 August
2006
This month's reviews/features:
Superman Returns
Superman and Jesus
After an absence of several years, the Man of Steel is back on
the big screen in Superman Returns. There are some
reasons to see this movie and some reasons not to. Before we discuss
the pros and cons, however, a bit of plot summary might be
appropriate. Superman (aka Clark Kent) has been away from Metropolis
for several years, during which time his arch-nemesis, Lex Luthor,
was put on trial and set free because Superman did not appear to
testify at his trial. Meanwhile, Lois Lane has had a son, who is now
about eight or nine. Lois and her son are living with Richard, the
nephew of Perry White, editor-in-chief of the Daily Planet. From all
appearances, the boy is Richard’s son, but he and Lois have never
bothered to marry.
Why You Might Want to See It
For me the big question about Superman, both comic book and
movie, has long been whether the character is supposed to symbolize
Jesus. One of the key moments in the film is father Jor-El’s speech,
via crystal, to son Kal-El: “Even though you’ve been raised as a
human being you’re not one of them. They can be a great people, Kal-El.
They wish to be. They only lack the light to show the way. For this
reason above all—their capacity for good—I have sent them you, my
only son.”
Sounds almost Biblical, doesn’t it? Since the word “el” is one of
the Hebrew words for “God,” it seems pretty obvious that Superman is
intended to represent Jesus in some way. This is all the more likely
given the fact that Lois Lane has just written a prize-winning
article entitled “Why the World Does Not Need a Savior.” The
theological connection is certainly there, but how accurate is it?
The focus here is on Superman’s teaching and improving us, rather
than on the conforming of our image to that of Christ. I’ll leave
this basic question for you to decide, but the film at least asks a
provocative question.
Besides its compelling theme, Superman Returns has
impressive production values and acting. Superman’s flying looks
smooth and natural. Kate Bosworth is a believable Lois Lane, and
while Brandon Routh might not be as excellent a Superman as
Christopher Reeve was, he does well overall, and his physical
resemblance to Reeve is uncanny. Kevin Spacey does a creditable job
as Lex Luthor, despite the basic silliness of his character.
Why You Might Want to Skip It
Try as it might, Superman Returns cannot rise past
the comic book level. The middle section, about three-fifths of the
entire picture, is essentially a cartoon with human actors. Lex
Luthor (Spacey), Superman’s arch-nemesis, has concocted an evil plot
to create a new continent in the Atlantic Ocean and in so doing to
render Superman weak and helpless by exposing him to—what
else—radioactive kryptonite. This plot device plays out in
predictably tedious fashion.
Another flaw, to my mind, involves Lois Lane’s basically immoral
lifestyle. In today’s politically correct society, it is fine for a
couple to live together out of wedlock; in fact, hardly anything is
made of it at all. Add to that the questionable parentage of Lois’s
son and you get moral turpitude, all the more offensive given the
fact that Superman is supposed to represent Jesus.
The Bottom Line
Superman Returns has already earned a great deal of
money, as did the previous four Superman movies. I believe that
their popularity stems from the fact that Superman is a Christ
figure, and that’s what we yearn for. See it and draw your own
conclusions.
Rated PG-13 for “intense action violence.”
Rating: 2 ½
stars
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Index of movie
reviews...
(2003 reviews through present)
Jay Maurer, a member of West Side Presbyterian Church, is
a long-term movie buff and former college teacher of The Film as
Literature. He has written movie reviews for The Good News
(West Side newsletter) since 2002.
If you have comments or questions
about the movie (or play) reviews, please contact Jay at
dramachap@msn.com.
Ratings are expressed in
increments of ¼ star.
A rating of 2 ½ stars or higher is meant to be a recommendation.
1 star: poor
2 stars: minimally satisfactory
3 stars: quite good
4 stars: superb
Criteria for determining the ratings:
- Reflection, either explicit or implicit, of Christian values,
including suitability of language and lack of gratuitous violence
- Quality of the acting
- Originality
- Unity of the entire picture
- Substance, or in the words of C.S. Lewis, weight
Other Christian movie review Web sites:
Plugged In Online
ChristianityTodayMovies.com
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