We went to the BFI London IMAX last night to watch Superman Returns. Before I say anything about the movie let me say we made absolutely the right decision about where to watch it. Even without the four scenes in IMAX 3D the majesty - and yes the downright overwhelmingness of some scenes - of the screen was perfectly suited to the movie. Anyone contemplating seeing ‘Supes’ in London do yourself a favour and see it at the IMAX. It’s about the same price as any other central cinema (£12.)
Beforehand, as we had some time to kill, we wandered up to the National Theatre on South Bank and partook of their ‘Watch this Space’ summer festival - over 100 free riverside events from 7 July to 2 September. The fake grass and scattered deckchairs outside the building along with a barbeque and a soundtrack of Abba, Judy Garland and Steps made for a gay beach atmosphere. It was heaving and fabulous, I didn’t want to leave.
At the IMAX we got middle middle seats and those huge polarised glasses. Sadly they are all plastic these days and you have to hand them back (rotters).
I’d not been to an IMAX since 1996 in Vancouver and had forgotten just how near and in your face it seems. We had a little talk beforehand about “if you feel overwhelmed just shut your eyes for a second as when you open them again the scene would have changed.” The crowd laughed at that one but I suspect a few people were feeling overwhelmed by the finish. Oh, and we even had a member of the auidence in full Superman outfit. Sadly he wasn’t as impressive as Brandon Routh.
So the movie. I know it has received disappointing reviews in the US. But dang it all I’m a geek (target audience for Mr Singer) and I loved it. Hell, I loved it from the end of the amazing retro title sequence. Two and a half hours didn’t feel a minute too long to me. Brandon Routh is a stunning Superman both phyically and emotionally and I admit to a tear in my eye at times. He just chanels the young Christopher Reeve. Reeve was always my Superman, the Superman I first saw as a small child and firmly entrenched as ‘Canon Superman’ in my mind. I sneer at Dean Caine and Tom Welling! I was prepared to hate Brandon Routh just because he wasn’t ‘my’ Superman but I loved him.
A word to the guys here. Every woman in the cinema fell deeply in lust with Mr Routh. He is a fucking greek god up there in tights. A five flipping storey high god in the IMAX version. Do not blame your wives or girlfriends for it. He certainly didn’t need heat vision to have me smouldering.
The flying sequences are just ‘right’, even beautiful. He feels as if he has mass and weight and properly occupies the space he is in. The action sequences were the ones in 3D and the 3D cape fluttering is a delight.
I really don’t know what reviewers were expecting. You won’t get Chekhov from Bryan Singer. However, as a ‘thoughtful’ action movie it hit all the spots for me. Some people I’ve heard complain at there not being enough action sequences but it was perfectly judged to me. Kevin Spacey made an excellent Luthor and was (an update for the ’00’s perhaps?) much more menacing, revengeful and violent than Gene Hackman was before him. I felt due respect was given to Canon in all but one area.
My gripe was Kate Bosworth as Lois Lane. She felt flat. She didn’t have the ballsy attitude I felt Lois should have. Margot Kidder as Lois Lane is a heroine of mine along with Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia. Those two women were strong characters in otherwise male dominated films from my childhood. Hell, if you see my LJ and Flickr accounts you will know exactly who I have set as my default icon. I heart Margot.
Kate Bosworth had a lot to live up to. As much as Brandon Routh did - she, sadly, disappointed. No one but no one can do Lois Lane’s voice like Margot Kidder.
Bubb and I were singing the Superman theme all the way home last night and giggling like 15 year olds. A great night out.
We rounded the night off by going back to the National Theatre and getting up on the roof. Every Friday and Saturday between now and 2 September there are DJ’s and late openings for an event called ‘Bring and Share at the Late Lounge’ which is free. The roof again was packed with everyone glued to the concrete tower where ‘Addictive TV’ were projecting massive films on to the side of the building and pumping out a great dance track. It was fantastic standing up there - Ibiza on Thames - totally warm in the open air and enveloped in music. What a great way to spend a Summer night.
July 16th, 2006 at 10:15 pm
I’ve yet to see it….
But I hadn’t realised it had garnered anything less than rave reviews. And….they took issue with it being thoughtful?
Eeejits.
Anyway, I’m looking forward to it immensely. And I *love* the imagery….Superman hanging in space, half-invisible in silhouette….and looking strong yet fragile….
And I hear they’ve kept the original (70s) theme? Fantastic.
July 17th, 2006 at 1:58 am
They are making much ado on this side of the pond over the fact that in the new film Superman no longer fights for “truth, justice and the American way”, but only truth and justice. Sheez!
July 17th, 2006 at 8:32 am
I know Mike it is crazy. With Singer you do get the odd bit of motivation for a character and usually that equals emotion of some sort. Do the US really expect their action heros to be all with the punchin’ and not with the thinky thoughts? I like my heros to use the most important muscle once in a while.
Yes the opening theme is still the original and some of the incidental music. They couldn’t really improve on that could they? The audience were humming along excitedly during the opening credits and as I said above we were ’singing’ it all the way home. It’s very powerful!
I picked up on that in the dialogue BroLo and thought it significant that Singer left “… and the American way” part out. A criticism by a gay liberal filmaker of Bush? If so good on him. A recognition too by the filmakers that Superman is really a world hero not just an American one. Hell, he saved those Frenchies in Superman II!
July 17th, 2006 at 12:57 pm
My borhter saw it on Saturday (no IMAX’s up here), and he said those exact same things…
Brandon Routh: uncannily Christopher Reeve-esque
Kevin Spacey: a fantastic Luthor, obviously really enjoying himself
Action sequences: Just “right”. Everything about them is spot on.
Kate Bosworth: Not up to the job. Not hardened journalist. No chemistry
I actually bought the box set of the original 4 a couple of weeks back (for revision purposes you understand). Christopher Reeve and Margot Kidder are both just as great as ever, but I never felt Gene Hackman was a good Lex… Not serious enough I guess.
Say what you like about Smallville, but I think Michel Rosenbaum’s Lex had a big impact on how they wanted to portray him this time around.
July 17th, 2006 at 1:14 pm
Ah Kevling, Reeve and Kidder - the perfect Clark/Superman and Lois. Don’t get me wrong about Smallville, I do watch it but usually want to throw things at the TV because of the casting for Clark, Lana (how whingy?!) and Lois. However, they got Lex absolutely right with Michael Rosembaum - he’s the saving grace of the show. Pity John’s gone though - I hearted Papa Kent!
I hear you on Gene Hackman, he was a much jokier villian who you couldn’t really take seriously as threat - especially with Otis in tow. Though I feel Kevin Spacey’s Lex really needed to call his lady friend by her surname rather than Kitty. I was subconsciously waiting for a hearty “Miss Teschmacher!” *sigh*
Ooh a box set you say?.. More things to want.
July 24th, 2006 at 12:55 pm
Well I saw it at the weekend… and I’m a bit mixed about it. I came out thinking it was a bit… meh.
But then when I met up with my brother, and we were “ooh, remember when he…” and “what about the bit where…” and I sort of liked it a bit more.
I think my summary is that most of the action sequences were superb, and the way they did him taking off and landing etc were absolutely spot on (ignoring one or two slightly ropier bits of CG). But it was too long, some of the bits dragged, and bits of it were ’spot the blockbuster’ (ooh look, that bit’s Titanic, that’s Terminator 2).
And they should have kept the mystery over the boys parenthood as well… And I could’ve done without the whole death and resurrection allegory as well.
But apparently, Singer has said that now all the character establishing has been done, he wants to go “all ‘Wrath of Khan’ on the next one”, like he did with X-Men 2…
Sounds more like it!
As for the box set… well “box” might be overselling it somewhat, but they had all 4 films as “The Original Superman Collection” for £15 in HMV a few weeks back… Oh man, number 4 is so bad it’s untrue…