Reviews

After years of languishing in development hell, Warner Bros. finally manages to get a new Superman film into theatres. The various failed Superman movie projects have become infamous. Kevin Smith worked on a rejected screenplay and claims that producer Jon Peters insisted that the script had to follow three rules: 1. Superman can't fly, 2. Superman can't wear the cape and tights, and 3. Superman must fight a giant spider in the third act. At one point Tim Burton was attached to direct and Nicholas Cage was cast to star as the Man of Steel. Tens of millions of dollars were wasted on false starts before director Bryan Singer's vision for reinvigorating the franchise triumphed over the others.

Even though "Superman Returns" has its shortcomings, we should all be thankful that it was made instead of the other abandoned concepts. Rather than restart the series from scratch like "Batman Begins" did, "Superman Returns" is set five years after "Superman II" (the ignominious "Superman III" and "Superman IV" are conveniently forgotten). Pre-credit titles explain that Superman (Brandon Routh) left Earth five years ago after astronomers discovered the location of the planet Krypton. Unfortunately, Singer violates the old film-making dictum "show, don't tell". A sequence depicting Superman exploring the shattered remains of Krypton was cut from the finished film, so Superman's whole motivation for abandoning his loved ones and his responsibilities as Earth's protector is given short shrift before Clark Kent's back in Metropolis and resuming his job at the Daily Planet.

It's a rough homecoming for the Man of Steel. Old flame Lois Lane (Kate Bosworth) has a four year old son, is dating Perry White's handsome nephew Richard (James Marsden), and has won the Pulitzer Prize for an article titled "Why the World Doesn't Need Superman". Superman still loves Lois, but she is understandably angry that he left without saying goodbye and has moved on with her life. Meanwhile, Lex Luthor (Kevin Spacey) is free from prison and has stolen Kryptonian crystals from the Fortress of Solitude as part of another scheme involving real estate and the destruction of Superman.

Singer's affection for the first two Superman movies that starred Christopher Reeve is obvious. Homage is paid through the opening credits, the use of John Williams' rousing theme, numerous in-jokes, and the recycling of old recordings of Marlon Brando as Jor-El. Anyone unfamiliar with "Superman: The Movie" and "Superman II" might be confused by the plot of "Superman Returns". Yet, despite many lighthearted moments, "Superman Returns" is ultimately more somber than the earlier movies. It fortunately avoids the outright camp that the old Superman movies eventually devolved into, but is not as colourful or fun either. There's some nasty violence in the third act that earns the PG-13 rating.

Spacey hams it up as Luthor, combining the humour and egotism of the Gene Hackman version with a more menacing edge. Bosworth is miscast as Lois. She's too young and bland. A better choice for Lois would have been Parker Posey, who makes the most of her supporting role as Luthor's girlfriend Kitty. Singer was wise to choose a relatively unknown actor for the role of Superman. Christopher Reeve is still the best Superman, but Brandon Routh honours his legacy. Routh had a heavy burden to carry with this role, and it is impressive that he managed to pull it off.

There are some impressive moments in "Superman Returns", but also some lost opportunities. While special effects have made leaps and bounds since the 1978 feature, the climactic action of "Superman Returns" is not as conceptually thrilling as Superman preventing the destruction of the California coastline or battling three evil Kryptonians. There is a nagging feeling of been there, done that to many sequences. There are also moments that undermine the audience's suspension of disbelief. I can believe a man can fly, but there's no way tiny Kate Bosworth could pull a drowning 225 pound man out of choppy North Atlantic waters.

"Superman Returns" does fulfill its mandate to reintroduce moviegoers to the Last Son of Krypton and erase the bad memories of "Superman III" and "Superman IV". It's a good film, but not great. Here's hoping that the cast and crew learn their lessons from this one and give us a sequel where Superman can really soar.

*** out of ****

Based on the novel by Mario Puzo, which was in turn loosely inspired by the life of bandit, black marketeer, and separatist Salvatore Giuliano, "The Sicilian" is a confusing, self-important mess of a movie. As was the case with Rob Roy, Jesse James, and Bonnie and Clyde, popular culture once again whitewashes the acts of a real-life criminal and reinvents them as a folk hero. Set in Sicily during the 1940s, the film begins with Giuliano (Christopher Lambert) and his friend Pisciotta (John Turturro) stealing grain to feed hungry villagers. Caught in the act, Giuliano escapes after shooting a police officer, but he is seriously wounded himself (despite his life-threatening injury, Giuliano still manages to outrace the authorities and leap onto the back of a horse!). Giuliano seeks shelter in a monastery and is treated by a barber who says he will certainly die. However, Giuliano declares that he will live and makes a miraculous recovery. Giuliano's (near) death and resurrection is obviously intended as an allusion to Christ. I'm not a religious person, but I still think there's something blasphemous about comparing a thief and murderer to the Messiah.

Once fully healed, Giuliano launches a crusade to provide the poor people of Sicily with land and counter the authority of the Mafia, the Catholic Church, and the wealthy landowners. To accomplish this he becomes a bandit and flees to the mountains, eventually assembling a large following. However, Giuliano goes too far, makes powerful enemies, and (in another parallel with Christ) is betrayed by a Judas in his ranks.

If executed properly, "The Sicilian" could have been a powerful, complex tale of a man who does terrible things for noble reasons and ends up undermining everything he fought for. Unfortunately, the motion picture is plagued by poor choices. Various accents are spoken by the international cast, very few of which sound remotely Sicilian. Christopher Lambert in particular is miscast. Supporting characters come and go without contributing much to the story. Numerous factions become involved in the plot - the government, the Mafia, the church, the nobility, and the socialists - but it's not always clear whom is allied with whom or why. Many scenes were cut from the finished film by the studio and the audience can tell.

"The Sicilian" was directed by Michael Cimino, who has a very mixed track record. After directing one of the greatest movies of all time, "The Deer Hunter", Cimino was responsible for the notorious commercial and critical disaster "Heaven's Gate" (which, in retrospect, is actually not that bad). Cimino recovered somewhat with the crime thriller "Year of the Dragon", but "The Sicilian" was another step backwards for his career. Cimino at least insures that the film is well shot, but his deadly serious intentions are frequently undermined by weak performances, clunky dialogue, and schmaltzy music.

** out of ****

Captain America is one of the classic comic book superheroes, but he hasn't fared well on the screen. There was a serial in the 1940s, two made-for-TV movies in the 1970s, and this straight-to-video feature in 1991.

All of these productions were made on the cheap and look it. They also strayed considerably from the comic. This one is a little more faithful than the others. Cap is still Steve Rogers, a 98 lbs weakling transformed into a patriotic hero by the Super Soldier Serum. He wears a red, white, and blue costume and carries a round shield that can be thrown like a cross between a giant frisbee and a boomerang. He is frozen in ice during World War II and awaken from suspended animation in the present day, where he continues his fight against his archenemy, the Red Skull.

That part they got right. Here's what they got wrong. (SPOILERS AHEAD!)Instead of being the frightening symbol of Nazi Germany, the Skull is an orphaned Italian boy transformed into a disfigured, adult blackshirt by fascist experiments. This is stupid since the Italians were the laughingstocks of WWII and inspire ridicule more than fear. The film's latter half is also set in Italy. Was this a condition upon Italian financing? And the Red Skull only looks like his comic book incarnation in the opening WWII sequence. In the present day segments he has had plastic surgery so that his face no longer looks like a red skull. Huh? Maybe they decided to save money on make-up.

Cap's introduction is handled wrong. Despite the close-ups of bulging muscles during the transformation sequence, Steve Rogers (Matt Salinger) looks pretty much like he did before he took the Super Soldier Serum. Rather than being set up as the Living Legend of WWII and disappearing in the war's final days, Cap gets into one fight with the Skull and loses. The Skull ties Cap to a rocket and launches it towards the White House. Cap manages to break free and alter the rocket's destination so he crashes in the Arctic instead. A young boy photographs the whole thing and is thoroughly impressed. But rather than tell his parents, the press, or the authorities he puts the photo up on his wall and goes back to bed. The kid later grows up to become the President of the United States (Ronny Cox) and Cap saves him before the Skull can replace his brain. How nice of Cap, considering the kid FORGOT ABOUT HIM AND LEFT HIM TO FREEZE IN THE ARCTIC!!!

This film has some familiar actors in mostly cameo appearances. You wonder what they paid Cox, Ned Beatty, Michael Nouri, Bill Mumy, and others to appear in this dreck. The leads are no-names. Matt "Yes, I'm J.D.'s son" Salinger is bland and blonde. Cap never had much of a personality and Salinger unfortunately doesn't bring much of his own to the role. There's a little bit of pathos when Cap struggles, Rip Van Winkle-style, to adjust to his young sweetheart now being an elderly grandmother. He then gets involved with her vapid, annoying granddaughter, which is kind of creepy. Scott Paulin plays the Skull like a cross between a Mafioso and a James Bond villain. Competent, but nothing special.

"Captain America" represents the worst of comic book adaptations. The production values are shoddy. Cap's mask has rubber ears when he is at least in costume. For much of the film he's in street clothes. The music seems borrowed from the studio's archives. There is no moving score like in "Superman" or "Batman". The screenplay is no better than a comic script from the 1940s. Comic book fans will be bitterly disappointed and mainstream audiences will only find it entertaining for the camp value.

*1/2 out of ****.