THE MAN RETURNS

 

I remember watching this movie Superman Returns ages ago. But watching it again today helped me understand the movie in a whole new level.

Well, when I watched the movie the first time, I was mainly drooling over how hot Brandon Routh is. And yes indeed, after all these years, he is still as stunningly attractive. I wonder where he is now? I guess sometimes looks alone brings you nowhere...Opps!

Anyway, I was shocked to see James Marsden playing Richard, Lois Lane's fiance. I mean, last time, I had no idea who he was. I only disliked that character because I wanted Superman and Lois Lane together and that fiance is just a nuisance in their relationship. Well, I was that childish last time. I'd only want to watch a show or movie if the hero and heroine of my choice ends up together.

I have a completely different feeling about Richard this time when watching Superman Returns this time. Seriously, Richard is actually my favourite character, besides Superman of course. I think Richard is like the human symbol of Superman. It's like, when Superman left Lois, she found Richard I think because of Richard's similarity with Superman. Richard flies airplanes, so he indirectly he flies, just like Superman. And there was a scene where Lois Lane asked him, how did you come here and he answered, "I flew". I guess this shows the symbolic representation of Superman in Richard.

The climax of the movie sees Superman in trouble. Richard flew his plane together with Lois and son, Jason, to Superman's aid. I guess it really shows that Superman is really 'human' in his own way, even though he hails from another planet. He needs help as much as we do too. If at the beginning we see Superman helping others, and later we see Richard helping Superman.

Richard is also really cool because although he knows his beloved Lois is in love with Superman, he is there for her. He is so supportive and that's what made him a real man. He is somewhat like Superman here again, isn't he? Superman is there for Lois.

I feel now that Superman Returns have a deeper meaning to it. It's not just a lame remake of comic book heroes. If you ask me, what the whole movie is trying to say is, anyone can be Superman in their own ways. You don't need a cape and a red underwear worn outside to be Superman. And even if you are Superman, it doesn't mean that you don't need help.

Lois in the movie won an award for her article "Why we don't need Superman in our life?"

But Superman told her that he hears cries for help everyday and I guess he feels it's his responsibility to help them. I guess we can relate to that. We are no Superman of course but I'm sure as human you see pleas for help everywhere and sometimes I guess, we should help, like Superman, but within our powers of course. 

This lead me to my favourite part of the movie, which is when Superman flew together with Lois and brought her 'hanging' in mid-air in the middle of nowhere. And there he asked "What do you hear?". Lois answered, "Nothing" and he replies, "I hear everything."

I remember this part until now. The exact phrase. Personally, I'm really touched by Superman's reply, maybe because I feel the burden of his responsibilities. He has to help practically everyone and he when he is tired, there is really no one he can confide in or there is no one who can help him. 

I am recently exposed to a text on religion and on how the program "Lost" contains certain depictions of religion that spurred a lot of online discussions. Because of the article, I thought of how Superman Returns might be also used to communicate certain ideas of religion. 

"Superman" is seen as the saviour in the movie. There was a part in the movie where we hear a voice-over of Superman's father saying that he sent his only son to Earth to help humans. I'm not Christian but isn't that similar to why God sent his only son, Jesus to Earth?

If it is an indirect representation of Christianity, I guess the author of the movie is very subtly saying that, maybe even the son of God has weaknesses, like Superman - Kryptonite. Sorry, I'm not trying to offend Christians but it's just what I feel the movie is presenting because of the scriptwriting.

Superman is seen as the "saviour" in the movie. And the "Saviour" at the end needs to be saved. Or put it differently, even the "saviour" has a weakness too.

Superman was declared dead towards the end of the movie, but then he woke up again. Just like how Jesus rise again after being crucified. Lois is like Mary Magdalene. Jesus loves her the most among his disciples, right? I hope I get the facts right. Jesus loves all his disciples but her the most. Superman takes care of all of us, but Lois the most. The scene in which we see Superman flying above Earth, closing his eyes (similar to the picture below), gives me the impression that he is like God, overlooking on all of us and listening to our cries for help. 

I just see some similarities here and there. Again I really do not wish to offend any Christians. Feel free to reason with me because my facts could be inaccurate. 

I am not a Superman fan because I find Superman fake. I mean, how can one not see that Clark Kent is Superman! Plus I really hate superhero movies where the heroine always seem to need help from the hero. In reality, it's not necessarily like that. 

Thank God that Superman Returns is quite realistic in some ways. Like at least Lois has character - she's dependent and even though she needs Superman's help, she's not useless herself. She doesn't sit and wait for help but uses her brains also.

And I love the fact that the story includes a part in which Richard and Lois helped Superman. It just shows that sometimes, we can do a part even without super powers. When Superman was in the hospital, in comma, Lois kissed him and then looked at that monitor thingy in the hospital and then she shook her head and laughed. I find this part very realistic because she was hoping that she's in a fairy tale, in which a true love's kiss would wake a person up. I don't know about you but even tough girls sometimes secretly wish for a fairy tale ending in devastating times. And when it doesn't happen, they'll laugh at themselves for that silly thought because we all know that storybook endings seldom happen. 

Superman - fictional or realistic? You decide. Superman to me is just a symbolic representation of someone great, that we feel can 'save' us. Saving us doesn't have to be physically but in so many other aspects and ways. I'm sure deep in all our hearts, we have our own Superman or Supermen. Maybe you are a "superman" to someone else too. You will never know.