It’s only been in theaters for a few hours, and the complaining has already started. “Why is everyone fooled by Clark’s disguise, he’s only wearing glasses?” “Why do they have him get hurt by Kryptonite? That doesn’t make sense!” “Why doesn’t anyone question that Clark and Superman return at the same time?” “Why isn’t Superman more realistic like Batman?”
Someone on our message board this morning actually complained that the movie didn’t start with the premise that all the previous movies were garbage, scrap the entire concept, and then create a new idea from scratch.
If you didn’t want to see a Superman movie, why did you buy a ticket?
Some people will never like Superman no matter how good his movie is. Superman represents a kind of idealism that most have in the past twenty years or so thrown by the wayside. He represents the best in mankind, the standard we’re supposed to achieve to. We’ve become so bitter and jaded as a people, that we no longer have room in our hearts for those sorts of idealistic heroes. Instead we’re obsessed with anti-heroes. When someone asks why Superman Returns isn’t more realistic what they’re really saying, whether they know it or not, is “why can’t he be more like me” or “why does he have to be so much better than I am?”
We’re no longer interested in achievers. Our idols are flawed, and in many cases failures. Our baseball players take drugs, our basketball stars rape women. William Hung has made a fortune out of humiliating himself so others can laugh at him. We choose a president who cheats on his wife with unattractive women, and then another with an IQ of 89 and a problem with word pronunciation. Superman stands above any of that. He’s not Batman battling dark demons. He’s not Spider-Man struggling to manage a hectic lifestyle. Superman has no flaws, and that makes us uncomfortable.
Superman Returns is a movie about a guy flying and shooting laser beams out of his eyes. If you show up to the movie expecting realism, maybe you should skip down a theater or two to the latest independent film about teenage drug use. When you complain that the movie isn’t realistic, you’re really complaining that Superman is better than you. We no longer struggle to bring ourselves up to Superman’s level, instead we want to bring him down to ours. The flaw is not with Superman, but with ourselves.
Superman’s heroism may not be realistic, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t something we should aspire to. Right now that kind of heroic measuring stick, at least in American pop culture, is dead. Superman Returns will try to resurrect it this weekend. Will you reject it, or embrace it?
Comment on “Editorial: Why America Hates Superman”
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Josh, my hat goes off to you guy for calling it and nailing it on the head! I'm the webmaster/editor of the www.defenderofgotham.net website and a long time Batman fan. I feel you're absolutely right people find it easier to have under-achieve instead of striving for the good and "what may be" or "could be" it's so much easier to idolize flawed characters.
I for one am glad there are characters like Superman, we need to have vision on what we may all one day achieve even if it's not reality it's a good thing to believe in "Truth, Justice and the American way!" After all being an american is not a bad thing.
I think you have a great point here Josh. I for one was pretty surprised when I heard they were going to do a new Superman movie (even though they had been talking about it for ages). Superman just doesn't seem like a hero that represents the day and age we currently live in. He was perfect for the 80's, but ever since the 90's, comics and movies have been all about the anti-hero. Batman, The Punisher, Wolverine... the list goes on. I won't be surprised if this movie underperforms at the box office, regardless of how well made it is.
I am an avid fan of the Superman movies, for me Christopher Reeve was phenomenal and will always hold a special place in my heart. However I was extremley excited to hear that they were developing a new movie and as soon as it hit the cinemas I was there wearing my Superman top and my red boots!! I thought the movie was great, had references to the first films and was pleasently surprised by the choice of unknown actor Brandon Routh.
I am a person who builds their life to aspire to being a real life Superman!! I hold truth, justice, loyalty very close to my heart and because I believe in a better world a better place for all mankind I will not stop spreading the word that We all have it inside ourselves to be super. People that prefer these anti-heroes that is their choice but for me the one and only ever super hero is Superman, he is the character we all need to understand for this world of people to be able to move on and be happy. Superman stood for so many things and worked hard and acheived things alone he is an ideal role model for the waywood children of today. Thank you for reading. Have a nice day. Hayley Witham UK
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It’s only been in theaters for a few hours, and the complaining has already started. “Why is everyone fooled by Clark’s disguise, he’s only wearing glasses?” “Why do they have him get hurt by Kryptonite? That doesn’t make sense!” “Why doesn’t anyone question that Clark and Superman return at the same time?” “Why isn’t Superman more realistic like Batman?”
June 28th, 2006 at 18:48
Josh, my hat goes off to you guy for calling it and nailing it on the head! I'm the webmaster/editor of the www.defenderofgotham.net website and a long time Batman fan. I feel you're absolutely right people find it easier to have under-achieve instead of striving for the good and "what may be" or "could be" it's so much easier to idolize flawed characters.
I for one am glad there are characters like Superman, we need to have vision on what we may all one day achieve even if it's not reality it's a good thing to believe in "Truth, Justice and the American way!" After all being an american is not a bad thing.