I just want to add that I met Brandon Routh today and he's actually a really nice guy. Very kind and humble. He told me he loves Australia and I was wearing a Blockbuster Video hat, he complimented my hat too. No matter what anyone thinks of Superman Returns, South is a good guy and was an excellent Superman :)
I thought this iteration of Superman had a lot of heart. The scene with Eva Marie Saint when she is outside the hospital when they are working to save her boy really hit home. She can't reveal she is his mother and has to worry from afar. What an excellent job she did!
Bless you Minty for creating a video for this film. Superman Returns is my favorite film. It has it's flaws, and is not a perfect Superman movie, but it had a lot of ambition and behind it was a heart that MOS and most superhero films lack. It was also the first Superman film i had a chance to see on the big screen and I'll never forget that experience and the lead up to this film.
I loved this film too. Sadly, it never topped the rescue of the plane, as far as action. If the Krypton continent had spawned an army that Superman had to fight through, that might have helped.
I remember watching the midnight screening. Brandon Rolth was good as Superman/ Clark, Kevin Spacey was awesome as Lex Luthor, and the airplane rescue was the best part.
James Marsden was convincing as David White while juggling his X-Men leadership role of Scott Summers/Cyclops!!! They chose well and it was hilarious to find the stepson of David White using his Kryptonian strength for the first time!!!
I would've paid the full ticket price just to see the plane sequence again. That was one of the most thrilling moments of anything I've seen in the cinema.
@@Kakashi2Gaiden I have to agree. As much as I like Henry Cavil as Superman, I can only think of a handful of scenes across 3 movies where he was BEING Superman, saving lives and kicking a.
Christopher Reeve will always be 'my' Superman since I was a kid as his movies came out. Brandon Roth and Henry Cavill did a great job in the roll even though some of the scripts failed them. They did the roll justice and are worthy successors.
When they Brought this Superman back in Crisis on On Infinited Earths Event on the CW Bradon Stole the show as both Ray Palmer and Superman Loved how they finished this Superman's Story where when it was fixed that lois was brought back and he had 2 kids. Good Book end to this Superman.
@@Scaashit wasn't Brandon's Superman who got Lois back with 2 kids. It was CW's Superman who got that, he even flew back to go see them because he only had one new born prior.
I do actually like this movie. But the thing is that it is a sad tragic story, not an adventure people were, correctly, waiting for. Once you see it for what it is, you can enjoy it.
I agree. I actually liked it. I saw it in theaters twice, and when it came out on dvd, i added to my superman collection. Once a year i watch superman 1,2 and returns.
I also liked this one. I liked it more than Man of Steel. At least it felt more like a Superman movie to me. I thought Routh played a great Superman. My beef with Man of Steel, it was a good action movie, but not a good Superman movie. I wish Cavil would have a chance to play the part with a better script, because I think he could have knocked it out of the park.
I really appreciate the plane rescue scene, as it is a great contrast with the short plane rescue scene in Superman: The Movie. In that film, Superman didn't need to do much to "rescue" the plane. In Superman Returns, it shows much more realistically how real world physics would make such a rescue extremely difficult, and how Superman had to put in a lot of effort to complete the rescue.
@@Captain_SarcasticI think it’s a terrible scene for two reasons. First, with the sleek Superman can fly, there was no excuse for the rescue to take so long. Second, I think Superman would know better than to grab a plummeting airliner by the end of a wing to try and stabilize it. The first time I watched that scene I knew exactly what was going to happen the moment he grabbed that wing.
I would love to see what you'd find about Smallville. Tom Welling was perfect to play Superman and he had Christpher Reeves full support to play the part.
I actually love this movie. I revisited it for the first time in a decade a few months back, and I can confidently say it’s my second favorite Superman movie.
this was the first Superman movie I saw as a kid and I absolutely loved it growing up and I recently just rewatched it and while I do recognize it's problems I still love it to this day and it will always hold a special place in my heart
when I watched superman returns when it came out I didn't know it was a continuation of Christopher Reeves movies. your absolutely right Brandon is the highlight of the movie. we all need to remember, as you said in the video. his acting credits before Superman Returns were two short videos and a music video. then he went straight into Superman returns. He's not just a good actor, he's a great actor. no casting director nowadays would even consider someone who has two short movies and a music video for a major superhero movie. I bet they wouldn't even get an audition. Brandon should have gone on to be a major movie star after Superman returns. but unfortunately, it came out at a time when if a movie bombs an actor's career could literally be over. Luckily Brandon stuck with it and continued to do great acting.
one of his saving graces is he kind of looks like Christopher Reeve in certain angles, i loved this movie and how they paid tribute to Reeve at end with Routh Superman flying and looking at camera before scene fading out. Routh actually returns as Superman in that Crossover event in one of those DCU Tv Series alongside Tom Welling and others
see the problem was not that they could do a good superman it is that for years they've been trying to replicate Christopher Reeve Superman, but then this came and then after Man of Steel happened, so in a sense changing some things were actually a good idea. Man of Steel was a big hit and it was cause they stopped trying to imitate Reeve superman and threw their own spin onto the character and lore, this they tried to attempt with Batman until the Dark Knight Trilogy blew everyone's minds giving us one of the greatest portrayals of Batman ever. now i am upset that James Gunn basically shafted Henry Cavill and that Gunn's superman will basically be same age as Cavill despite Gunn saying it is gonna be a young Superman....but it is what it is, also Routh if anything is considered a good superman
Brandon Roth did a great job as Clark/Superman. Singer to me loved the original so much he subconsciously re-created the original film. Lex wants to create land and Superman has to save people from an earthquake.
Superman Returns was decent to me. Happy to see Brandon Routh return in Crisis on Infinite Earths. I actually got to meet Brandon last year at Tidewater comicon and he was a good person getting an autograph from and picture with him
I really liked this superman when I saw it and still go back to it now and then. Yes the script could've used some work, but the scene after he gets saved and flies high through the clouds to replenish his strength in the sunshine is possibly the 2nd best superman scene ever. Next to to the yell after Lois dies and the earth's rotation is reversed to turn back time to save her life
I absolutely love this movie and think it's very underrated. It was not boring in the least, in fact I enjoyed it throughout the whole movie and have watched them many times since. The standout moments that I won't bring up because of spoilers was amazing. Out of the Christopher Reeve era this is definitely a Superman that was way better than three or four and arguably better than two
Bryan Singer was a protege of Richard Donner, the director of Superman I & II. The reason Singer chose the point in the Reeves Superman story that he did was because he wanted to honor his mentor. That's why he recycled so much of the Donner films story points, including unused Marlon Brando footage, for Superman Returns. And the theme of Fatherhood was because he looked at Donner as a father figure. It was too dramatic for my taste.
first time I watched this and I saw the slow motion sequence of the bullet hitting him directly in the eye and shattering, I jumped out of my seat and cheered. 😆
Brandon Routh did an incredible job as both Clark and Superman. He brought warmth, heart and humor to Superman, and absolutely looked the role. I'm so glad that he has a role in the DCEU, he so deserves it.
23:08 I actually have to agree with you on this one, Minty It would've been much more interesting if they'd used these scenes in the opening credits, though, I personally think that the text could've been used in conjunction with these scenes too
You're not a bald guy with a camera. You're a movie enthusiast with almost a half million followers. Tell us what you think and don't apologize for it. That's what we come here for.
The film's not underrated or under appreciated, is right where it should be. If you think about it Superman didn't do anything but lift objects. That doesn't translate to a great film.
Personally ... I loved this movie. As an author, I completely enjoyed and appreciated the plot and character development. Also, putting this up against Johnny Depp for an Opening Weekend was a "STUPID" move. If not for this, it would most likely fared much, much better at the box office. All films including since, in my opinion just plain sux pond water ... Another great video ... keep 'em coming!
For me this was the most successful Superman movie since the original and the first sequel. A well crafted story with textured characters, and not just another chaotic action movie with no character development or leave your brain at the door approach to moviemaking.
The movie was really good in many ways. I give it a thumbs up and I consider it Superman cannon. I believe Routh did a good job picking up the cape after Christopher Reeve passed.
This is one of those few films where I don't agree with the consensus people seemed to have at the time, as I thoroughly enjoyed this movie (despite REALLY not liking the cynical dynamic between Lois and Clark, it still found it to be a fun examination of how Clark might handle such a situation). People complained about the ending, with Supes lifting an entire island made of kryptonite, but I'm pretty sure his rising up and being willing to sacrifice himself to save humanity was entirely the point. MY big problem with the film is it's Luthor...again... Six dedicated Superman films since the '70s, and the only established villains we've seen are Luthor and Zod. Superman has a better rogues gallery than that.
I perfectly remember watching this in a theater. It just needed a good fight to make up for the sadness and darkness, to give Superman a glorious, triumphant ending.
Not a bad movie. Just didn't meet the expectations of many. Brandon Routh had good potential as Superman / Clark Kent. Just needed better directing and script.
Yes,so true,but,neither did Man of Steel.And I don't think the new film titled : Superman: Legacy will meet the fans expectations either. DC movies are bombing left and right at the box-office: WW2,Black Adam,the new-FLASH-film,Birds of Prey,Shazam 2.The only character they seem to get right is Batman.
I still think it was a great movie, much like a greek tragedy. The hero returns home to find he was not as important as he assumed. Very humbling and humanizing for the character.
I love this movie, not only was it filmed in Australia,I has a connection to Supergirl (1984). They say Superman was away for 5 years to explore planet. The other connection is the George Reeves The Adventures of Superman. two of the cast made an appearance, they are Noel Neill as Gertrude Vanderworth & Jack Larson as Bo the Bartender.
@@powerbadpowerbad I am actually reading the Superman '78 comic and Lex tells Supes "All your muscle is below the neck I see" or something like that LOL!
@@Shimmerluxe Yeah,Lex always lords it over SUPES with him being smarter and more ruthless.Have you ever seen Superman-the Animated series by Bruce Timm ???
As a lifetime Superman fan I do agree with most of what you commented, especially on it's original release. I recently watched it again a few months back and actually liked it better than before. Perhaps my expectations were lowered making it a better experience, I guess? But yes, Routh did an excellent job as did Kevin Spacey. I really liked the one scene when Lois and her (& Superman's) son were held captive. As the boy was playing on that piano a thug was approaching a down Lois, frantically crawling backwards. As the henchman was about to attack her the piano flew through him like a locomotive. Looking back at the boy, his arms still outreached from the simple push with a little surprised look on his face of his own reaction that not only did he save his mom but how easy it was to achieve such a feat. In habit he reached for his inhaler (which Hollywood uses too heavily in movies with children) stopping short of using it he realizes it's no longer needed. Great scene. I now have a Superman tattoo on my upper right arm with the words, "Truth & Justice" on either side of the shield written in the blue pattern of the opening credit lettering in the Reeves movies. I got it not just because I liked Superman all my life, but as a police officer I've always believed in truth & justice and everyone knows I never lie. Even as a child my parents knew, even if it got myself into trouble, I never lied. But in 2012 I was injured and in a two week coma in which 3 different times my wife and family were told to say their last goodbye to me. I was close but DID NOT receive my Last Rights and for some reason I'm thankful, but not sure why.? Anyway, obviously I kept pulling through. Upon waking and trying to come out of the fog many doctors and nurses kept stopping by my SICU room and would say, "Hey Superman, you look so good awake". I did not know or recognize any of them but my family would tell me they all worked on my case everyday. After I spent two months in the hospital and learning how to walk again and slowly regained my strength I once began working out and rushed back to work within 6 mos. At that time I didn't want to forget my near death experience and to take even better care of myself so I got the tattoo to remind me everyday, to try everyday to be better, to spend everyday with my loved ones to live life to it's fullest, to be a good person and help others every single day.
WOW.What an-INCREDIBLE story !!! So glad you made it,hoss !!! You seem like a-GREAT-person and police officer.KEEP doing-GREAT-things,hoss and may-GOD-continue to bless you.
Brandon Routh did a brilliant of bringing Christopher Reeves' Clark and Superman to life. That summer I happened to buy all four seasons of Superman: The Animated Series after I"d seen Superman Returns, and two of the contained certificates to see Superman Returns. So I saw it three times, and each time I liked it better. I would have liked to see the planned sequel with Brandon, and when they cast him as Ray Palmer in the Arrowverse and he was channeling Clark, I used to snap at the screen, "For goodness sakes, just let him BE Clark again!" It took a few seasons, but in Crisis they did finally did and it paid off brilliantly.
I’ve never been the biggest fan of this movie but I have come to appreciate it more over time, still I feel that Brandon Routh really found his true calling when he went on to play Dr Ray Palmer on Legends! I just think that’s the role that he was always meant to play, plus he just really sounds like a scientist to me! Also yes I agree with you that Kate Bosworth was kind of disappointing as Lois lane.
Parker Posey NOT being cast as Lois Lane was such a missed opportunity. She had the charm, wit, and the chops…not to mention chemistry with her and Routh would have been 🔥
@17:06 The money you speak of was the cost for every other SUPERMAN production leading up to this film that was tacked on to the budget - SUPERMAN LIVES, SUPERMAN FLY BY, etc.
the Superman and Lois show is similarly a drama about Clark’s family (Lois and his kid/kids). I hope Superman Legacy is actually about Superman in his prime that has less drama but still manages to be heartfelt and powerful
When Superman Returns came out I was a kid and I enjoyed seeing it. It did lead me to seeing the Reeve films (Superman 1&2 mainly) because a tv marathon had this and the first two films.
The film had it's issues, but the Superman scenes, saving the Plane, Metropolis during the Earth Quake created by the New Krypton Island, saving Lois from the sinking ship and lifting the Island into space were fantastic. One of only 2 films I've been to where the audience cheered and clapped at the end.
This coming from a huge fan of the original Christopher Reeves movie, this movie was supposed to take place after the first 2 movies. The writers seemed to have forgotten Lois knew Clark was Superman, she found out in Superman II. If that was recognized in Superman Returns, it may have made the movie a bit more interesting.
I agree with so many of these things. The colors for the suit were wrong; and the trunk looks too small; I've always thought it looks like he's wearing a speedo. One thing I don't entirely agree with is Brandon's resemblance to Christopher Reeve. I see it a little when he's dressed as Clark, and beyond that there may be some general similarities, but I've always felt the resemblance people talk about is exaggerated. I do really love that Brandon got to play Superman again in Crisis on Infinite Earths. I was very impressed with the costume and just his general presence taking on that role now. He 100% embodied an iconic Superman presence; I'd argue more so than Tyler Hoechlin. I would totally watch a Brandon Routh Superman series. I wasn't surprised however when the writers for Crisis took that opportunity and screwed the pooch by writing him in only to promptly write him out and make his presence kind of pointless. The Arrowverse seemed to take great pleasure doing that. I also don't buy Kate Bosworth as Lois in Superman Returns, and agree she has no chemistry with Brandon. Which isn't her fault; and it doesn't help the story intentionally puts her at odds with him.
Absolutely love this Film it was full of heart effects where outstanding ( for the time) as well, wish it has a sequel Brandon Routh was a outstanding superman, so glad he got the chance to replay the part in the arrow verse his kingdom come superman looked incredible
Minty! Brother, you said EVERYTHING I hated about the Superman Returns costume as well. The screw up over this costume contributed much to the failure of this franchise.
Imagine if the producers kept the deleted scene where Superman is in his homemade spaceship flying through a destroyed krypton? what an opening! too bad they did not go with that route as you suggested. but hey, easy for us to say right? Great breakdown, I learned so much from this video, thanks for the amazing channel as well. keep it up. 10/10
Absolutely agree with your views on Brandon Routh and Kate. Really wished they cast someone who had chemistry with Routh and made her character likeable.
The hatred of Lex was so intense you could cut it with a knife, the joking, gleeful Luthor was gone for good. I thought Michael Rosenbaum would have been great in it!
The TV show Smallville was also subjected to severe restrictions on what characters they could use due to Superman Returns. Erica Durance, who was introduced in season 4 as Lois Lane, was originally limited to 13 episodes per season and was not allowed to appear in a full season or become a love interest for Clark until the planned sequel to Superman Returns was scrapped.
@@Ravum Erica's look as Lois was no more or less unconventional than Teri Hatcher's or Margot Kidder's. None of them looked identical to each other. Kate Bosworth and Amy Adams certainly looked nothing like Lois Lane.
@@44excalibur I didn't compare her to any other actress. I meant from comics. The Amy Adams version wasn't out yet though her casting may have been inspired by Smallville. I can't picture some of the actresses you mentioned, but their casting doesn't change the Lois's comic look.
@@Ravum Well, Lois' look in the comics is brunette. Believe it or not, Erica was asked to keep highlights in her hair while Kristen Kreuk was on the show to avoid having Lois look too similar to Lana, in spite of the fact that Lana is a redhead in the comics. Once Kristen left, you'll notice that Erica's hair got darker and her look was closer to Lois in the comics.
Superman Returns is honestly underrated. I didn't like it much when it came out and I went to theaters. But looking back, it's straight up homage to the OG Superman movies. Superman doesn't even fight back in this movie, and still captures it all like the first one. All savior. Feel free to hate, but some cast aside, this Superman movie is good.
Routh has also starred on the American soap opera One Life to Live prior to this. We was unceremoniously recast aka fired by the producers because they felt he couldn't act. Yes, I worked at the soap when the announcement for Superman was made and everyone minus the producers were very happy for BJ as he was known.
You made some great points about the color of the suit and the delete opening scene. I still like this movie despite the fact that the plot sucks. All the Lex island stuff was just terrible. But if you think about it, Superman isn't really the hero of this movie. Cyclops is (I forget the character's name). He is the love who takes responsibility for Superman's son. He is the one who despite Superman macking on his girlfriend, goes back to same Superman. Superman's role in the movie is to serve as a guide/symbol to inspire people to do better. This is why "the world needs a Superman." I love this movie... If you get rid of the entire plot of the movie. The story is very meaningful.
The fact that Smallville was still going strong at the time this movie came out probably didn't help. Smallville did a great job of creating a very good and new superman universe and I think a lot of people would have rather seen Tom Welling and Michael Rosebaum bring Sups and Lex to the big screen.
I actually loved the movie, and Brandon Routh as Superman, and Kevin Spacey was also great as Luthor. But I'm glad that they used the original theme. But yeah, they should've had that scene where he was looking for the remains of Krypton as the beginning scene before the credits started!!!
Thanks for making this ''Superman Returns'' video! But at the 4:45-4:50 point in this video, there's a young guy playing Superman in a gleaming, silver suit. Who is it, and is this from a fan-made movie?
I enjoyed this movie more than the newer Superman movies with Henry Cavell. That's not Cavell's fault, though. I wish DC would realize that if they would give the audience a chance to get to know the characters, their movies would be so much better. Brandon Routh did a wonderful job and I wish he would have had a chance to play Superman again.
I liked this movie when it came out. I also enjoyed the Reeve's movies growing up. I think the biggest struggle with the Superman universe is that the risk to Superman is low. The Reeve's movies explored rare situations when Superman was at risk of dying or being beaten. But, where do we go from there? The suspense has to come from the people around him now. Superman has to have developed supporting characters we can root for. I think Superman Returns highlights the struggle between creating an exciting blockbuster the movie fans want, versus the need to having a richly developed world around Superman that the audience can be invested in. I didn't get into the Cavill Superman because I didn't trust the movie industry after re-booting Superman again, Hulk again, and Spiderman again. Maybe I'll give him a try someday.
I always loved that Burton was trying to do something so different. Had he made the movie and it successful, we probably would have gotten the crossover we wanted with Keaton in a sequel.
I agree with all of your opinions on this because I had all of them back when this movie came out and felt massively let down. I still like it because it's another of the rare times Superman can be in the movies again
The trunks are an essential part of Superman's uniform. I completely agree that Routh's cape needed to be bright red instead of what we got. Scarlet Johansson would have been an interesting portrayal of Lois Lane considering how the actress delivers her lines in other films. The movie could have benefitted from some editing to the script to be more of a superhero film and dropped the child subplot but it is a good movie. Now I want to seek out those deleted scenes because the scenes that end up on the cutting room floor often would've improved a film if they had been left in/had their special effects finished.
The best casting for Lois Lane I can think of for the time is Jennifer Jason Leigh exactly as she looked in Hudsucker Proxy with the black wig...or Liv Tyler being Liv Tyler.
Agree with pretty much all of your opinions, especially about the deleted scenes. They should've shown more of the Krypton stuff, although I honestly don't know what he expected to find there... I think Routh was still a bit too young and green for the part, and he should've bulked up a bit more.
The great irony of Superman Returns is that Brandon Routh and Kate Bosworth ended up getting overshadowed by Tom Welling and Erica Durance on Smallville.
I just want to add that I met Brandon Routh today and he's actually a really nice guy. Very kind and humble. He told me he loves Australia and I was wearing a Blockbuster Video hat, he complimented my hat too. No matter what anyone thinks of Superman Returns, South is a good guy and was an excellent Superman :)
Poor South.
I thought this iteration of Superman had a lot of heart. The scene with Eva Marie Saint when she is outside the hospital when they are working to save her boy really hit home. She can't reveal she is his mother and has to worry from afar. What an excellent job she did!
They shoulda had Parker Posey as Lois. LL was already a mature, seasoned reporter in Superman '78. Bosworth looks like she just entered college.
Agreed regarding Parker Posey as
Lois Lane. Great casting idea !
This movie also needed a super villain. Brainiac ?
Good idea! Posey would've been great as Lois.
I agree
Bless you Minty for creating a video for this film.
Superman Returns is my favorite film. It has it's flaws, and is not a perfect Superman movie, but it had a lot of ambition and behind it was a heart that MOS and most superhero films lack.
It was also the first Superman film i had a chance to see on the big screen and I'll never forget that experience and the lead up to this film.
I loved this film too. Sadly, it never topped the rescue of the plane, as far as action. If the Krypton continent had spawned an army that Superman had to fight through, that might have helped.
I remember watching the midnight screening. Brandon Rolth was good as Superman/ Clark, Kevin Spacey was awesome as Lex Luthor, and the airplane rescue was the best part.
Yeah it was awesome.
James Marsden was convincing as David White while juggling his X-Men leadership role of Scott Summers/Cyclops!!! They chose well and it was hilarious to find the stepson of David White using his Kryptonian strength for the first time!!!
*Richard
@@kellyweingart3692 My bad, sorry!!
That's the only good part the rest of the movie is about him lifting objects.
I would've paid the full ticket price just to see the plane sequence again. That was one of the most thrilling moments of anything I've seen in the cinema.
Agreed, the part where he flies through the wing as the music ramps up is sublime. I'm about to go watch it again lol.
Statistically speaking it's still the safest way to travel.
That’s what Zack’s Superman lacked. An awesome Action life saving sequence
@@Kakashi2Gaidenexcept he has plenty of life saving sequences you choose to ignore
@@Kakashi2Gaiden I have to agree. As much as I like Henry Cavil as Superman, I can only think of a handful of scenes across 3 movies where he was BEING Superman, saving lives and kicking a.
Christopher Reeve will always be 'my' Superman since I was a kid as his movies came out. Brandon Roth and Henry Cavill did a great job in the roll even though some of the scripts failed them. They did the roll justice and are worthy successors.
I absolutely agree. Reeve was born for that part, a rare phenomenon in Hollywood these days. Well except for Heath Ledger as the Joker.
When they Brought this Superman back in Crisis on On Infinited Earths Event on the CW Bradon Stole the show as both Ray Palmer and Superman Loved how they finished this Superman's Story where when it was fixed that lois was brought back and he had 2 kids. Good Book end to this Superman.
@@Scaashit wasn't Brandon's Superman who got Lois back with 2 kids. It was CW's Superman who got that, he even flew back to go see them because he only had one new born prior.
Role
Now that just sounds asinine.
That deleted intro was more interesting and compelling than the rest of the movie.
I do actually like this movie. But the thing is that it is a sad tragic story, not an adventure people were, correctly, waiting for. Once you see it for what it is, you can enjoy it.
Well said 😀
I agree. I actually liked it. I saw it in theaters twice, and when it came out on dvd, i added to my superman collection. Once a year i watch superman 1,2 and returns.
I also liked this one. I liked it more than Man of Steel. At least it felt more like a Superman movie to me. I thought Routh played a great Superman. My beef with Man of Steel, it was a good action movie, but not a good Superman movie. I wish Cavil would have a chance to play the part with a better script, because I think he could have knocked it out of the park.
The biggest flaw in this film is that Krypton exploded,so why go look for it ???
I still find it weird portraying Superman as a stalker
The scene with the plane rescue is fantastic.
The entire plane rescue scene was taken from one of the-FLEISCHER-shorts.
meh
I really appreciate the plane rescue scene, as it is a great contrast with the short plane rescue scene in Superman: The Movie. In that film, Superman didn't need to do much to "rescue" the plane. In Superman Returns, it shows much more realistically how real world physics would make such a rescue extremely difficult, and how Superman had to put in a lot of effort to complete the rescue.
@@Captain_SarcasticI think it’s a terrible scene for two reasons. First, with the sleek Superman can fly, there was no excuse for the rescue to take so long. Second, I think Superman would know better than to grab a plummeting airliner by the end of a wing to try and stabilize it.
The first time I watched that scene I knew exactly what was going to happen the moment he grabbed that wing.
I would love to see what you'd find about Smallville. Tom Welling was perfect to play Superman and he had Christpher Reeves full support to play the part.
I actually love this movie. I revisited it for the first time in a decade a few months back, and I can confidently say it’s my second favorite Superman movie.
What is your first favorite?
Its shit! Are you kidding me?!?! God it's so boring 😴
@@silvertoneryan2482 78, naturally
this was the first Superman movie I saw as a kid and I absolutely loved it growing up and I recently just rewatched it and while I do recognize it's problems I still love it to this day and it will always hold a special place in my heart
when I watched superman returns when it came out I didn't know it was a continuation of Christopher Reeves movies. your absolutely right Brandon is the highlight of the movie. we all need to remember, as you said in the video. his acting credits before Superman Returns were two short videos and a music video. then he went straight into Superman returns. He's not just a good actor, he's a great actor. no casting director nowadays would even consider someone who has two short movies and a music video for a major superhero movie. I bet they wouldn't even get an audition. Brandon should have gone on to be a major movie star after Superman returns. but unfortunately, it came out at a time when if a movie bombs an actor's career could literally be over. Luckily Brandon stuck with it and continued to do great acting.
one of his saving graces is he kind of looks like Christopher Reeve in certain angles, i loved this movie and how they paid tribute to Reeve at end with Routh Superman flying and looking at camera before scene fading out.
Routh actually returns as Superman in that Crossover event in one of those DCU Tv Series alongside Tom Welling and others
see the problem was not that they could do a good superman it is that for years they've been trying to replicate Christopher Reeve Superman, but then this came and then after Man of Steel happened, so in a sense changing some things were actually a good idea.
Man of Steel was a big hit and it was cause they stopped trying to imitate Reeve superman and threw their own spin onto the character and lore, this they tried to attempt with Batman until the Dark Knight Trilogy blew everyone's minds giving us one of the greatest portrayals of Batman ever.
now i am upset that James Gunn basically shafted Henry Cavill and that Gunn's superman will basically be same age as Cavill despite Gunn saying it is gonna be a young Superman....but it is what it is, also Routh if anything is considered a good superman
Also the film didn't stand a chance against pirates of the Caribbean: Dead man's chest
I agree he did not get a fair shake , I really thought he was a great Superman , but the story n writing did him in it’s a shame
Well put.
Brandon Roth did a great job as Clark/Superman. Singer to me loved the original so much he subconsciously re-created the original film. Lex wants to create land and Superman has to save people from an earthquake.
Superman Returns was decent to me. Happy to see Brandon Routh return in Crisis on Infinite Earths. I actually got to meet Brandon last year at Tidewater comicon and he was a good person getting an autograph from and picture with him
I really liked this superman when I saw it and still go back to it now and then. Yes the script could've used some work, but the scene after he gets saved and flies high through the clouds to replenish his strength in the sunshine is possibly the 2nd best superman scene ever. Next to to the yell after Lois dies and the earth's rotation is reversed to turn back time to save her life
I absolutely love this movie and think it's very underrated. It was not boring in the least, in fact I enjoyed it throughout the whole movie and have watched them many times since. The standout moments that I won't bring up because of spoilers was amazing. Out of the Christopher Reeve era this is definitely a Superman that was way better than three or four and arguably better than two
Bryan Singer was a protege of Richard Donner, the director of Superman I & II. The reason Singer chose the point in the Reeves Superman story that he did was because he wanted to honor his mentor. That's why he recycled so much of the Donner films story points, including unused Marlon Brando footage, for Superman Returns. And the theme of Fatherhood was because he looked at Donner as a father figure. It was too dramatic for my taste.
I just felt like I was watching a remake of superman 1
first time I watched this and I saw the slow motion sequence of the bullet hitting him directly in the eye and shattering, I jumped out of my seat and cheered. 😆
Brandon Routh did an incredible job as both Clark and Superman. He brought warmth, heart and humor to Superman, and absolutely looked the role. I'm so glad that he has a role in the DCEU, he so deserves it.
23:08
I actually have to agree with you on this one, Minty
It would've been much more interesting if they'd used these scenes in the opening credits, though, I personally think that the text could've been used in conjunction with these scenes too
Plane sequence ending at the ballfield was the best Superman scene in the 21st century.
HA HA HA Thanks for that I needed a good laugh today
I loved this movie. I was impressed with Brandon's interpretation of Christopher Reeve's embodiment of Kal-El.
.... When he gives a big smile, Brandon Routh looks very close to Christopher Reeves' smile.
This was a great movie.
My favourite.
You're not a bald guy with a camera. You're a movie enthusiast with almost a half million followers. Tell us what you think and don't apologize for it. That's what we come here for.
I agree
totally!!!!
Yeah we luv the hell outta ya!!!
Agreed but he is keeping himself humble..healthy
HELL YEAH!
The costume in Superman Returns looks like the dingy one the “evil” Superman wears in Superman 3.
I love this movie very intense and romantic the actor Brandon R.was fantastic!
Never understood why Supe Returns didn't get as much love as it should've. Overlooked & underrated. IMO
For me it was the actors playing the ACTORS that originally played the parts. 🤷
The film's not underrated or under appreciated, is right where it should be. If you think about it Superman didn't do anything but lift objects. That doesn't translate to a great film.
So Lois forgot about the sex from the super kiss from the old movies. So does she think superman raped her? How is that his kid and she doesn't know.
Because it's boring and Superman's a stalker creeping this movie That's why people don't like it
Brandon was a good superman. Lois was miscast, she had no gumption. The actress who was in the out of control car would have been an excellent Lois.
Personally ... I loved this movie. As an author, I completely enjoyed and appreciated the plot and character development. Also, putting this up against Johnny Depp for an Opening Weekend was a "STUPID" move. If not for this, it would most likely fared much, much better at the box office. All films including since, in my opinion just plain sux pond water ...
Another great video ... keep 'em coming!
For me this was the most successful Superman movie since the original and the first sequel. A well crafted story with textured characters, and not just another chaotic action movie with no character development or leave your brain at the door approach to moviemaking.
The movie was really good in many ways. I give it a thumbs up and I consider it Superman cannon. I believe Routh did a good job picking up the cape after Christopher Reeve passed.
This is one of those few films where I don't agree with the consensus people seemed to have at the time, as I thoroughly enjoyed this movie (despite REALLY not liking the cynical dynamic between Lois and Clark, it still found it to be a fun examination of how Clark might handle such a situation). People complained about the ending, with Supes lifting an entire island made of kryptonite, but I'm pretty sure his rising up and being willing to sacrifice himself to save humanity was entirely the point. MY big problem with the film is it's Luthor...again... Six dedicated Superman films since the '70s, and the only established villains we've seen are Luthor and Zod. Superman has a better rogues gallery than that.
I perfectly remember watching this in a theater. It just needed a good fight to make up for the sadness and darkness, to give Superman a glorious, triumphant ending.
Not a bad movie. Just didn't meet the expectations of many. Brandon Routh had good potential as Superman / Clark Kent. Just needed better directing and script.
Yes,so true,but,neither did Man of Steel.And I don't think the new film titled : Superman: Legacy will meet the fans expectations either. DC movies are bombing left and right at the box-office: WW2,Black Adam,the new-FLASH-film,Birds of Prey,Shazam 2.The only character they seem to get right is Batman.
Brandon Routh was amazing as Superman and ClarknKent. And to me he is still my favorite of the new Superman movies.
I still think it was a great movie, much like a greek tragedy. The hero returns home to find he was not as important as he assumed. Very humbling and humanizing for the character.
Cavill's great, but Routh was excellent as well. Personally, I loved this flick.
I love this movie, not only was it filmed in Australia,I has a connection to Supergirl (1984). They say Superman was away for 5 years to explore planet. The other connection is the George Reeves The Adventures of Superman. two of the cast made an appearance, they are Noel Neill as Gertrude Vanderworth & Jack Larson as Bo the Bartender.
Krypton exploded why look for a planet that's in pieces ??? And it took 5 years to find this out,Supes isn't very bright. LOL.
@@powerbadpowerbad I am actually reading the Superman '78 comic and Lex tells Supes "All your muscle is below the neck I see" or something like that LOL!
@@Shimmerluxe Yeah,Lex always lords it over SUPES with him being smarter and more ruthless.Have you ever seen Superman-the Animated series by Bruce Timm ???
As a kid I loved this movie. And as an adult I still love it. I was really hyped for it because I was in love of the Christopher reeve movies
Now that's what I'm talking about. This is my introduction to the Man Of Steel.
Me too
As a lifetime Superman fan I do agree with most of what you commented, especially on it's original release. I recently watched it again a few months back and actually liked it better than before. Perhaps my expectations were lowered making it a better experience, I guess? But yes, Routh did an excellent job as did Kevin Spacey. I really liked the one scene when Lois and her (& Superman's) son were held captive. As the boy was playing on that piano a thug was approaching a down Lois, frantically crawling backwards. As the henchman was about to attack her the piano flew through him like a locomotive. Looking back at the boy, his arms still outreached from the simple push with a little surprised look on his face of his own reaction that not only did he save his mom but how easy it was to achieve such a feat. In habit he reached for his inhaler (which Hollywood uses too heavily in movies with children) stopping short of using it he realizes it's no longer needed. Great scene. I now have a Superman tattoo on my upper right arm with the words, "Truth & Justice" on either side of the shield written in the blue pattern of the opening credit lettering in the Reeves movies. I got it not just because I liked Superman all my life, but as a police officer I've always believed in truth & justice and everyone knows I never lie. Even as a child my parents knew, even if it got myself into trouble, I never lied. But in 2012 I was injured and in a two week coma in which 3 different times my wife and family were told to say their last goodbye to me. I was close but DID NOT receive my Last Rights and for some reason I'm thankful, but not sure why.? Anyway, obviously I kept pulling through. Upon waking and trying to come out of the fog many doctors and nurses kept stopping by my SICU room and would say, "Hey Superman, you look so good awake". I did not know or recognize any of them but my family would tell me they all worked on my case everyday. After I spent two months in the hospital and learning how to walk again and slowly regained my strength I once began working out and rushed back to work within 6 mos. At that time I didn't want to forget my near death experience and to take even better care of myself so I got the tattoo to remind me everyday, to try everyday to be better, to spend everyday with my loved ones to live life to it's fullest, to be a good person and help others every single day.
Thank you for sharing your story. But when it comes down to it... You just can't keep a Good Man down. Keep Flying High my friend.😉
WOW.What an-INCREDIBLE story !!! So glad you made it,hoss !!! You seem like a-GREAT-person and police officer.KEEP doing-GREAT-things,hoss and may-GOD-continue to bless you.
@@powerbadpowerbad Lol I'm shocked anyone read all that, I appreciate it. And yes I'm doing very well, thank you my friend.
@@charlessarmiento4142 You're too kind and I thank you for reading ALL that. Stay safe out there .
@@ArchGBUStanton YES,I read it all-SUPERMAN.Glad to hear you're doing well and back on your-BEAT-officer.And you're welcome,friend.
Brandon Routh did a brilliant of bringing Christopher Reeves' Clark and Superman to life. That summer I happened to buy all four seasons of Superman: The Animated Series after I"d seen Superman Returns, and two of the contained certificates to see Superman Returns. So I saw it three times, and each time I liked it better. I would have liked to see the planned sequel with Brandon, and when they cast him as Ray Palmer in the Arrowverse and he was channeling Clark, I used to snap at the screen, "For goodness sakes, just let him BE Clark again!" It took a few seasons, but in Crisis they did finally did and it paid off brilliantly.
I’ve never been the biggest fan of this movie but I have come to appreciate it more over time, still I feel that Brandon Routh really found his true calling when he went on to play Dr Ray Palmer on Legends! I just think that’s the role that he was always meant to play, plus he just really sounds like a scientist to me! Also yes I agree with you that Kate Bosworth was kind of disappointing as Lois lane.
Brandon Routh and Christopher Reeve both did modeling, became known on daytime soaps, then a movie or two before Superman.
Parker Posey NOT being cast as Lois Lane was such a missed opportunity. She had the charm, wit, and the chops…not to mention chemistry with her and Routh would have been 🔥
If they were in fact trying to extend from the Reeve era, then Parker Posey would have better matched Kidder's Lois. I 100% agree
Totally agree
I'm actually upset now. I never considered this, and now I am really bummed that they didn't do this.
She was recently in the movie Beau is Afraid and she has a crazy-ass scene at the end!
Probably her age. She's much older than Brandon Roth.
@17:06 The money you speak of was the cost for every other SUPERMAN production leading up to this film that was tacked on to the budget - SUPERMAN LIVES, SUPERMAN FLY BY, etc.
the Superman and Lois show is similarly a drama about Clark’s family (Lois and his kid/kids). I hope Superman Legacy is actually about Superman in his prime that has less drama but still manages to be heartfelt and powerful
I saw this in an iMax theater and loved it. I still like it today.
This movie wasn’t that bad. In fact, it got a standing ovation in the theater I watched it in 🤷🏽♂️
I think that was true when I was a kid too.
They were problably clapping with-JOY-that their-SNORE-fest was over. LOL.
Even today, I really like this movie, the action sequences altough scarce are awesome!
They had a knee jerk reaction removing Routh, he did exactly what they wanted him to do and he got punished for it.
When Superman Returns came out I was a kid and I enjoyed seeing it. It did lead me to seeing the Reeve films (Superman 1&2 mainly) because a tv marathon had this and the first two films.
The film had it's issues, but the Superman scenes, saving the Plane, Metropolis during the Earth Quake created by the New Krypton Island, saving Lois from the sinking ship and lifting the Island into space were fantastic. One of only 2 films I've been to where the audience cheered and clapped at the end.
I, for one, really liked this version. To each their own.
Frank Langella is highlight of every movie he's in...dave,masters of the universe,Dracula...etc
The box! Just kidding
This coming from a huge fan of the original Christopher Reeves movie, this movie was supposed to take place after the first 2 movies. The writers seemed to have forgotten Lois knew Clark was Superman, she found out in Superman II. If that was recognized in Superman Returns, it may have made the movie a bit more interesting.
This movie is way better then people give it credit for. Its a serviceable entry into the lore..
Jeez those deleted scenes were great especially going home. Your way of starting the movie would have been fantastic.
I agree with so many of these things. The colors for the suit were wrong; and the trunk looks too small; I've always thought it looks like he's wearing a speedo.
One thing I don't entirely agree with is Brandon's resemblance to Christopher Reeve. I see it a little when he's dressed as Clark, and beyond that there may be some general similarities, but I've always felt the resemblance people talk about is exaggerated.
I do really love that Brandon got to play Superman again in Crisis on Infinite Earths. I was very impressed with the costume and just his general presence taking on that role now. He 100% embodied an iconic Superman presence; I'd argue more so than Tyler Hoechlin. I would totally watch a Brandon Routh Superman series. I wasn't surprised however when the writers for Crisis took that opportunity and screwed the pooch by writing him in only to promptly write him out and make his presence kind of pointless. The Arrowverse seemed to take great pleasure doing that.
I also don't buy Kate Bosworth as Lois in Superman Returns, and agree she has no chemistry with Brandon. Which isn't her fault; and it doesn't help the story intentionally puts her at odds with him.
Yes, the trunks were too small.
Absolutely love this Film it was full of heart effects where outstanding ( for the time) as well, wish it has a sequel Brandon Routh was a outstanding superman, so glad he got the chance to replay the part in the arrow verse his kingdom come superman looked incredible
Brandon Route was the ONLY ONE who got the message they were playing the characters from the 1978 movie.
Cause no one else been tried
Minty you’re a winner mate. Love your stuff
Minty! Brother, you said EVERYTHING I hated about the Superman Returns costume as well. The screw up over this costume contributed much to the failure of this franchise.
The best rescue sequence in any super hero movie is in this movie. You felt the strain Superman is in to stop that airplane and save Lois.
Imagine if the producers kept the deleted scene where Superman is in his homemade spaceship flying through a destroyed krypton?
what an opening! too bad they did not go with that route as you suggested. but hey, easy for us to say right?
Great breakdown, I learned so much from this video, thanks for the amazing channel as well. keep it up. 10/10
Absolutely agree with your views on Brandon Routh and Kate. Really wished they cast someone who had chemistry with Routh and made her character likeable.
The hatred of Lex was so intense you could cut it with a knife, the joking, gleeful Luthor was gone for good.
I thought Michael Rosenbaum would have been great in it!
The TV show Smallville was also subjected to severe restrictions on what characters they could use due to Superman Returns. Erica Durance, who was introduced in season 4 as Lois Lane, was originally limited to 13 episodes per season and was not allowed to appear in a full season or become a love interest for Clark until the planned sequel to Superman Returns was scrapped.
@mrdestylez Agreed. Definitely.
@mrdestylezHer acting was on point but her look didn't make me think Lois Lane. Great show, though, and I got over her unconventional Lois look.
@@Ravum Erica's look as Lois was no more or less unconventional than Teri Hatcher's or Margot Kidder's. None of them looked identical to each other. Kate Bosworth and Amy Adams certainly looked nothing like Lois Lane.
@@44excalibur I didn't compare her to any other actress. I meant from comics. The Amy Adams version wasn't out yet though her casting may have been inspired by Smallville. I can't picture some of the actresses you mentioned, but their casting doesn't change the Lois's comic look.
@@Ravum Well, Lois' look in the comics is brunette. Believe it or not, Erica was asked to keep highlights in her hair while Kristen Kreuk was on the show to avoid having Lois look too similar to Lana, in spite of the fact that Lana is a redhead in the comics. Once Kristen left, you'll notice that Erica's hair got darker and her look was closer to Lois in the comics.
When I first saw the promo of the new suit, it looked like Evil Superman from Superman III, that’s how dark and oil saturated it looked.
I’d love to see an extended directors cut with all the deleted scenes!
Superman Returns is honestly underrated. I didn't like it much when it came out and I went to theaters. But looking back, it's straight up homage to the OG Superman movies. Superman doesn't even fight back in this movie, and still captures it all like the first one. All savior.
Feel free to hate, but some cast aside, this Superman movie is good.
Routh has also starred on the American soap opera One Life to Live prior to this. We was unceremoniously recast aka fired by the producers because they felt he couldn't act. Yes, I worked at the soap when the announcement for Superman was made and everyone minus the producers were very happy for BJ as he was known.
Underrated movie, people pan it for no reason. This was a great version.
real.
I loved this movie. I felt like it fit in well with the Donner universe
Brandon did great with what was given him. And that goes for people and script.
Brandon Routh was a good superman but he was a great clark kent
Yeah bro your right on that one. 🎉
You made some great points about the color of the suit and the delete opening scene. I still like this movie despite the fact that the plot sucks. All the Lex island stuff was just terrible. But if you think about it, Superman isn't really the hero of this movie. Cyclops is (I forget the character's name). He is the love who takes responsibility for Superman's son. He is the one who despite Superman macking on his girlfriend, goes back to same Superman. Superman's role in the movie is to serve as a guide/symbol to inspire people to do better. This is why "the world needs a Superman." I love this movie... If you get rid of the entire plot of the movie. The story is very meaningful.
The fact that Smallville was still going strong at the time this movie came out probably didn't help. Smallville did a great job of creating a very good and new superman universe and I think a lot of people would have rather seen Tom Welling and Michael Rosebaum bring Sups and Lex to the big screen.
Lol no..
Smallville was on a tiny little network with modest ratings. The gen audience did not notice or care about any of that.
Kevin Spacey was great in this...Also,Noelle Neille and Jack Larson...Great idea.
I actually loved the movie, and Brandon Routh as Superman, and Kevin Spacey was also great as Luthor. But I'm glad that they used the original theme. But yeah, they should've had that scene where he was looking for the remains of Krypton as the beginning scene before the credits started!!!
I just rewatched this 2 days ago... Movie is really good
Bryan singer is completely at fault,he just flat out did a carbon copy of the previous films(absolutely nothing against Brandon routh)
The video game from this movie is actually pretty cool too for a Superman video game.
I liked Superman Returns. Routh is great in it. The world had been waiting for a Superman movie for many years and we finally got one.
"You wrote that the world doesn't need a savior. But everyday I hear people crying for one."
Thanks for making this ''Superman Returns'' video! But at the 4:45-4:50 point in this video, there's a young guy playing Superman in a gleaming, silver suit. Who is it, and is this from a fan-made movie?
I believe that the reason the budget ended up being so high was that it absorbed the dollars spent on all the previous iterations since Superman IV
Exactly. Same with MOS .
I enjoyed this movie more than the newer Superman movies with Henry Cavell. That's not Cavell's fault, though. I wish DC would realize that if they would give the audience a chance to get to know the characters, their movies would be so much better. Brandon Routh did a wonderful job and I wish he would have had a chance to play Superman again.
I'm just sick of mopey angsty emo Supes. The fun got sucked out in this version and carried over to Snyders.
I liked this movie when it came out. I also enjoyed the Reeve's movies growing up. I think the biggest struggle with the Superman universe is that the risk to Superman is low. The Reeve's movies explored rare situations when Superman was at risk of dying or being beaten. But, where do we go from there? The suspense has to come from the people around him now. Superman has to have developed supporting characters we can root for. I think Superman Returns highlights the struggle between creating an exciting blockbuster the movie fans want, versus the need to having a richly developed world around Superman that the audience can be invested in. I didn't get into the Cavill Superman because I didn't trust the movie industry after re-booting Superman again, Hulk again, and Spiderman again. Maybe I'll give him a try someday.
U should watch Henry Cavill he is a great superman if u like this movie I'm sure you love man of steel
Love it minty. ❤ I love your stuff and the research you put in. Keep pushing my man!
I always loved that Burton was trying to do something so different. Had he made the movie and it successful, we probably would have gotten the crossover we wanted with Keaton in a sequel.
I agree with all of your opinions on this because I had all of them back when this movie came out and felt massively let down. I still like it because it's another of the rare times Superman can be in the movies again
The trunks are an essential part of Superman's uniform.
I completely agree that Routh's cape needed to be bright red instead of what we got.
Scarlet Johansson would have been an interesting portrayal of Lois Lane considering how the actress delivers her lines in other films.
The movie could have benefitted from some editing to the script to be more of a superhero film and dropped the child subplot but it is a good movie.
Now I want to seek out those deleted scenes because the scenes that end up on the cutting room floor often would've improved a film if they had been left in/had their special effects finished.
The best casting for Lois Lane I can think of for the time is Jennifer Jason Leigh exactly as she looked in Hudsucker Proxy with the black wig...or Liv Tyler being Liv Tyler.
Agree with pretty much all of your opinions, especially about the deleted scenes. They should've shown more of the Krypton stuff, although I honestly don't know what he expected to find there... I think Routh was still a bit too young and green for the part, and he should've bulked up a bit more.
The best part of this Superman movie was Kevin Spacey as Lex Luthor. From an acting perspective, Spacey's Lex is the best Lex of all.
Brandon Routh did an amazing job as Superman… I really loved his version
The great irony of Superman Returns is that Brandon Routh and Kate Bosworth ended up getting overshadowed by Tom Welling and Erica Durance on Smallville.
This was a great Superman movie was great 👍!
I loved it!