MPAA Rating: for some intense action violence

Reviewed by: Keith Howland
CONTRIBUTOR

Moral Rating:

Better than Average

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Moviemaking Quality:

Primary Audience:

Adults, Teens

Genre:

Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Superhero

Length:

2 hrs. 25 min.

Year of Release:

2006

USA Release:

June 28, 2006 (wide)

Relevant Issues

Superman (movie)

Is Jesus Christ a man, or is he God? Answer

If Jesus is God, how could he die? If Jesus died on the cross, then how can he be alive today? Answer

Was Jesus Christ God, manifest in human form? Answer

Is Jesus Christ really God? Answer

If Jesus was the Son of God, why did He call Himself the Son of Man? Answer

Trinity - How can one God be three persons? Answer

Has science disproved the miracles associated with Jesus Christ? Answer

JESUS CHRIST - Answers to frequently-asked-questions

How can we know there’s a God? Answer

Why does God allow innocent people to suffer? Answer

How can I deal with temptations? Answer

Should I save sex for marriage? Answer

How far is too far? What are the guidelines for dating relationships? Answer

Positive - Absolutely fantastic!  A powerhouse of a movie.  Hands down the best summer blockbuster we have had in years.  It’s relevant, meaningful and highly enjoyable.  Never a dull moment - and spectacularly clean.  This movie gets wholehearted support.  It has been so long since a popular movie has been strong in every suit.  An undeniable thrill.  The parallels to Christ are glaring.
—Chris Monroe

Positive - It shouldn’t come as any surprise that the 200 million plus flick has some of the best special effects and action sequences I’ve ever seen. What is surprising is the way in which the large expanses of quiet, emotional scenes kept me as alert and engrossed as any of the blood and thunder managed to. Bryan Singer makes Superman seem vulnerable and human without making him any less awe inspiring. Where a less talented filmmaker would have churned out something cheesy and manipulative, he constructs a tale with real feeling. The most surprising of the plot developments departed quite a bit from comic lore and had me feeling a bit odd at first, but I ended up finding it kind of inspiring. Singer managed to wrangle up a real surprise in a story that’s basically been told repeatedly for seventy years. Another aspect of the film I appreciated was Singer’s use of religious symbolism, which actually gave certain scenes more gravitas, and was very subdued compared to the “smack you over the head with a bat” subtexts of X3. As far as Christian morality is concerned, this is the first film of excellent quality in years in which I found nothing that even borders on questionable. This is the new gold standard of all-ages adventure films.

Now, the best director in the world can’t do much with a bad cast, and thankfully that’s not a problem here. Brandon Routh channels Christopher Reeve in nearly all his scenes and does so very effectively, coupled with his physical resemblance this reinforces a sense of continuity with the previous films. Kate Bosworth manages to fill Lois Lane’s shoes admirably (making me feel a bit foolish, as I was vocal in my displeasure at her casting), as does the rest of the cast in their respective roles. Kevin Spacey was impressive as Luthor, managing to remain menacing while spouting one-liners, a feat Gene Hackman didn’t pull off quite as successfully.

In the end, Superman Returns stands side by side with Batman Begins as the best of the recent comic book movies. A terrific melding of talent and tech that should satisfy any movie goer. I’ve heard some other comic fans lambasting the one aforementioned “departure” from previous tales of Superman. To them I say: accept the movie on it’s own terms, and you’ll leave the theater happy.
My Ratings: Excellent! / 5
—Joseph R. Astalfa, age 20

Positive - Superman coming back to the big screen is a welcome sight to see, and Superman Returns lives up to the hype and expectations. It’s a hot and cold movie, but mostly hot. It was to me a movie of two halves. The first was slow and admittedly, a little dull, but it was necessary to go through that to lay the foundation and groundwork of the story. The second half took off with a bang, and became thrilling and more exciting. I believe that all the cast in the movie were terrific, and the performances (especially by Kevin Spacey, who plays Superman’s nemesis, Lex Luthor). The story flowed well, although it was fairly slow paced in the first half of the movie. The action was terrific, but I believe that there should have been a little more to spice it up.

This movie, unlike other Superhero movies, was one that was very un-offensive in every part. There was violence, but almost non-existent blood. The profanities are few, and there was no sexuality (a trait hard to find in other Superhero movies). It also had some good lines and depicted Superman more like Christ, since Christ came to save us just as Superman came to protect those in danger. The most interesting scene was when Lois was interviewing Superman, saying that “The world does not need a Savior, and neither do I.” Superman responds simply by saying “You wrote that the world doesn’t need a savior, but every day I hear people crying for one.” We need a Savoir in our lives. We cried out to be saved and God saved us through his Son. This is shown (in a way) through Superman. People needed to be saved from danger, and he was sent by his father to save and protect those people. Overall, a very satisfying movie, and one of the best comic book adaptions to the big screen. I look forward to a sequel coming out.
My Ratings: Good / 4
—Dave, age 20

Positive - I thought this film was great. Superbly acted and well written; very clean as well. The action and special effects were great and it was a very enjoyable movie — in fact, it was SUPER!!
My Ratings: Good / 5
—Jason, age 24

Positive - …I REALLY liked it. The storyline was very good and even if you haven’t seen the originals, you won’t get lost. There was no nudity and no crude humor, except for a few comments that no kid should understand. The movie is a bit long, but I doubt you’ll even notice, in fact I was waiting for more. I highly recommend this movie.
My Ratings: Good / 4
—Anthony, age 32

Positive - This movie is great fun and lots of enjoyment, ESPECIALLY for anyone who has seen the first two SUPERMAN movies of the 1980s. It is full of direct (a negative person might say blatant) references and incorporations of the plot-lines, dialogue, and cinematography of those films, but it is done in homage and not in plagiarism. The movie-making quality is fantastic.

SUPERMAN RETURNS inserts the “five year absence” apparently just after the end of Superman II and many subtle (Kitty Kowalski tells/asks Lex that it seems like he has been to Superman’s secret arctic fortress before) and not so subtle references (the use of the alien crystals to grow islands and buildings) are made in the plot line of this movie. Although there are times when Brandon Routh’s delivery of dialogue can sound a little “flat,” he does a fantastic job of keeping Christopher Reeve’s version of Superman alive. Overall, the characterizations are very good. Watch for Parker Posey, as Lex Luther’s female sidekick/henchman named Kitty Kowalski, to alllllllmost steal a couple of scenes--ha! no pun intended from Kevin Spacey/Lex Luther!

MORALLY, the film is better-than-average and I was pleased with the way that Superman handles his emotional conflict that Lois Lane is now involved with another man. HOWEVER, that is also one of the MORAL PROBLEMS in the film because it is openly suggested that Lois and her fiance Richard at one point had premarital sex and there are strong suggestions but no direct statements that the two now live together, engaged but not yet married. The only scene I can think of is when they prepare dinner together at Lois’ large house. Although there is always a tension between Lois and Superman, sexuality is at a minimum. Be aware that we do see Superman’s bare chest and--in a completely different scene—Lois’ legs from about mid-thigh downward as she scrambles to get away from a bad guy after being knocked down. There are a couple of other undertones that are pulled from the second movie (remember the terrible, moral fiasco from the second movie of Superman and Lois spending the night in the silver bed? Ack!!) but MOSTLY they are very subtle and if someone had not recently scene the second movie (from 1982?) then those references might cause confusion rather than discomfort.

I don’t recall any strongly offensive language. Fans of Editor Perry White’s famous exclamation (safe for a 1940s comic book) will be rewarded if they are listening at the right time. Of course, especially in an action film, there are some moments which can be intense for younger viewers although **I** would feel ok taking children that I know who are as young as 11 and like comic-books.

As always, you know your family best, and it is always a great idea to preview the movie ahead of time if possible. It is not a perfect movie, but it is MUCH BETTER THAN X-MEN III in MORAL QUALITY. Personally, I will be going back with the family and once again believe that a man can fly!
My Ratings: Better than Average / 4
—Brook B, age 35

Positive - I thought this was an amazing movie. Having never viewed Superman on the big screen, this was a special treat. I’ve always loved the original Chris Reeve movies, and have been an avid Superman fan my whole life. I will say I was not disappointed in the least. I feel the offensive rating was relatively low; my main griefs were the fact Lois had a child out of wed-lock, and Lex Luthor was one sinister character. I won’t spoil any of the scenes, but when it comes to a man who is so purely evil, I just have a hard time grasping that aspect of one’s character. Its almost like I knew he was acting. Who could possibly hate the Man of Steel that much? Another thing that has always bothered me is the whole “extraterrestrial being” as Earth’s savior. But, in a vague sense, so was Jesus. I saw so many parallels from scripture in this movie it almost like watching The Passion all over again. There is a scene where I felt like a bystander to Jesus’ crucifixion; I wanted to cry. Overall, I give this movie a solid A!
My Ratings: Good / 4
—Jake, age 21

Positive - Superman Returns does have a lot of Spiritual implications as the summary here so well shows, but we need to be cautious with this implication in real life. It is strongly hinted that the 5-year-old son Lois has is also Superman’s son. Although Lois says the world does not need a “savior” it is indicated that Superman is the savior the world is waiting for. There will be another “superman” the world will look to as their savior and will even declare this superman to be “Christ’s return” but it will not be OUR LORD! Just as this “savior” will be the antichrist, if we see superman as a savior, we will be just as wrong, for he too is a type of antichrist. If this 5 year old boy is his son, he cannot be THE savior — for our Savior Jesus Christ was sinless. (Superman and Lois were never married.) (Even the implication of the resurrection was duly noted.) I would strongly urge parents of any child that does not know the LORD to use this film to point to the real Savior Jesus Christ.

1. Tell a person that although this movie is fiction, there IS a real savior whose Father sent His only son to save the world!
2. Tell the world that we DO need a savior and who that savior is.
3. Remind them that there is only ONE who died, was buried and returned to live again, Jesus Christ.

I do wonder if Superman Returns could be a forerunner of Christ Returns to bring in the antichrist whom too many will see as Earth’s savior. Yes, Superman is a good movie, but let us use it to point to JESUS and not to let people fall for someone that will soon imitate our LORD. Remember Jesus is the way, the truth and the life, No one can go to the Father But by HIM!
My Ratings: Better than Average / 5
—Pastor Ken Deemer, age 59

Positive - As a Christian, I rarely take my family to a movie I haven’t seen myself or at least have read a Christian movie review about. Last night, I took a risk. I am in the US Navy and the local Navy bases had a free preview of Superman Returns. It was a big risk considering the poor moral quality of the four other Superman movies. I took my wife and my four children ages 6, 8, 9 and 12 to see the movie. It was a risk well worth taking. Before I write any further I warn those reading this that there will be some big plot spoilers in this review. I wondered as I watched this movie if the writer or director were Christians or if they were trying to reach a Christian audience. Perhaps I read too much into the movie, but there was just simply too much of what I thought to be Christian symbolism to be coincidental.

The premise of the movie is that Superman left earth for a few years and has returned. Upon his return, Superman finds that the world is in a terrible state what with wars, terrorism and all the other results of sin on the planet. He also finds that Lois Lane has moved on, is living with a man named Richard and she has a son named Jason, supposedly by Richard. She even won a Pulitzer Prize for an article entitled “Why The World Doesn’t Need Superman.”

Lex Luthor has gotten out of his double life sentence on a technicality and has inherited a fortune from an old widow who somehow helped him get out of prison. Lex Luthor has come up with a plan to use the technology of Krypton to blackmail the world into making him both wealthy and powerful. Gaining this new technology will destroy much of the known world by creating a new continent and killing billions of people. The rest of the world according to his plan will bow to his will or will be destroyed by his new technology.

So there’s the plot — pretty typical superhero, comic book plot. But I saw so many obvious forms of Christian symbolism and themes, that I just about jumped out of my seat and said, “Amen!”

• Not long after Superman’s return, Lois Lane meets Superman on the roof of the Daily Planet building. In this scene, Lois Lane has a line that I found very typical of Hollywood these days: “The world doesn’t need a savior.” …But Superman’s reaction put to rest my disappointment. He takes her high into the sky looking down on Metropolis and he asks her, “What do you hear?” Lois Lane replies, “Nothing.” Superman then says, “I hear everything. Everyday, I hear people crying out all over the world for a savior.” That’ll preach! Amen! The symbolism just kept coming.
• For those familiar with the concept of Mythological Archetypes, the fact that Superman is a type of everyman who becomes a hero will not be missed. For those familiar with the study of Biblical typology, the fact that Superman becomes a type of Christ, and in one scene a type of God the Father, will also not be missed. Any Christian should be able to note the obvious Christian symbolism.
• When Lex Luthor unleashes his plan, he crosses a piece of kryptonite with a crystal found in the Fortress of Solitude. By throwing this in the ocean he creates a huge island the immediate effects of which result in disaster in Metropolis. Superman goes into overdrive trying to rescue the city which at one point requires him to prevent all of Metropolis being destroyed by an explosion from a refinery. My wife pointed out that the fire was a good symbolism of hell and could have been showing Superman as a type of Christ having power over hell.
• After rescuing the people of Metropolis, he flies to the growing island that Lex Luthor has created. When he arrives, he finds that he is powerless to defeat Lex Luthor, because the entire island is made of one giant piece of Kryptonite. The very thing that Superman came to Earth to protect, humans, turn on him and beat and bloody him mercilessly. Then Lex Luthor deals the death blow by stabbing Superman in the ribs with a Kryptonite shank, breaks a shard of it off and pushes him into the ocean. During this scene, being that Superman was raised by humans and in a way became one of them, I was reminded of the verse in John 1:11, “He came unto his own, and his own received him not.”
• Superman is rescued by Lois Lane and her new love Richard White. Lois pulls the shard out. Realizing that it will most likely mean his own death, Superman returns to the island and shielded by enough rock, he lifts it to space where it floats harmlessly away. After this super Superman feat, he passes out and falls to earth. He is taken to a hospital where the doctors pull another shard of Kryptonite out of his side and then they show him flat line. The scene then cuts to Perry White the new editor of the Daily Planet looking at the headline of the newspaper — “Superman Dies.” This may have been done for dramatic effect, but for a few seconds, the audience is made to believe that Superman is indeed dead and that he died to save the world. The obvious theme is one of sacrifice, but the symbolism was very clear to me, coincidence or not.
• When Perry White moves out of the screen, we see another headline lying next to the first which says, “Superman Lives.” We then realize that a good editor is just preparing himself for either scenario.
• Lois and her son go to visit Superman in the ICU and we see that he is in a bad situation, with low blood pressure and in a coma. As they say in emergency medical services — he was FTD (Fixin’ to die). Lois whispers something in Superman’s ear and then leaves. Later, we see a nurse in ICU and Superman’s monitor flat lines. She runs to the room expecting to see a dead Superman, but instead, she finds an empty bed and it looks as if Superman just evaporated — sheets are still pulled up a little and the leads for the monitor lying on the hospital bed. It’s as if he just evaporated. I already noted that Superman had died symbolically, so the symbolism of the nurse looking for the dead amongst the living did not escape me (Luke 24:4).
• Superman then flies to the house where Lois Lane is living and he appears in Lois’ son’s room. We find out that Jason is indeed Superman’s son. Jason is asleep, but Superman symbolically passes on the torch, but he says something to the effect that the father will live through the son and the father becomes the son. I can’t remember the exact line and perhaps I misunderstood, but it seemed to me that Superman becomes a type of God and Jason a type of Christ. Superman also tells Jason how he will lead a difficult life, that people will look at him differently and people will think he’s weird, but he is special and put on earth for a reason.
• In the last scene of the movie, Lois asks Superman if he’ll still be around and he replies, “I’m always around.” (Psalm 46:1)

What review would be complete with out talking about the acting, moviemaking quality and such? Brian Singer hasn’t directed that many films and Marvel took a big risk, I think allowing him direct the first two X-Men movies, but he showed that he has a good understanding of comic book characters and was able to bring to the screen the angst that Stan Lee was trying to depict in the era that the X-Men was first created. Brian Singer did the same for Superman. DC Comics tended to be a little more black and white when they first started creating their characters. In the past couple of decades, the characters have and stories have matured. Brian Singer brought to this movie the same level of talent in interpreting the DC characters. He also brought some familiar faces. James Marsden (Cyclops in X-Men) played Lois Lane’s new love interest, Richard White. Frank Langella played the new chief editor, Perry White. Brian Singer insisted that this movie follow the tradition of the previous Superman productions by introducing fresh faces for the characters of Lois Lane and Superman. Bringing back the late Marlon Brando from archive footage was a nice touch.

Brandon Routh was Superman and was obviously trying to emulate the late Christopher Reeve. He did such a good job at it, it was scary. If I didn’t know better, at some points, I would have thought Christopher Reeve had ADRed his voice into the movie.

Kate Bosworth isn’t as fresh a face as Brandon Routh, but I still haven’t seen any of the movies she has been in. She did a good job pulling off a Lois Lane who was confused about her feelings about Superman coming off as distant and bitter, but also able to have good chemistry with Brandon Routh when Lois and Superman meet again.

I have a great deal of respect for Kevin Spacey’s talent as an actor and I was not disappointed in this movie. He did a great job at pulling off a Lex Luthor who was self absorbed, greedy, evil genius with a hint of humor, yet he didn’t upstage the good guys as bad guys tend to do.

I was impressed with the movie making quality. The special effects really sold me. The computer effects were seamless and for Matrix fans, there were a couple of really cool “Bullet time” scenes. There was no profanity although there is a scene where the “S word” is implied, but cut off before the character said it. Children probably won’t notice it. I don’t remember the Lord’s name taken in vain. There are a couple of cases of innuendo. When Lois Lane is assigned to cover Superman, she refuses because she feels there are better stories to cover. She tells the editor, “I’ve done Superman.” When the people in the room go silent and stare at her Lois revises that, saying, “I’ve covered Superman.” There were a couple of other things that I noted, but again, they will go over kid’s heads.

Considering all the Christian themes and symbolism in this movie, there were some immoral subjects that must be mentioned. Superman and Lois Lane conceived an illegitimate son, Lois is now living with her new love interest and they are unmarried. From a story telling standpoint I feel that these points drove the story. I could think of other ways that the writers could have created the type of relational conflict they were looking for. Even though I object to the implications of adultery, I must say that it wasn’t at the forefront of the movie and again, for children the subject is upstaged by the rest of the movie and they probably won’t notice it.

There was some action related violence in the movie, but nothing graphic. There are some potentially scary sequences for small children. Lois takes several beatings in the movie that realistically she wouldn’t have come out of quite so well. She teaches us a lesson that there is a reason for the seatbelt signs on airplanes, especially when they are crashing.

I think this movie could have been PG, but all in all, it is a great family movie. Like The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, I think that this movie could be a great witnessing tool by introducing our lost friends and loved ones to Christ using the Christian themes in the movie as a door. But because some of the moral issues, I can only give this movie a rating of Good.
My Ratings: Good / 5
—Robert Dietrich, age 34

Positive - Very good movie, overall. A bit slow at times for the younger ones; “darn” (the other word) mentioned 3-4 times. Very much Christian symbolism. One thing I have to remember is the previews shown prior to a PG-13 movie—whereas I’m okay with Superman Returns, I didn’t care for my kids (8 and 6) to see a couple of the previews prior to the movie. Several scenes are very loud and intense, and would not be so on a smaller, television screen, so my kids wouldn’t have cringed were it not for the large screen and loud sound of the theater. They enjoyed it in the end, however, and we discussed the mention of a Savior, and how Superman’s father (voice) talked about the capacity for the human heart, and how many of them just haven’t “seen the light” yet. The other saving grace for Superman is that he has a “clean” reputation (it was out of his character, as Clark Kent, to be seen in the bar, as in this movie), unlike the Hulk or Daredevil, etc., who unfortunately leave room for directors to develop and display their dark sides and bring the whole movie down. Thumbs up, up and away!
My Ratings: Excellent! / 4
—David Holland, age 39

Positive - My wife and I just returned from Superman Returns. At 2 years old I would dress with a cape and watch traffic go by, waiting for people to stare in awe at me as a superhero. I had the same feelings as I stared in awe at such a breathtaking presentation of the Man of Steel. The directors/producers/screenwriters and story writers truly captured the essence of the Christopher Reeve persona, as well as reaching across and touching on the George Reeves era. The story was well written, the graphics believable and well done (not over the top-done extremely well where necessary), the acting superb, and the essence of the originals (namely Superman 1 and 2) were truly and carefully preserved. A job well done that should have conservatives giving a standing ovation. Again, thank you for finally presenting a superhero the way they should be.
My Ratings: Excellent! / 5
—Caine Calhoun, age 33

Positive -Superman Returns is the continuation of the first two Superman films that starred Christopher Reeve in the title role. Superman II (1980) ended with Lois Lane crying over having to share Superman with the world after her adventure and intimate relationship with Superman over the course of the film. In an attempt to protect Lois and take the burden of knowing his secret away, he kisses Lois, Lois faints, and when she awakens, she has no memory of any of the events that transpired during the film. Now into Superman Returns:

Clark/Superman is heartbroken over having to hide his identity from Lois. Scientists have also discovered fragments of his home planet Krypton, further adding to the frustration and identity-crisis inside Clark. Clark/Superman leaves Earth for 5yrs on a journey to find Krypton, and essentially himself and where he belongs in the universe. The opening credits are stunning. Director Bryan Singer has kept the original theme composed by John Williams and has paid homage to the opening credit style of the original films.

An important thing to note is that Bryan Singer is a homosexual, not a flamboyant one, but he does readily admit his sexual preference. This may have an affect on some Christians, as they may not wish to contribute to his pocketbook. Some may feel that by seeing a film directed or starring a person who is a homosexual, they (the Christian) is giving their support to that person’s lifestyle. I myself understand and respect those that hold that opinion.

Continuing on with Superman: It has been 5 years since the end of Superman II. Clark returns to earth (his farm in Smallville, Kansas) and his job at the daily planet in Metropolis (aka: NYC). He is shocked to learn that Lois Lane has moved on with her life and has “forgotten” about her love affair with Superman (Superman II). She is engaged to be married, and has a child (Jason White) out of wedlock. For some reason she does not wish to marry her fiancé (the nephew of editor Perry White) but co-habitates with him and plays at being the perfect little wife and mother. The child is 4 years yrs, and it is implied that her fiance is the father. A joke is also made as to the reason why she won’t marry the father of her child — she is in-love with another man, Superman.

Although this sort of family unit is quite common in today’s world, Christian families may wish to discuss with their children what the Bible says about marriage. It is important to note that by being in love with another man, Lois Lane is committing adultery in her heart even though she is not in a legally binding relationship. Lois has agreed to become a family unit, and even though the Lord views co-habitation as sinful, she is not abiding by society’s standards and remaining faithful. There is an intimate scene where she is seen flying off with Superman for an “interview” and they almost kiss. Superman himself is seen almost as a stalker in the way he uses his X-Ray vision to spy on Lois and her perfect little family.

Lois places herself and her son in serious danger when she arrives at the estate of a wealthy widowed heiress for an interview. When no one answers the door, Lois (with son in tow) begin to snoop around the property. They board a large yacht, and boy exclaims, “Mommy, are we trespassing?” Lois is shocked to find that the yacht and estate now belong to Lex Luthor who swindled it out of the little old lady by marrying her and inheriting everything she owned upon her death. (a homage to Anna Nicole Smith). There is a scene of violence towards Lois in view of her son which I am sure will cause some very small children to start crying. It was a bit disturbing even for me. Jason cries out for his Mommy, and in a desperate attempt to save her, something is revealed while someone else dies.

Krytonite plays a key role in this film, and it should be noted that Superman and Luthor have a very big fight. Although there is no blood, it may be disturbing to little kids to see the Man of Steel beaten nearly to death, although I liked the imagery. It proves that even Superman is not immortal. Jesus himself faced adversity and brutality, and even though Jesus was pronounced dead, he overcame death. Superman will eventually die of old age (whenever that is), but Jesus is alive today and forever, and we have the joy of knowing that those of us that have given our lives to Jesus will one day be with him in Paradise.

Aside from the issues I have addressed this is a remarkably well made film free from profanity, with the right amount of thrills, chuckles and surprises. I left the theater feeling euphoric. Justice had been done. The world was safe, and Superman had returned.
My Ratings: Average / 5
—Rachel Bergren, age 30

Positive - I thought this was a fabulous movie! I was concerned about claims made by some in the homosexual community that this film will show Superman with gay tendencies (a supposition on their part I suppose, since Brian Singer who directed and co-produced the movie is openly gay). Nothing could have been further from the truth - a major element of the story line shows Superman still struggling with his love for Lois Lane. But the greatest aspect of the film was the very obvious portrayal of Superman as a Christ figure. There were lines that seemed to be relating the gospel message, such as when Superman’s father is saying to him “mankind needs a light to guide them, that is why I sent you, my one and only son,” and later, Superman says to Lois Lane, “you say the world doesn’t need a savior, but every day I hear them crying out for one.” It even had a scene that was a type of crucifixion and resurrection that was very moving. I have hopes that this movie will touch many people in the way it touched me - leaving the understanding of how much we desperately NEED Jesus, and seeing that He is our One True Superhero!!
My Ratings: Better than Average / 5
—Lisa Negri, age 42

Positive - Superman Returns is a far cry from what most fans will be expecting. The actors turn in uninspired performances, the action scenes are there because we “expect” the movie to have at least one or two good ones, not because they serve the plot that is already riddled with more holes than a wedge of swiss cheese.

Lex steals all the fortress-building crystals from Supe’s arctic home in order to terra-form the planet creating his own continent, subsequently flooding the USA and killing a few billion people in the process. He blends the crystals with Kryptonite to make this sickly new land “unpleasant” for the man of steel.

There are so many scenes and even entire lines of dialogue ripped straight from the 1978 original. There was even the scene with Lois lighting up a cigarette and Superman blowing out the lighter. I was just waiting for the “lemme guess, lung cancer?” line followed by Superman’s X-ray check-up and “not yet thank goodness” response. Thankfully they skipped at least that choice line, but there are plenty of others including Lex’s rant about real estate.

There is the obligatory montage of crime-fighting, both in Metropolis and all over the entire world to let us know that SUPERMAN’S BACK, followed by the rooftop interview with Lois, romantic flight through the city, and other deja’vu' scenes that had me wondering if Singer or the other writers could muster up a single original idea among them.

The trailers had me wondering if Singer was going to try and portray Superman as some sort of Christ figure. The deep booming voice of Jorel is nearly quoting scripture when he talks about “sending his only son” to save the planet. The movie picks up this idea when Lois claims “the world doesn’t need a savior and neither do I” upon which Superman whisks her into orbit saying he can hear “everything” and that the world is indeed crying out for a savior. You have to wonder how we got along for 5 years without him. And there is even a symbolic crucifixion pose as Superman sacrifices himself to “save the world” before falling back to earth like a comet.

As far as moral content - I don’t really count swear words in movies since I probably hear more cursing in the lobby before the movie than during the film. The only thing I do remember is one cop starting to say “son of a…” before a giant machine gun drowned out the final word.

Interesting enough, Lois has a son that she tries to pass off as the son of her 5-year fiance (still not married) but the movie fails miserably to hide the fact that Jr. is really Superman’s nerdy kid. The kid looks about 8 but the movie timeline could only make him 4 or 5 at the most given Clark’s five-year absence, and just how fast did she “hook up” with her new love interest in order to fool him into thinking it was HIS KID.

The movie fails to resolve any of these “family issues.” Superman acknowledges his son (with pride and responsibility) even though Lois seems intent on keeping up the deception with Richard.

If there is a sequel - and there probably will be - we can only hope these actors can grow into their respective roles. Kevin Spacey was the only one who turned out a convincing performance but most of the time he seemed to be doing a Gene Hackman impersonation - or maybe all bald evil geniuses look, talk, and act alike.
My Ratings: Average / 3
—Mark Smith, age 42

Positive - I’m surprised at how much I enjoyed this movie. I went in with very few expectations; the main reason I went at all was to see Kevin Spacey as Lex Luther. What a shock! I loved it!! I am hard pressed to find anything wrong with it, it’s an extremely well done film. Everything from the acting, the visuals, the dialogue, the music, was great from start to finish. Needless to say, Kevin Spacey delivers a wonderfully wacky and sinister performance. I enjoyed his character thoroughly. What I didn’t expect was how much I would like the title character himself; Superman.

I have never seen a superhero movie in where I cared this much for the hero. Rest assured, Batman’s still my favorite character ever, but I don’t really like him as a person. Supes/Kent was someone I was genuinely emotionally invested in. It’s a weird feeling for me. I understood him, looked up to him, and felt for him when things were going either well or poorly. Also, the movie did an excellent job of making such an absurd character make sense in the world he lived in. Let’s face it, it’s hard to take a character seriously when he is wearing a costume like that, not to mention, nearly invincible. Because of the way he was written and the acting of all the different characters, I bought into it.

I was a little skeptical of how much money they spent on the visual effects, because that’s not usually a sign of a good movie. In the case of Superman Returns, it was well spent. With the exception of the CGI water, everything looked real to me. I knew in the back of my mind that they were effects of some kind, but I couldn’t see them. The beginning plane-sequence displayed some of the best editing and sound design I have witnessed in a long time. John Ottman’s musical score supplemented with John William’s original themes helped so much in bringing me into the story as well. The movie also made no efforts to hide the character’s in your face Christ allegory. I was pleasantly surprised, coming from director Bryan Singer.

There are only a few flaws to the movie. Number one, is Supes’ child born out of wedlock. I’ll admit it, I forgive him for it, though there really isn’t any excuse. There are some suggestive moments with the Lex Luther character, but always subtlety implied. The violence does get intense in moments, but it was appropriate for the scenes. All in all, I was thoroughly impressed with Superman Returns. Just when I think it couldn’t get any more spectacular, it does; all the way up to the amazing climax. I would venture to say that Superman is the movie of the summer. Definitely a joyful surprise for me.
My Ratings: Average / 4
—Cade Loven, age 19

Positive - Movie was good. Perhaps better than average considering all the horrible previews we sat through to see the feature film. It definitely had biblical parallels that can be easily explained to non-believer or young children. I was personally disappointed to hear that Superman’s job is has been reduced to fighting for 'truth and justice', no longer 'the American way'. However, I would not recommend this movie for children. …I took my eight year old son. It was not a good experience. Several scenes are far too intense for an innocent: family trapped in locked compartment drowning, relentless beating of superhero, violent whipping of passengers of crashing airline (especially difficult for a child who lived near Pentagon during 911), etc. None of the scenes are inappropriate in themselves, just very intense situations for a child to view in the heightened sight and sound of a theater. Great for teens and fans of superheros. But leave the little ones at home.
My Ratings: Better than Average / 3
—Stephine, age 39

Neutral - My family and I saw Superman Returns last night. I am not a real fan of Superman because of the immorality in the Christopher Reeves’ version of the comic strip hero years ago. This movie was much better, morally, but I have to say that I was extremely disappointed with the premise of the story being that Superman had a sexual relationship with Lois Lane outside of marriage, and she had his son. When I saw all the great symbolism of Christ in Superman I was very disappointed to find out that the son was Superman’s. If we are going to say that this movie is a great witnessing tool, we need to make sure that we point out the differences that the movie makers in Hollywood want to give Superman (the symbol of Christ) that make him a “man of the new millennium”: he is not sexually pure. No wonder 60% of our youth in our churches think that Christ sinned—Hollywood doesn’t know what makes a “savior” so appealing—complete purity and self sacrifice in all aspects of life.

If we really wanted Hollywood to make a good Christian movie, maybe we should hold out for the real thing and not fill their pockets with money when it is not the real thing. Until then, just sit down with the family and read the comics! Of course, you have to get comics that are twenty years old or more, but that soapbox is for another time.
My Ratings: Better than Average / 3
—Anita, age over 40

Neutral - The fact that so many reviewers get excited about the supposed analogy between this film and Christianity seems a stretch. Remember why this film was made—to make money. In this film, Superman was nothing like Christ, and to think that limits our understanding of Christ. Superman was a super hero because of what he was entrusted with by his father Jor-El. Christ was not entrusted with anything. He “owns the cattle on a thousand hills,” as the song goes. He is far greater and needed far more than Superman could ever be. Superman being the “savior” that he claims to be is arrogant and misleading. This is not reality and should not be used as an analogy of reality. Where was Superman on Sept. 11? The reality is bad things happen, and there is no “savior” who will always stop the bad from happening. But thank God that Christ is sovereign. Nothing happens apart from His divine decree. He is always in complete control of all things—something Superman cannot claim.

If the purpose of this movie is to entertain, then entertain. Yes, the photography and cinematography is striking. But, unfortunately, this film missed the action sequences that make a super hero super. One of the first things I said after leaving the theatre was, “This was no Spiderman.” Spiderman and Spiderman 2 were edge of your seat action. This movie got too involved with relationships and not enough on why we wanted to see the movie in the first place. Let’s see him be super! Granted, the bullet to the eye scene was pretty cool. But overall, it was a lot of dialogue and relationship and not enough action. By the way, couldn’t Superman entertain us by bringing Luther to justice once and for all? Lex was destined to spend his days on a tropical island with a beautiful woman. How bad could that be?
My Ratings: Good / 4
—Jim Vanden Heuvel, age 39

Neutral - First of all, the moving was way too long and kinda boring, but it was a clean flick with no foul language that I noticed and no sexual situations. The special effects were amazing, Kevin Spacey as Lex was good, but the acting by the guy who played Superman was awful. Overall, it was an OK movie, but afterwards I wished I would have waited until DVD. But then again, if you are going to wait until DVD I would suggest not waiting and renting the original Superman with Christopher Reeves—it’s much better.
My Ratings: Good / 4
—Brad, age 24

Neutral - Director Bryan Singer has a tendency to let a fly into the ointment. That is, I want to love his films, but there’s always that one thing (or several things, taken together) that prevents me from counting his films among my favorites. With the first two X-Men films, that “fly” was the blue-skinned mutant, Mystique. Those who have seen any of those films will know what I’m talking about. The bathroom scene in the second film, in particular, was completely out of line. In Superman Returns, the problem is a little more subtle (not to me, but apparently to some of the others who have commented on the film). My personal memories of Lois Lane come mainly from the 40’s cartoon series and the black-and-white TV show, which has just been released on DVD. So I’m a little old-fashioned when it comes to my idea of what this heroine should be.

Take the Lois in the new film. It’s understandable that she’s moved on from Superman, but that she’s living with her fiance, probably doing things she shouldn’t, is offensive to me and makes it hard to like her. Clark Kent isn’t quite the “true blue” type I remember, either. Yes, he saves the day in spectacular fashion, but his personal life leaves something to be desired. He’s had a kid with Lois (out-of-wedlock, of course) and, upon discovering that she’s engaged to another man, he drinks himself silly in a bar with one of his buddies. And this guy is supposed to represent Christ?

To be fair, the scenes that everyone is talking about are a surprising, even admirable, addition to the film, at least on the surface. “You say the world doesn’t need a savior, but I hear people crying out for one every day.” At one point, Superman holds his arms in the position of the cross while falling from the sky. At the end, by his child’s bedside, he whispers, “The Father becomes the Son, and the Son becomes the Father.”

These are wonderful scenes in and of themselves, but again, I find it hard to coincide these Christ-like attributes with Superman and Lois’s more worldly side. It reminds me too much of the Da Vinci Code, where Jesus is supposed to have had a child with Mary Magdalene. Here, “Christ” has a child with the “Mary” of the film, Lois Lane. If the reviews coming out of the Christian circle are any indication, most people are so thrilled with the symbolism in the film that they’re willing to overlook (even ignore) these caveats. But look below the surface, and what seems like a tribute to the Greatest Story Ever Told becomes just another insult to the discerning Christian viewer.

P.S. If it’s any consolation to you who liked the film, the action scenes were great. I especially liked the slow-motion shot to the eyeball. The theme song, taken from the original Superman film, was a nice touch, as was the “It’s a bird, it’s a plane” joke in the newspaper office.
My Ratings: Average / 4
—John Stanifer, age 20

Neutral - I would give the movie a little above average. Spacey was OK, but not what I would consider a really “evil villain.” Maybe I liked Gene Hackman too much in the previous movies to see Spacey play this character. It also felt like watching Google earth for about 45 minutes! You could definitely tell when the action went from real to computer generated. The religious overtones were good. Yes, the key was the line about not needing a savior and subsequent dialog. However, I doubt that the writers/producer/director had some sort of Christian message in the film. Overall, not great but worth a couple of hours of “escape-ism.”
My Ratings: Average / 3
—Stan Edington, age 57

Neutral - The movie was adventurous, exciting in some parts and had a lot of action, but it was also predictable. The problem I had with it is that so many children are going to be seeing this movie because Superman is such an icon and considered a hero. In the movie we find out he has a son out of wedlock and that Lois is living with one man, but still deeply in love with Superman at the same time. In one scene, Lois kisses her live-in goodbye in the car and then goes into the hospital to look after Superman and ends up kissing him — all this in front of her young son. The comment I could have done without is when Lois is told to cover the story of Superman and she says, “I’ve already done Superman!” Then in the back of the room, Jimmy snickers and Lois corrects herself saying, “I mean I’ve already covered that story!” My kids didn’t catch it, but I didn’t appreciate the crude humor in this kind of movie.
My Ratings: Average / 3
—Sherry, age 41

Neutral - For months, I made the reasonable assumption that Superman Returns would be a good film. Nay, a great film. After all, Superman is a timeless character, one who represents truth, justice, and the american way. So, a blockbuster Superman movie should pack a punch, right? A well-rounded story, good visual effects, and sound values are in order. Did Singer deliver on these fundamentals? Sure he did, on the latter two. Only problem is, he left out the lumbar in the spine of the movie—the plot.

It was 2.5 hours of Superman doing what he does best. Flying. Saving People. Being Suave. Romancing Lois. Emulating Christopher Reeve. Doh! Was that intentional??? Of course… But it’s to Brandon Routh’s credit. He’s got the look, the build, and Reeve’s smile - the million dollar whites that could land him a job as the Crest poster child. But where was the story? It was weakly centered around stopping the cheesy, carnival-like Lex Luthor from creating land!?!? Even <i>Smallville</i> boasts more substance as far as story goes, even during its dumbest and most insipid of episodes.

A few highlights include the John Williams score and the archival footage of Marlon Brando. And who would have ever thought Eva Marie Saint of Hitchcock’s North by Northwest would land the role of Martha Kent? Not I, but it was good to see a veteran actress grace the screen. Little odds 'n ends like these made for a great tribute and a nice sense of nostalgia.

As far as content goes, it was a very clean film. I counted one use of bad language; James Marsden’s character says 'd-- it.' There’s some funny dialogue that could be easily perceived as innuendo, but it wasn’t in bad taste, nor frequent. There’s very little in the way of blood, and even the violence is toned down for a superhero flick. For the sake of completeness, I recommend viewing this film. Superman Returns does have some cool action sequences and even some light-hearted, humorous moments. If nothing else, it’ll use up a few hours of your life, and it’s virtually wholesome entertainment, even for a Norman Rockwell family.
My Ratings: Better than Average / 4
—Jacob Keenum, age 20

Neutral - This movie was pretty much what I expected from Hollywood in 2006. But I was intrigued by the moral climate into which this movie was released. The original Superman on film aired as a TV series beginning in the early 1950’s. The strongest language you’ll hear is an occasional exclamation of “Jeepers” from Daily Planet reporter Jimmy Olsen. Then in 1978 Christopher Reeve brought Superman to a new generation of kids. Though still demure, Superman’s relationship with Lois Lane pushed a new envelope, hinting at a sexual dimension. Superman had X-ray vision, and when asked by Lois Lane what color underwear she was wearing, he responded 'pink.' Now fast-forward 28 years (spoilers ahead), and we have the man of steel, who before he left earth 5 years before the story begins apparently had sex outside of marriage with Lois Lane, because this movie expressly communicates that Lois’ son, first presumed to be the son of her long-time live-in boyfriend Richard, is actually Superman’s son. This fact is presumed to be unknown both to the son (who calls Richard 'Dad') and to Richard himself, which raises a new question: if Richard, a sentient individual who must know how to use a calendar, believed that Jason was his son, then how quickly did Lois Lane have to pair up with Richard on the rebound in order to make the math work? The film presents Richard in an 'honor-worthy' role, because he embodies the modern virtue of being tolerant of his wife’s/fiancee’s ex maintaining a continuing relationship with her and her children. The film ends with Lois still unmarried and with Richard, but with Superman continuing to develop a relationship with his son in a manner that calls to mind icons of Robin Williams in Mrs. Doubtfire and Tim Allen in The Santa Clause. Bottom Line: Decent or at least marginal entertainment for the grown-up crowd, but don’t be fooled about the messages it will send to your kids…
My Ratings: Average / 4
—Ben Stephenson, age 38

Neutral - Well, I seem to be in the minority here with my opinion, but I was not all that impressed with Superman Returns. A friend called on release day with free tickets to an advance screening, which I was very excited about. I have been a superhero nut since I was a kid, and had high hopes. Unlike other reviewers here, I was not blessed by the obvious Christian symbolism; I suppose the Lord can use any reference to His Son to cause someone to consider the Gospel, but I thought the allusions to Christ were too sketchy to be very useful. Also, Superman was presented as someone sent basically to stop the bad things people do, protecting the “innocent”, not someone who can change WHO PEOPLE ARE (sinners to the core). Lex Luthor’s men beat Superman when he was caught off guard and neutralized with kryptonite; Jesus WILLINGLY gave His life as a sacrifice for our sins, saying: 'The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord.' (John 10:17-18a NIV) Also, I felt the fact that Superman had a fling with Lois 5 years ago, resulting in an illegitimate son, seriously tainted his image. Additionally, unlike Jesus, Superman’s focus through most of the movie, including the ending, was selfish; he was fixated on being reunited with Lois, whose fiance had been lovingly caring for his son for 5 years… Regarding the quality of moviemaking, I thought Superman Returns was just OK. I didn’t feel emotionally drawn in by the main characters and was very disappointed with the ending. The “bad guy” plot was unbelievable, which is to be expected, but also not that interesting, in my opinion. As far as pure enjoyment of a superhero movie, I would have to rate both Spiderman movies much, much higher.
My Ratings: Average / 2
—Steve, age 41

Neutral - If Superman is about higher principles which reflect the true heart of humanity…, then this is not the case in Brian Singer’s film. Superman Returns is a guilty pleasure for any film aficionado, but as a Christian I hate to see it promoted as a decent “Christian” film safe for viewing. It is anything but. And this comes from a Superman comic book fanatic who loves the character. But Brian Singer’s Superman is not the Superman I grew up enjoying. First of all, the real Superman (the comic book version) marries Lois before he knocks her up. …Seriously, he pretends to be somebody else to sleep with her, ditches her after a one night stand, comes back years later to ruin a happy engagement with a true fiance. It also seems to be a strain on the film, and prolongs its running time by an hour longer than necessary just to portray the overtly 'implied' but rather needless promiscuity in all of its hedonistic delight.

We can not praise smutty second rate soap opera trash like this and still be okay with ourselves. If we put aside the story entirely, then yes, the film pulls off a rather spectacular visual feat. The acting is good, and the music is wonderful, and the over-all production is excellent in terms of movie making. But when it comes to the story and themes in 'Superman Returns', one can sum it up best as --bleh! I almost wish he hadn’t returned.… If only Brian Singer’s film had an inkling of morality, or any greater themes of love conquering all, but the truth is this is not what this certain film embodies. Rather 'Superman Returns' supports a very sinful concept at the extent of ruining decent characters. Indeed, where is that man with high moral values, great sense of duty, and unmatched chivalry? Where is the heroic take responsibility for your actions Superman? …Yes, the opening credits are impressive, and the movie retains lots of eye candy, cinematic charm, and lots of stylish special effects. The downside is, horribly slaughtered characters, a less than average plot, Superman succumbing to a great human sin akin to folly, and amounting to a whole lot of nothing super about this film.
My Ratings: Very Offensive / 4
—Tristan Vick, age 26

Neutral - I thought the movie was entertaining. I appreciated the theme that the world needs a savior (in the movie’s case it was Superman), and in reality it is Jesus. That theme was surprising, and I liked it. What I worry about is that the movie reveals that Lois Lane and Superman did have a child together, resulting from their night together in Superman II. I was saddened that this issue had to be pursued further in the Superman series. It seems as though we’re sending a message to children to look up to someone, who has engaged in premarital relations and has fathered a child out of marriage.
My Ratings: Offensive / 4
—Ginger Pope, age 30

Negative - …Why are so many Christian reviewers are comparing the Man of Steel with Christ, the Savior? Superman is fiction and flawed. Jesus is real and perfect. With the recent release of the DaVinci Code about Christ married Mary Magdalene and fathered bloodlines, Superman is in that line of ideology. If you remembered in Superman 2, what Clark and Lois did at the Fortress of Solitude, and if Superman is as noble as Bryan Singer stated, why had the Man of Steel just up and leave without consideration for what they had done. No wonder why the Munchkin is wheezing with asthma, and, his first flaw was to kill a man. After witnessing that incident, I thought for a second about the Man of Steel’s reservations from killing anyone, not even the villain’s sidekicks, and here is the first death done by a kid. The father will be like the son, and if you must insist, I won’t spoiled it for you. Mr. Singer should have concentrated on the family affair versus the savior complex. We already know how strong Superman is, we wanted to see his emotional value. The only nobility is for the sake of the child.
My Ratings: Average / 5
—Mang Yang, age 34

Negative - Superman sires a child out of wedlock with Lois Lane then splits for five years. Upon his return, he accepts no responsibility whatsoever for his child. Instead of marrying somebody, Lois lives in sin with her boss’s nephew. We used to call that “shacking up.” It’s all contrary to Christian teachings. Including such themes in popular megamovies normalizes immoral and sinful behavior.
My Ratings: Offensive / 3
—Bill Stack, age 55

Negative - I seem to be in the minority, but I was disappointed with this movie. First of all, from an entertainment perspective, it did not hold my attention throughout; I even looked at my watch once during the movie, wondering when it would finish. It’s long and, at times, 'drifts' a bit. The special effects are excellent, but the storyline didn’t 'grip' me. Secondly, I thought it portrayed a 'diminished' Superman, not in terms of his superpowers but in terms of being someone to admire in terms of certain character traits. His focus and attention to Lois Lane, especially given that she was portrayed as being in a committed, 'live-in' relationship, seemed self-centered. The Superman I have appreciated in past portrayals has nobler character than to seek to ACTIVELY influence her commitment to another person.

Lastly, there were moral concerns: Premarital sex is apparently condoned. While thankfully there are no visual portrayals of this, the message is definitely there: It’s OK! And, without giving away something revealed in the movie, let’s just say that Superman’s moral character and worldview is of concern as well in this regard. Given Peter’s admonition to 'keep away from evil desires because they FIGHT against your very SOUL' (1 Peter 2:11), I do not appreciate the casual, indifferent approach to sexual activity that is implicitly portrayed. I urge parents to make it a priority to discuss the moral issues raised by this movie with their children (if you permit them to see it).
My Ratings: Offensive / 4
—Paul Smith, age 57

Negative - I found this film to be very immoral. Lois Lane has a child born out of wedlock. She lies about the paternity of the child so that another male character will accept her and the child. They are unmarried but living together. In reality, the child was sired by Superman. Timing would indicate that she began being intimate with the boyfriend shortly after her liaison with Superman. This implies promiscuity. Also, the constant messianic hints in regard to Superman were offensive. It is easy for young viewers to rationalize that since Superman is only a fictitious character, perhaps Jesus was also. In the end, the villain who had stated that 'billions would die' had his plans thwarted, but went unpunished.
My Ratings: Offensive / 4
—Conrad Whitfield, age 72

Negative - I went into the movie expecting a huge movie wonder as I love director Bryan Singer. What I got out of it was a nap.… 1. I thought the movie was slow and boring. When you only put 15-20 min. action in a movie that is 2 hrs and 36 min. long its a LONG movie that seems it’ll never end. 2. In my opinion they didn’t hold true to the Louis Lang character (I won’t say more as I don’t want to ruin the movie for anyone). 3. They made the movie into much more of a chick flick drama based around Superman. 4. They imply that Louis and Superman 5 yrs. ago had a 'night in' together and hence forth had a son together. Now I don’t about you, but that’s not the kind of 'superman' I want to root for. Now the movie wasn’t a total washout. The acting put on by the cast was spectacular! I especially love Kevin Spacey as Lex Luther. The movie making quality was excellent, as was the main story of beating Luther again.
My Ratings: Better than Average / 5
—Alex Hood, age 18

Negative - Superman Returns is a disappointment from a Christian perspective. Superman has always been a character who stood for truth and justice. In the beginning of the movie Clark is drinking beer to clam his nerves. This is totally out of character for Superman/Clark, but totally in character for our warped society’s view as to how to handle your problems. If this is not enough Superman has fathered a child out of wedlock. This is depicted as normal and not a big deal. Superman has been made mortal. Like Samson his hair has been cut. Superman is no longer super without super morals. In the previous Superman movies his true strength flowed from his character. The title of the movie should just be MAN RETURNS.
My Ratings: Extremely Offensive / 3
—Michael Mickens, age 31

Negative - Would have been a great movie if it weren’t for a couple of major flaws. First the positive. Superman's father sends his only son to earth with great powers. He is a savior of sorts. There are many Christian parallels, but Hollywood soon blows it. He is for 'truth, justice, and the American way,' but Hollywood can’t bring itself to say 'and the American way,' so Perry White says 'Truth, justice, and all that other stuff.' Lois Lane is living in sin with her illegitimate child and 'boyfriend.' Turns out that the child is Superman's, so he may not lie, but he does seem to fornicate these days. Lois and her boyfriend appear to live in married bliss as though they were Ward and June Cleaver thus legitimizing living in sin, fornication and illegitimacy. No agenda here. Too bad. Could have been a great movie. On the plus side, the soundtrack is stunning.
My Ratings: Average / 4
—Michael LeRoy, age 52

Negative - I went to see Superman hoping for something exciting and friendly for the whole family. I was disappointed on both counts. First the diabolical enemy never really had a good conflict with our hero. The tension was never built between the two characters. Their one encounter was so one-sided it failed to build anticipation or enthusiasm for our 'hero'. On the family friendliness of the show (this will be a spoiler) Superman finds out he has fathered a child. Lois Lane has kept this secret from her live in boyfriend, who believes the boy is his. Dishonesty, deception and sexual immorality build the plot of the show. Superman our supposed hero is a big disappointment. I found myself feeling very offended a how Lois was treating the boyfriend and liked him more than our stars who lacked integrity. Super power doesn’t make a hero.
My Ratings: Average / 3
—Jan, age 37

Negative - If you are a Christian you must know that this film reports that Superman has had a child out of wedlock. The producers of superman have totally ruined the character that we could in the past look to as a Christ-like figure. My advice is, don’t go to see this movie.
My Ratings: Extremely Offensive / 3
—Barry Madosky, age 42

Negative - The messages I gleaned from the movie include:
1. Sex outside of marriage is a good thing — Superman and Lois Lane did it AND even have a son to show for it!
2. Children out of wedlock are just fine — see above.
3. Cohabitation is great — Lois Lane and her fella are living together because she does not want to marry him.
4. Lies are just fine too — Lois’ fella thinks the boy is his (he is raising him as his own). When confronted about her relationship with Superman, she lied. Hmm must be OK.
And all this from our latest superhero and his gal! Who knows what I missed because I was so taken aback.
My Ratings: Extremely Offensive / 3
—Barbara Foster, age 55

Negative - I looked forward to this movie because I like Superman. I don’t get into comic book stuff but some things about Superman are standard. This movie is unsure of Superman’s powers or character. The writer’s were very confused about his physical power. In one scene he had problems stopping a 747 from crashing to earth…even though, in Superman: The Movie, he had no problem changing the rotation of the earth. Later, after the 747, he had no problem lifting an entire continent with a piece of kryptonite stuck in his back. Didn’t anyone see the contradiction? Then there is his character. Superman has almost none. Superman is basically a dead-beat Dad who knocked-up Lois Lane and deserted her for 5 years. He appeared more worried about her smoking than her single-mom status. He also peeped in her windows…he’s a Peeping-Tom! She, in turn, shacked up with her boss’s nephew and, it seemed, allowed him to believe that her child was his but wouldn’t marry him. And some reviewers compared him to Christ. Are they nuts?
My Ratings: Average / 3
—A Discerning Viewer, age 38

Negative - I really wrestled with putting in the offensive rating. Having seen so many films, this one actually was pretty non-offensive! In fact, I was surprised that he appeared so clean cut. It was funny though that they discarded the part of the phrase “Truth, justice and all that stuff” leaving out, “The American way”. It disturbs me that Christians are looking at this as a Christ figure. I know he appears like one, and the film even “quotes” scripture, (or close to it… - “the son is in the father”) but that doesn’t make it Christian, by any means. Does Christ have girl troubles, or does He have to go off and find Himself as the world perishes. How about Christ’s weakness? Does He have any? Or did He become weak to make us strong? I love Lex’s quote in the movie about god’s being selfish, because little god’s, spelled with little g’s are selfish. The difference is Christ empowers us, comes and lives inside of us. Superman is not a savior, in fact, he needs one.
My Ratings: Offensive / 4
—Jason Stone, age 39

Negative - As explained in the film, Superman leaves earth for five years to examine the remains of his home planet, Krypton. Taking off for five years to look at space junk seems insane. But before leaving, Superman got Lois Lane pregnant. So he basically abandoned his pregnant common-law wife. Nasty. This film has nothing to recommend it, except special effects. I wonder what DC comics was thinking of in allowing a Superman film with a script of this sort?
My Ratings: Very Offensive / 5
—Thomas Dinan, age 49

Negative - …the past few years there has been a lot of Super Hero movies that were just awesome such as “Spiderman,” “X-Men 3,” and “Batman Begins.” The movie trailer wasn't bad at all... So I expected to see something really good especially that they spent a lot on the special effects of the film. Now when I saw a USA Today article saying the blockbuster of the summer RACE “Pirates of the Caribbean vs. Superman,” I was like this is a must see this movie! So I went to go see it...

POSITIVE: Special Effects were amazing!!! I can see they spent a lot for the effects in this movie. Hmmm... That's it.
NEGATIVE: It wasn't what I expected at all... This movie was just missing to much. The whole directing of the movie and picture was just so dark I was like TURN THE LIGHTS on in the movie... it was really annoying to watch this movie because the whole picture was so dark! During the whole movie I was just wondering when will the story start and get exciting... It was just making you hope that it was going to get really good. There was a moment when I got so excited with the story but then they just left it there and didn't do it! This movie was like one of those TV episodes that wasn't good but the next one would be just amazing! The movie was so boring, full of hopes, and just so deceiving. The characters were not developed well at all... most of it didn't make sense. And worst of all the movie finished with so many questions unanswered, just like a Lord of The Rings movie that needed the next movie to understand but WORST. I can tell you one thing, I will not watch the NEXT superman!!!! They lost a viewer!
CONCLUSION: Waste of my time and money. Cost me 8,50 euros, because it was digital (yep they charge more), that's .70!!!! Oh man, I should have bought a DVD instead of watching this. I strongly suggest that you do not watch this movie... This movie is the biggest FLOP! By the way I heard people saying that Superman is like Jesus as a metaphor in the movie but that is just WACK!
RATINGS: OUT OF 10 / STORY 3 - just no story / EFFECTS 9.5 - amazing / ORIGINALITY 6 - was kinda original but another good and bad guy movie. / MESSAGE 3 - what was the message? that..hmm can't say anything don’t want to give anything away / OVERALL 3 - worst movie of the year!
My Ratings: Better than Average / 2
—Philip Rood, age 18

Negative - After waiting literally years to get in line to see this long-awaited fifth installment of the Superman franchise, I can only say that I was really let down. The production qualities were excellent, and there are some wonderful action sequences, as well. However, those, in and of themselves, do not a good movie make! The story was a weak re-hash of Superman: The Movie, the cast was ok at best (Kate Bosworth as Lois Lane was miscasting at its worst), but the story itself really did injustice to the world of Superman. Superman leaves Metropolis for five years without telling a soul? Lois treats Superman like dirt when he returns, never giving him a well-deserved benefit of the doubt? Lois living-in-sin with boyfriend? Lois an unwed mother? (SPOILER ALERT!)...Superman the father of said child? And so much more... Argh! I WANTED SO MUCH to enjoy this film, but, alas I did not and cannot recommend it.…
My Ratings: Offensive / 4
—Steve, age 42

Negative - …the underlying moral framework of this film is challenged by the fact that Superman has an implied illegitimate sexual encounter with Lois Lane, has a child, and then skips town for five years. Nowhere in the film is this subject broached regarding shame, remorse, guilt, or regret over their actions, or the fact that such an act was once considered immoral and sinful by the movie-going public. It is just accepted. While, overall, the movie was good Hollywood, I left disappointed in Superman, the writers, and the producers at reducing yet another pinnacle of virtue to it's base level. Is nothing sacred anymore? What does this message tell the thousands of young people who will see this movie? Be careful what you applaud.
My Ratings: Offensive / 3
—Dwight Denison, age 53

Negative - This film should have been the best superhero movie ever. It had every reason to be. I mean come on, it's Superman, what else needs to be said? Alas, unlike the mega hit “Batman Begins,” this movie doesn't start things over. Apparently director Bryan Singer (of X-Men fame) thought it would be better to pick up after a movie made twenty-five years ago, ignore two movies following and disregard some things that happened in the first two movies. Thus, the end result feels more like “Superman II.5”, and not “Superman Returns.” Singer once stated that he never read Superman comics. It shows. The film does not go into the potential for amazing adventures that the Man of Steel should have. Instead, we get recycled plot factors, cheesy lines, pointless character additions, and a not-so-diabolical plan from Lex Luthor. About the only good things I can say are the effects are great, and Brandon Routh does a decent job filling Christopher Reeve's shoes.

As a Christian, yes I agree sex out of wedlock is not good. But the fan in me was more disappointed with this being a mere rehash of things past. Byran Singer is stuck in Richard Donner's shadow, and as far as Singer is concerned, Superman has no life outside of Donner's film. That that's not healthy. For him, or this movie. Unless Bryan steps out of Donnerworld, a new film series about the Man of Steel has nowhere to go. Except into 80's. Because that's sure where “Superman Returns” seems to belong.
My Ratings: Average / 3
—Christopher, age 24

Positive - I saw Superman Returns on the IMAX screen, with four select scenes in 3-D. The movie was impressive. Definitely worth seeing in theaters (especially IMAX) simply for the special effects. There were about a half dozen mild swear words and almost a half dozen uses of the Lord’s name, but nothing too major. The worst part of the film was that Lois was intimately involved with a man she was not married to, and her son was Superman’s, not that man’s. She also keeps secrets from him. Their behavior wasn’t condoned, but it certainly wasn’t put down. Lois’s dress also showed a bit of cleavage a couple times, but nothing compared to the rain scene and wrestling scene in Spider-man 1.

I’d say, overall, this film was far better than Spidey 1 and about as good as Spidey 2. I didn’t like it as much as Batman Begins though. The violence was cartoony, and there was practically no blood, but it was a bit intense at times. There was also a bizarre scene where we see a dog chewing on the bones of another dog (that we saw living not so long ago) and fur is strewn about. That scene was stupid and weird if you ask me. All the actors were pretty good, even though Brandon Routh was a bit flat a couple times.

I didn’t really see many parallels to Christ in this film, even though I know other people did. I didn’t think any part of the death/resurrection really reflected what Christ did. Had I not read reviews that paralleled these scenes with what happened to Christ, I never would have even given them a second thought. Overall, I recommend the film as long as you are firm in your beliefs that pre-marital sex is wrong, and as long as you’re sure that seeing this film will not encourage you - or those you see it with - to do so.
My Ratings: Average / 4
—Geno, age 16

Positive - Being a HUGE Superman fan, I found this film to be absolutely, 100% incredible. And, even though I love Christopher Reeve, it definitely put the originals to shame. It had an amazing cast, director, etc. As for moral issues, it was absolutely inoffensive.

*Profanity - there was one “hell,” one “damn,” one “crap” and one part where someone started to say the “s-h-” word, but got cut off. And I caught nothing about the Lord’s name being used in vain.

*Sex - None. There are a couple of sex jokes, but they’re entirely inoffensive and mild. And if you took your child(ren) to see it, they’d go right over their head.

*Violence - It’s Superman, of course there’s violence. But it was fairly mild and wasn’t bloody at all. I wouldn’t take anyone under 10 or 11 to see it. Some things might scare them. But if you’re a Superman fan, and even if you’re not, you should definitely see this movie. It’s rare that Hollywood produces something this well-made and this moral all at the same time.
My Ratings: Good / 5
—Krystal, age 16

Positive - Superman Returns was more than I ever expected it to be. It literally soared past my expectations to the height of what Superman is truly about. Part of that is credited to the phenomenal acting of Brandon Roth, who portrayed Superman as he should’ve been in the movies previously done by George and Christopher Reeves, though others may disagree, depending on how well they enjoyed the Superman movies. Superman was shown as more than a keeper of justice and the patriotic symbol of this country. In my eyes, he seemed more like Christ than any other hero I’ve seen. First similarity between Kal-El and Christ is that both are of a royal bloodline; Superman from the royal family of Kyrpton and Christ from his heavenly father God. Secondly, both came down to the earth as a savior of the people, just as Superman explained to Lois in this quoted scene:
Superman: “What do you hear?” (They are up far above the earth)
Lois: “Nothing.”
Superman: “I hear everything. You said that people don’t need a savior? I hear people crying out for one.”
Just as Superman came as a hero and savior to the people of the American continent, Christ came as a savior to rescue us from our own sins and from the law. Thirdly, Superman, like Christ, was also the protector between the people and his enemies. There’s a scene where two policemen are about to get shot by one of Lex Luthor’s henchmen. Just as the bullets are about kill the two men, Superman intervenes the bullets with his body, similar to Christ standing between us and Satan when he tries to kill us with his own weapons of demoralization and deception.

Fourthly, just as Jesus took the beatings and whips and blows we should’ve gotten, Superman, in his battle with Lex, is beaten and kicked and fisted to the point of death for the lives of his loved ones and for those billions who would die if he didn’t do what needed to be done. I was tearing up because it reminded me of Jesus’s love for us, that he would forgive me and love me just because. Even when Superman seems in mortal danger of dying, he finds renewed strength in the sun (or as Jesus would in his Father), and is able to defeat Luthor.

Fifthly, when Superman has rid the planet of the injustices of Luthor, he is supposed by all that he would never be the same after his battle with Lex, possibly dead as he hangs by the threads of life. But that is soon disproved when his hospital bed (the tomb) is found empty and his outfit is gone. He rose triumphantly as Jesus did when he rose on the third day. Finally, when Superman sees his son, he tells the boy that his own strength will become his son’s strength. The son in the Father and the Father in the son. That’s the way Jesus is with his children, or the Christians. We gain spiritual strength from his strength, along with the nine characteristics as we grow in our relationship with him. Us in the Father and the Father in us.

I highly recommend this film. It is beautifully directed and wonderfully performed by such actors and actresses as Kate Bosworth and Kevin Spacey. You’ll be on the edge of your seat, munching the popcorn, and squeezing the stuffing from your chair, hoping the man of Steel will rise victorious in every situation.
My Ratings: Excellent! / 5
—The Writer, age 17

Positive - I was waiting to see this film for a while. …I am glad I went to see it! The movie was really intense. Some parts were blaah though. I was disappointed in the script in some areas. I like Smallville… Lex is ok, but he isn’t as good as the one in Smallville. The idea of the mountain in the ocean was kinda dumb. Him being able to steal the crystals in the cave or even touch them made no sense. In Smallville nobody can touch them, and surely they can’t be cut with a saw made from a Earth blade. Adding water would not make them grow or else they would all be huge in the icy area they were at! But the movie was very good. The script wasn’t as good as I would have expected. …I was entertained by the movie but expected more. Spiderman and X-Men movies focused more on the characters than this movie did. …a good movie overall. It in my opinion could have done WAY better, and if they make a sequel I hope it has a better script. If you like Superman go see it!
My Ratings: Better than Average / 5
—Austin Ziegenfuss, age 17

Positive - I loved this movie! I think it was very intense in some places, and I wouldn’t recommend it to children under seven years old. I really love the way that the movie could be applied to the Bible, as other comments suggested. The only bad thing was the cursing (maybe about five times?) and the (suggested, not shown) sex out of marriage. It was like a comic book and chick flick rolled into one. I really did enjoy it, and would DEFINITELY watch it again and again (but next time with a foul language filter - LOL!)
My Ratings: Better than Average / 4
—Kitty, age 13

Negative - I just watched this movie with a group of my friends the other night and I have to admit I was disappointed and not really impressed. First of all on the entertaining side, I found the movie very slow and dull. The plot was not very exciting, and it took way too long for the movie to progress. I also found the beginning somewhat confusing until they explained it somewhat later in the movie. Now on the spiritual side I was actually quite offended. After reading other comments on the movie I have to admit there was much imagery of Christ and His life and resurrection that I hadn’t even noticed while watching the film, but there obviously is still no comparison from Superman to Christ. Also I believe there were a few times when our Lord’s name was used in vain, but I have to admit the cursing was definitely a minimum. The main thing from this movie though that really ticked me off was their insinuation that Lois Lane and Superman had premarital sex resulting in a child, then Lois had premarital sex with her fiance, and the movie makes it look like that’s fine and no problem, when in real life if the fiance found out he would probably leave Lois, and it would be a mess. Plus, as a Christian I know that it’s a sin to have premarital sex.
My Ratings: Average / 2
—Noel Bartnick, age 14

Positive - …after watching the previews to this movie, I was prepared to be disappointed. I did, however, take a couple of my friends to IMAX to see this movie on my birthday, and I was presently surprised. This movie was GREAT!!! and definitely worth the money of going and seeing. Although I did have a problem with the scene where Lois Lane gets tossed around in a plane and bangs her head multiple times, yet still gets up and just walks aways; that seemed a little unreal to me. Everything else though was just spot on, and the christian points (Jor-El talking about sending his only son, and Superman talking about hearing the world cry out for a savior, etc.) in the movie were very apparent, which I liked, and the moviemaking quality (especially Superman's flying parts) was amazing. All in all, I would say that if your a Superman fan, go see this movie you won't be disappointed!
My Ratings: Better than Average / 4
—Sarah, age 16

Negative - Snore… Need I say more? The movie was the first four jammed into one. There was nothing original about it at all. I was fortunate to get a free pass to this film from a friend. Thank goodness. The movie’s opening was long, drawn out, and boring. It opens with a quote from the first Superman and then goes into the exact same style of credits the old movies had (with the exact same music). I felt like I was watching an old Star Trek film. …The acting was decent, but in my opinion Dean Caine (Louis and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman) would’ve made a far better Superman. This new soap star they have seems to imitate Christopher Reeves in just about every aspect. He doesn’t seem real at all, not even as Clark Kent. Not only that, the dialogue was dumb. A TV reporter from the Daily Planet’s TV program states, 'Reports have come in from Metropolis, Los Angeles, Gotham, and even Shanghai that Superman has returned. Okay, we went from all American cities to Chinese cities without so much as a thought. The story wasn’t even original. Lex Luthor was just after real estate again, creating a continent made of Kryptonite (Superman’s weakness, but the big man in tights somehow pushes it into space). It’s a shame really, because the characters had so much potential that they waste it on this dumb plot. Okay, morally wise, Louis Lane is living with the supposed father of her child, great. They are obviously intimate. I counted seven cuss words after being told there was none. One thing good is that evil is shown as evil, and good is shown as good. Summary: You’re better off spending your money on Superman: The Animated Series Volumes 1-2 or Justice League Seasons 1-2. Tim Daily and George Newberry do far better as the voice of Superman. The plots in the episodes are better than this movie anyway.
My Ratings: Average / 2
—Jacob Airey, age 17

Positive - This was a great movie!!! It only had a couple of sexual scenes like when superman took the reporter on a very awkward flight. Overall, it was a good movie with an excellent story line; I wouldn't recommend it for children under the age of 8.
My Ratings: Better than Average / 4
—Luke, age 13

Neutral - An enjoyable film with great special effects and fantastic action sequences. However, there were several bits in between the action that caused me some concern. Firstly, I feel that the fact that the relationship between superman and Lois Lane was morally questionable. Secondly, the powers that superman possess seem very questionable and many of my friends have tried to copy these powers often causing them to say or do very immoral things. I feel that parents should certainly be careful when taking younger children to view this film. In terms of language the film was acceptable and so were the levels of nudity and violence. Overall, the film was enjoyable, however, there were elements of the film that I would morally question.
My Ratings: Average / 4
—Mike Hunt, age 17

Neutral - I thought this movie was extremely boring!!! It had no original plot. The effects were nothing out of this world, and the acting was average. I would definitely not see it again!! Save your money!!
My Ratings: Average / 3
—Natalia, age 15