been a better devirginizer for the 72′ tall, fully panoramic screen than Superman Returns. Everything in the movie - the script, story, characters, environment, music, everything - was exactly as it should’ve been.

What really surprised me about the movie was its overwhelming sense of reality. From Clark and Martha’s powerful sense of loneliness, to Lex Luthor’s unbridled malcontent, to Lois’ struggle with moving on from the man who she thought had abandonded her, to the feelings expressed by Jason (Lois’ child), everything seemed to have a very strong sense of realism. The movie was able to strike a chord with my emotions, which is a pretty difficult feat for a “comic book movie”.

That’s not to say the movie was all about drama; it certainly had its fair share of action and quirky humor mixed in, which Christopher Reeves’ Superman movies were famous for. If I had to define the movie into one genre, I’d label it “Other”.

I was truly impressed with Brandon Routh’s performance as Earth’s most powerful hero. Routh did a great job of displaying emotion and brought a sense of utter dorkiness to Clark while standing bold and strong as Superman, making the two seem like truly different characters. Kevin Spacey was perfectly casted as a terrific Lex Luthor, picking up right where Gene Hackman left off in the older movies. Kate Bosworth plays a very emotional Lois Lane and has great chemistry with Routh, while James Marsden (aka Cyclops from the X-Men movies) as Lois’ husband, Richard White, was genuinely good in a role that he’s already familiar with - trying to keep another man from stealing his wife. Also notable are Sam Huntington as Jimmy Olsen, Tristan Lake Leabu as James White, and even Parker Posey as Kitty Kowalski was great for her role.

I’m glad that Superman Returns had a much different feeling than other recent super-hero movies, which is what I half-expected. Instead, what comes across is a very mature, adult-focused view of how someone with extraordinary powers comes to terms with being the only one of his kind in a world where the only opinion that matters - that of Lois Lane - is that the world was better off without him.

I love the cinematography in this movie. Paying homage to the comic book included shots of the Daily Planet, Superman lifting a car, and Superman holding the Daily Planet globe. There were several scenes which left me with nothing else to say but “Wow!” or “Oh, snap!”

Remember this when you see it.

The IMAX experience of this movie was nothing short of amazing. Having never been to an IMAX movie before, I was immediately taken aback as I walked into the theater with a certain sense of vertigo as we found our way to the best seats in the house - just above the projector booth (which we occassionally used as footrests). As the movie’s opening credits began, I understood why seeing a movie on IMAX is referred to as an “experience” - it’s truly remarkable how lifelike the panoramic visuals, which literally require you to turn your head to see the entire screen as they fill your peripheral vision, can be. Like I said, if there was any movie that I could’ve picked to be my first IMAX experience, I’m glad I picked Superman Returns.

I usually come out of the movie theater and relish in the film’s glory. Then, after a while, I’ll start to analyze the film and (eventually) find a few flaws. With Superman Returns, honestly, I can’t think of anything I would’ve done better. I think it truly combines elements of fun, drama, sci-fi, and even comedy into a one-stop-shop package that leaves me both satisfied and highly anticipating the next movie.

I woke up with the Superman theme stuck in my head this morning, if that’s any indication.

Dean’s Experience: 10/10 - Oh, SNAP!

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