The sleeping quarters were full, and I don’t want to go home then come right back here in the office. So, what I did is to see Superman Returns at Eastwood City Walk 2 Cinema. It was a good movie, it took three hours out of my waiting time.

So how is the movie? It is an action movie, with very long scenes that could have been taken out by an editor for superfluousity. I mean, there are scenes that do not really contribute to the advancement of the story, and these scenes should have been taken out. Well, at least it lasted that long.

On the technical side, it was terrific (the movie employed more than seven effects houses). I only have one beef. Watch carefully the scene where Superman falls from outer space. There was this shot where he is dropping towards a park. Watch closely, since the effect was obvious. Come on, the true measure of a good visual effect is that it should appear natural. That scene is surely unnatural.

Soundtrack – John Ottman did a good job of not reinventing the wheel and instead used John William’s indestructible and obviously Superman theme. Heck, he even used William’s Superman love theme. However, I am not really impressed by Ottman. In X-Men 2, the only track that I liked is the opening titles. Here, the choral track is great, the others are so-so, you wouldn’t even realize there is a sound track. And thankfully, there’s no song either in opening titles nor in closing credits.

The design of the Superman costume is so gay. Just look at the belt buckle, and that teeny-weeny S logo in the chest. And Superman is now low-waist, emphasizing a long torso. And, most controversial of all, the bulge. See for yourself and decide if it was deemphasized.

Brandon Routh is technically a Christopher Reeve lookalike, but he did well for this film, specially in the scenes where he is Clark Kent. I find Kate Bosworth unfit to be Lois Lane. I dunno, I don’t see her as leading lady material. As for James Marsden – basically, if you find Cyclops in X-Men 3 wimpy, his character in Superman returns is basically Cyclops without the glasses and the mutant powers. Maybe it’s in Marsden’s style of acting.

Kevin Spacey is brilliant as usual, but his character Lex Luthor is not as cunning as he was presented in the Reeve-era Superman, in the cartoons and in the comics. Luthor is so out of character, that I find it hard to believe that he was Luthor.

I think the movie is great, but you better see for yourself. A good way of spending 3 hours if you have nothing better to do. Trust me.

BTW, I am already awake for more than 24 hours.