Superman and Lois is so underrated. The stigma around the CW DC shows is well earned, but it really doesn’t deserve to be grouped in with them. In fact it made a point of distancing itself from them by explicitly stating it’s not part of the Arrowverse.
There’s a lot going on in that show really doesn’t get the credit it deserves. Particularly watching Clark Kent be a father is aces.
Nah, Brandon Routhe was fine, it’s just his Superman is written incredibly passive, and he was more or less being told "You’re Christopher Reeves Superman so…do that. We’re not going to give you any material that comes close to what Chris got to work with, but, ya know, still do it. "
It’s just such a bizarrely written movie in the first place, I have trouble blaming anyone in it for their performances. Well… except for that one guy we don’t talk about anymore.
but yeah, he plays Kent and Superman exactly the same.
Well it was a more serious movie, for a more serious time, than the original Superman movie, so to expect that kind of goofy Clark Kent type of acting wouldn’t be realistic.
Any distinction would help. Flip it around if you like, especially for this: Clark Kent has a vicious wit. He’s a nightmare to interview with, because he can cut through bullshit in a nanosecond, with questions that make liars look like fools. People being honest and cooperative have a better time, but he can still judo them into clarity where they would desperately prefer deniable ambiguity. He could make St. Peter sweat. And the CIA intends to arrange that meeting.
Nobody believes this Clark is Superman because Superman is nice.
Compare the inspiration for All-Star Superman. Grant Morrison saw a cosplayer utterly at ease and realized invincibility means never having to flinch. When he squares his shoulders and stands tall, it’s only to remind people, he is an unstoppable force and an immovable object. There’s no reason to posture like that when he’s getting cats out of trees or whatever. In the absence of violence, he interacts with people the way adults interact with friendly toddlers, all easy smiles and gentle encouragement. We’re doing great! Watch your head on the table.
The best part of this twist would be Lex Luthor. He’s the only psychopath clever enough to play at Clark Kent’s level. And he has enough money and foresight that his cover-ups… work. So every time they interact, it’s some Death Note shit, with layers of performance and I-know-you-know, all going unstated. His rivalry with Superman is relaxed. Flying paragon in brightly-colored spandex? A threat to his criminal empire, sure, but one that’s a lot simpler to plan for. He can even gloat in that beady-eyed alien’s face. Every victory over Clark thorn-in-his-side Kent has to be supremely private.
If there’s a repeat of that time Clark and Lex are held hostage together “until Superman shows up,” that might be the only time he gets to be honest with the nosy bastard. They’re truly alone together in some empty bank vault, watching a time bomb tick down, and Clark asks: ‘So how did you hide those tanker shipments?’ Lex lets the mask drop, and tells him, ‘There weren’t any. They never existed. The smuggled material came in as shirt buttons.’ Lex becomes the only living human to hear someone swear in Kryptonian.
That was Henry Cavill being called back for reshoots after principal photography had already wrapped months before. By that point he was already working on another role, and the mustache was part of it. He made a perfectly understandable decision to say “I’ll do reshoots and help you fix this dumpster fire you made, but I’m still committed to this other role, so fix the stache in post”.
No, he couldn’t. He was reshooting those scenes after he’d already started production on another movie. One in which his character had a mustache. That was absolutely not on him, it was on the directors for not being competent enough to make a decent movie the first time around.
Seeing Christopher Reeve as Clark Kent reminds me how good he was and how I miss him.
I love Cavill but sorry he failed his acting of CK. With or without the costume he plays as Superman.
Best superman line I’ve seen is from the CW version.
“Hey! Nice suit!”
“Thanks, my mom made it for me!”
Superman and Lois is so underrated. The stigma around the CW DC shows is well earned, but it really doesn’t deserve to be grouped in with them. In fact it made a point of distancing itself from them by explicitly stating it’s not part of the Arrowverse.
There’s a lot going on in that show really doesn’t get the credit it deserves. Particularly watching Clark Kent be a father is aces.
I still lament the loss of the Dragonriders of Pern series that they were going to do but f’d up.
This scene always comes to mind when I think of Reeve’s performance: https://youtube.com/watch?v=tNUu6Lf9mVU
For me its the “General, care to step outside?” scene (and Zod’s reply line).
That, any scene with his unique smile.
Still better than Brandon Routhe. Sorry Brandon, I’m sure you’re a nice guy, but your Superman sucked
Nah, Brandon Routhe was fine, it’s just his Superman is written incredibly passive, and he was more or less being told "You’re Christopher Reeves Superman so…do that. We’re not going to give you any material that comes close to what Chris got to work with, but, ya know, still do it. "
It’s just such a bizarrely written movie in the first place, I have trouble blaming anyone in it for their performances. Well… except for that one guy we don’t talk about anymore.
That’s a really good point. I didn’t notice until you said it, but yeah, he plays Kent and Superman exactly the same.
Well it was a more serious movie, for a more serious time, than the original Superman movie, so to expect that kind of goofy Clark Kent type of acting wouldn’t be realistic.
Yeah goofy Clark Kent has not been a thing for a while in Superman media, anyone expecting that in a modern movie is showing their age a bit.
Well to be fair, I’m that age as well. I actually saw that movie in the theater.
But yes, it’s not for modern audiences, they have different tastes now.
I don’t see the issue with him playing both characters the same. That’s as valid an interpretation as any, and much more in line with modern Superman.
The idea of Clark as a bumbling mild-mannered reporter as part of his disguise is very dated.
Eh, Christopher Reeves switching between demeanors as Superman and Clark Kent is timeless.
Any distinction would help. Flip it around if you like, especially for this: Clark Kent has a vicious wit. He’s a nightmare to interview with, because he can cut through bullshit in a nanosecond, with questions that make liars look like fools. People being honest and cooperative have a better time, but he can still judo them into clarity where they would desperately prefer deniable ambiguity. He could make St. Peter sweat. And the CIA intends to arrange that meeting.
Nobody believes this Clark is Superman because Superman is nice.
Compare the inspiration for All-Star Superman. Grant Morrison saw a cosplayer utterly at ease and realized invincibility means never having to flinch. When he squares his shoulders and stands tall, it’s only to remind people, he is an unstoppable force and an immovable object. There’s no reason to posture like that when he’s getting cats out of trees or whatever. In the absence of violence, he interacts with people the way adults interact with friendly toddlers, all easy smiles and gentle encouragement. We’re doing great! Watch your head on the table.
The best part of this twist would be Lex Luthor. He’s the only psychopath clever enough to play at Clark Kent’s level. And he has enough money and foresight that his cover-ups… work. So every time they interact, it’s some Death Note shit, with layers of performance and I-know-you-know, all going unstated. His rivalry with Superman is relaxed. Flying paragon in brightly-colored spandex? A threat to his criminal empire, sure, but one that’s a lot simpler to plan for. He can even gloat in that beady-eyed alien’s face. Every victory over Clark thorn-in-his-side Kent has to be supremely private.
If there’s a repeat of that time Clark and Lex are held hostage together “until Superman shows up,” that might be the only time he gets to be honest with the nosy bastard. They’re truly alone together in some empty bank vault, watching a time bomb tick down, and Clark asks: ‘So how did you hide those tanker shipments?’ Lex lets the mask drop, and tells him, ‘There weren’t any. They never existed. The smuggled material came in as shirt buttons.’ Lex becomes the only living human to hear someone swear in Kryptonian.
How did he fail? Honestly asking.
The stache
Thought that was post-editing shenanigans?
That was Henry Cavill being called back for reshoots after principal photography had already wrapped months before. By that point he was already working on another role, and the mustache was part of it. He made a perfectly understandable decision to say “I’ll do reshoots and help you fix this dumpster fire you made, but I’m still committed to this other role, so fix the stache in post”.
Yeah kinda but the guy could have still just shaved it
No, he couldn’t. He was reshooting those scenes after he’d already started production on another movie. One in which his character had a mustache. That was absolutely not on him, it was on the directors for not being competent enough to make a decent movie the first time around.