SUPERMAN RETURNS (2006), dir. Bryan Singer

I would be curious to hear what longtime Superman readers think of this new movie, which takes liberties with key characters, and lacks any real hardcore, superhero-on-supervillain action. But personally, I loved this movie. I found it to be unexpectedly thoughtful for a big-budget epic, and a super-sized improvement over the last two installments, which were Kryptonite to the franchise.

The folks behind this pseudo-sequel wisely decided to pare the mythology down to its most familiar elements. Naturally, there is Clark Kent/Superman, played this time around by actor Brandon Routh. Despite the unenviable task of having to fill Christopher Reeve’s big red boots, Routh does a credible job as both doofish Clark and stoic Superman, actually channeling the late actor’s voice and mannerisms at times.

The main plot involves Superman’s return to Earth after five years away in space. After making a grand re-entrance, a world-threatening crisis emerges in the form of arch-nemesis Lex Luthor, who remains bald, evil, and quite possibly the most ruthless capitalist around. This time, he has advanced technology from Superman’s home planet at his disposal. Using crystals that are about the size of a large paperweight, Luthor – played snarkily by Kevin Spacey – plans to submerge entire continents, killing billions of people for profit.

Counterbalancing this threat to Superman’s professional life is news that Lois Lane (Kate Bosworth), his great love and Clark’s reporter colleague, has acquired a fiancée as well as a young son. The latter development might cause grousing amidst comic book purists. For me, it only proved that director Bryan Singer and screenwriters Michael Dougherty and Dan Harris understood the theme that was present throughout the best “Superman” films: That there is a price to pay for being the world’s savior. Young Daniel (Tristan Lake Leabu), whom Lois nicknamed “the munchkin,” represents the family Superman gave up because, well, he’s Superman. Outer space called, and he had to accept the charges.

To date, I have read only one review for this movie, which came from a prominent film critic who was disappointed by it. He found “Superman Returns” to be leaden and not as much fun as “Superman” and “Superman II,” which were released in 1978 and 1980, respectively. Frankly, I’m disappointed by his disappointment. True, this movie is not replete with unabashed goofiness the way “Pirates of the Caribbean” was. It wants to treat the myth of its character with respect and reverence, and to the extent that I was left inspired and in awe, it definitely works.

Let us not forget that Superman is more than just a guy in tights who can leap tall buildings in a single bound. He is singular to the degree that he has godlike power, and also to the extent that he is an orphan, the last survivor of a doomed planet. Singer and company craft a satisfying character arc using that oft-overlooked bit of biographical information. As for the part about “Superman Returns” not being fun, that disapproving critic needs to re-watch the scenes where the Man of Steel catches a passenger plane in mid-air, and blocks an armor-piercing round with his eyeball. Whoo.

Overall rating: **** (out of ****)