Mainline
05-19-2009, 04:59 PM
The Superman myth is rich with morals, messages, and subtexts which make great film fodder- which all the successful superhero films have used (some having them heavy handedly force fed to audiences by the wise elders- Xavier, Aunt May, Alfred, Gordon, etc.- or significant others). A good subtext, like the X-Men's classic one with respect to minorities, can really enhance the accessibility and credibility of a storyline.
Returns had, perhaps, too many messages going on. Some which have expressly mentioned by the creators or found by critics include [not exhaustive, of course]:
Coming Home / Meeting the Ex-SO / World's moved on - Coming home from college, etc.
Christ Analogy - If not for a divine being we wouldn't be condemned [to hell or Luthor's new kryptonian-driven continent], but the son saves us all.
A World without Superman - Relevance, finding your role/calling.
With Great Power - Affirmative duty to use gifts despite costs.
Same-Sex Parenthood dilemma - The inability to biologically sire offspring, "fixed" by having a child without having to be around for the messy pregnancy and birth... Superman has a son- family- but still at arms length with Lois.
Alienation / Roots / Adoption / Immigration / Assimilation -The Donner original was more starkly a choice between the two, Returns sort of has Kal-El making the opposite choice which turns out to be the "wrong" one (or at least a dead end).
Destiny / Cycles / Prophecy - Cycle of life, fatherhood, doomed or blessed to repeat the history of our fathers.
Alternative Families - The struggle of non-traditional, nuclear married families.
Humanity / Godhood / Omnipotence - With great power... humanity still exists.
There's countless others in the books themselves- paternalism, no kill policy, inspiring humanity, masks/lies/identity, Truth/Justice/American-Way, teamwork, etc.- What moral framework or message would you like to see in the Returns sequel/reboot? This isn't necessarily to the exclusion of other morals, just a central theme you'd like to see.
Returns had, perhaps, too many messages going on. Some which have expressly mentioned by the creators or found by critics include [not exhaustive, of course]:
Coming Home / Meeting the Ex-SO / World's moved on - Coming home from college, etc.
Christ Analogy - If not for a divine being we wouldn't be condemned [to hell or Luthor's new kryptonian-driven continent], but the son saves us all.
A World without Superman - Relevance, finding your role/calling.
With Great Power - Affirmative duty to use gifts despite costs.
Same-Sex Parenthood dilemma - The inability to biologically sire offspring, "fixed" by having a child without having to be around for the messy pregnancy and birth... Superman has a son- family- but still at arms length with Lois.
Alienation / Roots / Adoption / Immigration / Assimilation -The Donner original was more starkly a choice between the two, Returns sort of has Kal-El making the opposite choice which turns out to be the "wrong" one (or at least a dead end).
Destiny / Cycles / Prophecy - Cycle of life, fatherhood, doomed or blessed to repeat the history of our fathers.
Alternative Families - The struggle of non-traditional, nuclear married families.
Humanity / Godhood / Omnipotence - With great power... humanity still exists.
There's countless others in the books themselves- paternalism, no kill policy, inspiring humanity, masks/lies/identity, Truth/Justice/American-Way, teamwork, etc.- What moral framework or message would you like to see in the Returns sequel/reboot? This isn't necessarily to the exclusion of other morals, just a central theme you'd like to see.