Superman Returns

I am not going to give a (yet another) review for the film. In my humble opinion, I dont think any two people in the universe can have the same experience watching the same movie. As some one has so beautifully put it - Two persons can look at the same thing and see two completely different things. ( I think I am in danger of sounding like myself in the DaVinci Code post) Even then, reviews are good in a way as they give us an option to know how other people felt about a movie. As long as they dont preach us what to watch or not, I guess they are ok. So back to business. And lets get straight to the point. For those of you who are in a hurry - yes, the film is good. And, if you love Superman, you will be delighted with the movie. Well thats done. Now for a little more detail.

The Good :

The movie is about the most loved super heroes of all time. In a greyed out world, Superman stands in sparkling white; and he doesnt lie ( source : Louis ) Ofcourse nobody will ever perfect the role like Christopher Reeve did. That said, Brandon Routh is eminently likeable, if only for the reason that he looks and acts like Reeve. And since the last movie came out, the technology has improved so much that, Brandon 'flies' much better, faster and believably than Reeves. The movie has been crafted with care by Bryan Singer, and it shows. The space shuttle rescue scene in the beginning of the movie is among the best action sequences I have seen. All action sequences in the movie are good, but the surprise package is the emotional side of the superhero. You may be the strongest man on earth, but that still doesnt mean you get your girl ( aha ! ) One of my personal favourites is the scene where Clark uses his x ray vision to watch Louis as she gets on the elevator and follow her with his eye all the way up. Then the roof top meeting between Louis and Superman is very tender and very well executed and I think Brandon did very well in that scene. Louis tells him -

" .. the world doesnt need a saviour. And neither do I"

"Louis, will you come with me ?... "

Silence.

"...Please"

He then proceeds to take Louis with him high up in the sky. He tells her that he can hear people crying out for help all the time. And then drops her off at home, after a romantic fly past.

There is more, but I wont spoil the fun.

The Bad :

I was wishing that Superman will have a grand entry on screen, considering what he is capable of. But it was the feeblest of entries, crashing back to earth like he did when he was a baby. May be they did it on purpose. After that we are treated to some Kent farm shots and Clark remembering his childhood at the farm. And the space shuttle scene. So far so good. But then begins a long wait, as the director sets up all the pieces required to carry us towards the climax. The result is a rather long period in the film where nothing really seems to happen. Except Kevin Spacey as Luthor plotting to make 'the only thing that they are not making any more', and Clark bumbling about Louis. And the kid. Oh I forgot the kid. There was simply no need for that kid. I dont know what they are gonna do with the kid in the sequel ( ofcourse there is gonna be a sequel) And the most cruel thing to do, they substituted Louis/Clark/Superman love triangle with Louis/Richard/Superman. Richard who? And where is Clark? Not in the picture. Sad.

The Ugly :

I wish I didnt have to write this, but it is hard not to notice that the director has made a deliberate attempt to draw a parallel between Superman and Christ. There are references to Father and Son, and the Father sending his only son to earth. When Superman falls, his arms are outstretched, like on the cross. Even the Kryptonite stab is all too obvious. That is so sick.

Final Word? I am glad he is back.

And one more thing, all the opinions expressed are my own. I may have some other motives for writing this review. In fact I do. :-) And just in case you want to read some good reviews, I suggest Rotten Tomatoes (it is better than it sounds, trust me)

The DaVinci Code : the Book, the Film, or Both ?

           If you are not the Pope, GWB, or just plain illiterate (not necessarily in any particular order) then I can safely assume that you have already read the book, the DaVinci Code. That being said, I accept there are a lot of otherwise normal people, who have not yet heard of the book, or even worse, heard of it, but couldnt read it.

          No matter which ever category you fall into ( and that includes the two individuals I mentioned earlier), right now you would be thinking whether to book tickets for the movie," The DaVinci Code ." The marketing has been slick, and with Tom Hanks playing Langdon, it doesnt matter whether you have read the book or not, you just want to watch the movie.

          Wait a minute, did I say it doesn't matter? Hmm.. I think it does. To a great deal. Ofcourse you are going to enjoy the movie nonetheless. But to really appreciate my point of view, let me ask you one thing - how do you read a book? Especially if it is a work of fiction, and the author is particualarly endowed with a gift of describing in detail each and every scene, vividly. As is the case with Dan Brown, and an even more deserving example, Dr Arthur Conan Doyle. I can devote a whole blog to Doyle's writings, but maybe later. The fact is that gifted writers can, and do conjure up magic with their words. They can literally paint the scene inside ur head; they can make you see the glint in the hero's eye as he sets forth on his quest; they can make you feel the pain of a girl as she weeps for her lost ones; they can even make you feel the smell of the soft grass on the mountain slopes as the children are playing.

          Every one of us who have read Sherlock Holmes, or even the DaVinci Code, or say Harry Potter and made up our own visions of the characters, the places, the sounds , the smells, the numerous little nuances that make up the plot. And most important of all, each of our versions will be different. A book forces ( that is too harsh a word ), or rather allows us to use our imagination to visualise the events referenced in the book, and sometimes even those aren't.

          I have read all of Sherlock Holmes, I am still to see a film on him. I have seen the Harry Potter film, am yet to read the books. And I know the difference. Holmes is still pure in my mind; his long nose and smoking pipe exactly the way i want it to be, not like the way some director wanted me to believe. Harry Potter?? No matter whatever I do now, the mere mention of the name brings forth the last seen movie poster featuring the three kids, who were selected to play the protagonists of the films. All the plots, events, charcters, sights, even emotions are etched out in great detail for all of us to gobble up. Instant gratification.

          Reading a book after watching its movie adaptation is more like trying to rotate your right arm clockwise while you were rotating your right leg anticlockwise. No matter how hard you try, your leg will follow your hand. Dont believe me? Try it out. With each turn of the page you wont be asking yourself what happens next for sure; more dishearteningly, you wont be making any effort from your side to visualise the scene yourself. The scene from the movie will in all probability come barging in, lights, props and all. And the scene will be played out again in your head as the director had wanted, not the author. I am almost certain that after you have read a particular para in the book, you 'll exclaim " Aah! Intermission!!"

          Admit it. Books are meant to be read. Not to be watched. If a million people read a book, there should be a million versions of it in their minds. We all know how Jack slowly descended into the ocean in that touching scene in Titanic. We all do. How Rose told the last words, how she took off his hand and released him... infact only too well. magine if all of us had only read a book "Titanic", and never seen the movie? I rest my case.

PS: It is not my intention to dissuade anybody from watching the movie "The DaVinci Code", nor is the Vatican paying me for trying to sound like that. It is solely my personal opinion in this matter. I would prefer that you watch the film adaptation only after reading the book in question. That way you can enjoy the experience of reading it atleast for once. Do let me know what you think.