Sunday, December 7, 2008

Superman: The Man of Steel



It took me a few scenes, but I think I started getting used to Brandon Routh as Superman at about the same time he did. He started with the acting chops of oil soaked cardboard but seemed to progress with the film and perhaps he could just make out Christopher Reeves boots (in need of filling) just over the horizon. I think pretty much every avid fan wants to give the kid another chance and see what he can really do.

The same, unfortunately can not be said of Brian Singer. I read an article a while back that stated Singer was at a loss to create conflict for a character that powerful, hence the Superbaby story line, arguably the worst plot line in film history. Now, if one has been handed a movie franchise of this magnitude and can't think of a conflict then they are just not the right person for the job. Hate to say it because pretty much all of his other films are brilliant but there should be no invitation to return for Mister Singer.

One thing I must always insist upon are those fantastic opening credits. Singer actually did such a good job on this part of the movie I got chills. Maybe a tear or two.

WHAT I WANT TO SEE:

Immediately following those credits we should see an alien entering our solar system. An alien with no space suit riding on what appears to be a chopper. Enter Lobo, stage right. He arrives at Earth and eventually, Metropolis. Lobo is a bounty hunter for those of you who may not be familiar, and he has a contract to find Superman. After making enough of a mess Superman confronts him and pretty much wipes the road with him. But it was never Lobo's job to take Superman in, or out as the case may be. All he had to do was find him. There is another, bigger and far more dangerous being coming for the Last Kryptonian, that is Doomsday.

But in my little version of the DC Movie Universe, Doomsday is just a thug. He too was sent by another being, an entity from another world who simply wants the honor of extinguishing every atom of Krypton that ever existed: Darkseid.

There is a lingering problem. How the hell to we get rid of Superbaby?Do we just reboot and pretend it never happened? Perhaps there is a crystal in the Fortress of Solitude that can wipe the kids memory, and Lois' memory as well. Hell while you're at it, wipe my memory that it ever happened along with all the other mistakes in Superman Returns.

CASTING:

I know the hate mail is revving up but Vin Diesel is my choice for Lobo. A couple of design changes and just leave out the wig altogether and I say give it a chance. I based my Lobo drawing on this page on Vin Diesel and think it could work. (p.s. the changes in the Superman costume are mine as well.)

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