Superman Returns

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Superman Returns ★★½ 2006 (PG-13)

Over-hyped and overlong return of the Man of Steel, last seen on the big screen in 1987's “Superman IV.” Christopher Reeve look-alike Routh fills out the spandex but lacks a certain superhero charm as Supes returns to Earth five years after the events of “Superman 2” (like everyone else, they pretend that “III” and “IV” never happened). Clark Kent heads back to the “Daily Planet” where he discovers that Lois (a shallow Bosworth) is on an anti-Superman rant and also has a son and a fiance. Lex Luthor (Spacey) wants to take over the world—again. Superman comes to the rescue—again. Singer plays the story straight and there's not a lot of gee-whiz joy to be found. 140m/ C DVD, Blu-ray Disc, HD DVD . US Brandon Routh, Kate (Catherine) Bosworth, Kevin Spacey, James Marsden, Eva Marie Saint, Parker Posey, Frank Langella, Sam Huntington, Kal Penn, Noel Neill, Jack Larson, Marlon Brando, Tristan Lake Leabu, David Fabrizio; D: Bryan Singer; W: Bryan Singer, Michael Dougherty, Daniel P. “Dan” Harris; C: Newton Thomas (Tom) Sigel; M: John Ottman.