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Superman Returns is a 2006 superhero film starring Brandon Routh as Superman, Kevin Spacey as Lex Luthor, Kate Bosworth as Lois Lane, and James Marsden as Richard White, the nephew of Daily Planet writer Perry White. Marlon Brando makes an appearance in digitalized form since he died a few years earlier. The film was released on June 28, 2006. The film was made after Warner Brothers made multiple unsuccessful attempts to make a new Superman film after Superman IV: The Quest For Peace failed at the box office.

Plot[]

Superman returns to Earth five years after leaving to search for remnants of Krypton in deep space. Lois Lane has moved on in Clark Kent's absence, and a newly-resurfaced Lex Luthor is plotting to destroy Superman once and for all.

Why It's Better Than Superman III and Superman IV: The Quest For Peace[]

  1. The film feels like a proper continuation of the second film, whilst updating the setting to the present day.
  2. The story is better than Superman III and IV, and it completely ignores the events of those films as if neither of those films even existed (for example, Martha Kent is still alive).
  3. The actors do a good job (especially Brandon Routh).
  4. We see a digitalized appearance by Marlon Brando, reading speeches that weren't in the original film with Christopher Reeve.
  5. The film was dedicated to Christopher Reeve (the original Superman) and his wife Dana Reeve.
  6. Much better fight scenes than those in III and The Quest For Peace.
  7. The special effects are far better than those in III and The Quest For Peace.
  8. Excellent musical score by John Ottman (composer for X2: X-Men United and X-Men: Days of Future Past), who gave us a nice update of John Williams' classic theme.
  9. Kevin Spacey made for an excellent Lex Luthor and a good replacement for Gene Hackman, who had retired from acting a few years earlier.

Only Bad Quality[]

  1. The film is a rehash of the first movie in some places.

Reception[]

The film holds a 75% "Fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Metacritic scored the film a 72/100, meaning "generally favorable reviews". Despite this, it is considered a box office disappointment. Resulting in the cancellation of a sequel, and Warner Bros rebooting the franchise with Man Of Steel.

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