http://www.moviereviewblog.net/2006/08/22/superman-returns-by-bryan-singer/ itsvery Movie Review - independent film reviews Fri, 29 Aug 2008 20:38:10 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.1 http://www.moviereviewblog.net/2006/08/22/superman-returns-by-bryan-singer/#comment-3542 Wed, 28 Feb 2007 00:07:50 +0000 http://www.moviereviewblog.net/2006/08/22/superman-returns-by-bryan-singer/#comment-3542 [...] Brought to the screen by Mark Steven Johnson, the man who already slaughtered DAREDEVIL, Ghost Rider is another Marvel comic film that reeks of a cheap cash-in. As comic-adaptations go, there is an A-League (Superman Returns, Batman Begins, Spider-Man), a B-League (X-Men, X2, Fantastic Four or Hellboy), and there is a C-League, reserved for the likes of Daredevil, Catwoman, or Batman and Robin. Sadly, Ghost Rider is clearly C-League. Reportedly, the production cost of Ghost Rider was $ 110 million. It looks like most of the money was spent for Nicolas Cage’s and Eva Mendes’ salary, and the rest for creating clunky CGI (Ghost Rider moves like he’s bored stiff by the lame action. The flaming skull is decent for a B-movie but far from spectacular). No budget seems to have been wasted for a decent script or good supporting actors. The supposedly powerful Nephilim are dispatched as easily as the next bagsnatcher on the street, Blackheart’s most threatening assets are pale skin and red eyes, and suspense only arises when the trailer for SPIDER-MAN 3 is shown before the main feature. Not only the villains are crappy, it’s also hard to care for the heros when Mark Steven Johnson’s idea of communicating the feelings between Johnny and Roxanne is letting them stand below a tree surrounded by blossoming flowers in an otherwise desolate CGI-landscape … not only once, but twice! [...] […] Brought to the screen by Mark Steven Johnson, the man who already slaughtered DAREDEVIL, Ghost Rider is another Marvel comic film that reeks of a cheap cash-in. As comic-adaptations go, there is an A-League (Superman Returns, Batman Begins, Spider-Man), a B-League (X-Men, X2, Fantastic Four or Hellboy), and there is a C-League, reserved for the likes of Daredevil, Catwoman, or Batman and Robin. Sadly, Ghost Rider is clearly C-League. Reportedly, the production cost of Ghost Rider was $ 110 million. It looks like most of the money was spent for Nicolas Cage’s and Eva Mendes’ salary, and the rest for creating clunky CGI (Ghost Rider moves like he’s bored stiff by the lame action. The flaming skull is decent for a B-movie but far from spectacular). No budget seems to have been wasted for a decent script or good supporting actors. The supposedly powerful Nephilim are dispatched as easily as the next bagsnatcher on the street, Blackheart’s most threatening assets are pale skin and red eyes, and suspense only arises when the trailer for SPIDER-MAN 3 is shown before the main feature. Not only the villains are crappy, it’s also hard to care for the heros when Mark Steven Johnson’s idea of communicating the feelings between Johnny and Roxanne is letting them stand below a tree surrounded by blossoming flowers in an otherwise desolate CGI-landscape … not only once, but twice! […]

]]> http://www.moviereviewblog.net/2006/08/22/superman-returns-by-bryan-singer/#comment-384 Fri, 27 Oct 2006 03:58:36 +0000 http://www.moviereviewblog.net/2006/08/22/superman-returns-by-bryan-singer/#comment-384 [...] When New Yorker everyman Matt Saunders (Luke Wilson) picks up wallflower Jenny Johnson (Uma Thurman) he has no idea that she is really female superhero G-Girl. After she reveals her secret identity to him, she makes him swear an oath: “I’d rather have a chainsaw shoved up my ass than tell.” But Matt not only leaves Jenny after finally realizing he really loves co-worker Hannah (Anna Faris), he also can’t resist to tell his best friend Vaughn (Rainn Wilson) that he had sex with G-Girl. The already emotionally unstable Super-Ex Girlfriend is furious about being dumped and about Matt giving away her secret, and she promises to make him suffer. And G-Girl does what Superman would never do - she uses her superhuman powers to take horrible revenge. Professor Badlam (Eddie Izzard), G-Girls archfiend, offers his help - he has found a way to rob G-Girl of her powers, and he needs Matt to lure her into a trap. After G-Girl has thrown a shark into his apartment, put his car into orbit and disgraced him at work, it looks like a good idea for Matt to help take her powers away from her, at least after Professor Badlam promises to retire from his criminal activities as soon as G-Girl lost her superpowers. [...] […] When New Yorker everyman Matt Saunders (Luke Wilson) picks up wallflower Jenny Johnson (Uma Thurman) he has no idea that she is really female superhero G-Girl. After she reveals her secret identity to him, she makes him swear an oath: “I’d rather have a chainsaw shoved up my ass than tell.” But Matt not only leaves Jenny after finally realizing he really loves co-worker Hannah (Anna Faris), he also can’t resist to tell his best friend Vaughn (Rainn Wilson) that he had sex with G-Girl. The already emotionally unstable Super-Ex Girlfriend is furious about being dumped and about Matt giving away her secret, and she promises to make him suffer. And G-Girl does what Superman would never do - she uses her superhuman powers to take horrible revenge. Professor Badlam (Eddie Izzard), G-Girls archfiend, offers his help - he has found a way to rob G-Girl of her powers, and he needs Matt to lure her into a trap. After G-Girl has thrown a shark into his apartment, put his car into orbit and disgraced him at work, it looks like a good idea for Matt to help take her powers away from her, at least after Professor Badlam promises to retire from his criminal activities as soon as G-Girl lost her superpowers. […]

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