Superman Returns

** Stars

Superman is back after nineteen years, five directors, and a chunk load of change. The real question: Can he still fly?

Nope.

You can guarantee that the latest Superman flick will top box offices all over the place. But still, after all the hype, Superman Returns, like X-Men: The Last Stand, fails to deliver the goods needed to make a comic book come alive. Director Bryan Singer should have kept his mind on the X-Men franchise.

The Ridiculous Plot: Superman returns to Earth to stop the dangerous and ruthless acts of Lex Luthor, who has been sprung from prison with the specific intent of using Superman's technological secrets for his own personal gain and glory.

Lois Lane, star reporter for the Daily Planet and the love of Superman's life, has moved on since Superman left without a word. She has even won a Pulitzer Prize for her essay, "Why the World Doesn't Need Superman." She is also engaged to the editor's nephew and has a young son to look after.

The special effects are dazzling. The first battle of the movie is a jaw dropping spectacle. But at 154 minutes, the Man of Steel begins to rust. Brandon Routh, who plays the Man of Steel, is as bad as you feared, Kate Bosworth plays Louis Lane as a wicked bitch, and Kevin Spacey is miscast (but he is tolerable) as Lex Luthor, Superman's nemesis. The script however is surprisingly sub par. We never truly see why Superman came back or how his absence has affected his mind. We are seeing the middle of a story with neither an introduction nor satisfactory conclusion. Superman Returns then outstays its welcome. Let's pray Spiderman 3 can deliver where many comic book adaptations lately have failed.