Yourself?

Superman Spoily!

If you plan on watching Superman the movie, stop reading now.

Well I caught Superman the other day, and from the first note of the beautiful orchestral score, I just fell in love with the music. When was the last time you heard such cheesy music played so gloriously? I don't mean it in a bad way, like I hate the Superman theme, more like.. OMG it's the 21st century and there are no special effects here? Just orchestral music?

It wasn't a good movie plotwise. The antagonist seemed to have an unlimited supply of those island forming crystals. And they couldn't decide if an island forms because the crystal comes into contact with water, because the crystal comes into contact with kryptonite and water, or the crystal must be thrown by the human hand into water. Cos the entire package of crystals on board the ship sank, and I was wondering why new islands didn't sprout in their place. And the girl was throwing 6 crystals into the water near the end, and there wasn't this huge explosion. I don't get it. Why does the reaction sometimes work?

I love Superman. I love it when he goes on those joyrides, when he romances women and brings them to heights they've never been. When he basks in the glow of the sun, or thinks in space about the wretched world below him. When he becomes the persona of the perfect gentleman.

But he's wretched too, he can never step out of his gentlemanliness quite far enough as Superman to bag the girl of his dreams. Superman Steals Lois! I bet that's what the papers would write. Yet as Clark Kent, he constantly gets a hard time from Lois, and a steady dose of reality.

Why is it okay to watch your love interest through elevators and the privacy of their own homes or eavesdrop on their conversations as Superman? Cos when he does that, he isn't really the perfect gentleman isn't he.

I think Superman bears the weight of the world on his supershoulders. In order to effectively fight crime, he has to be larger than himself. He has to instill fear in criminals. But Superman as a person is dysfunctional being larger than himself. He can't fufill his needs as a person in the form of Clark Kent, and he can't or doesn't want to use his secret identity as Superman to win Lois. How does Clark win? Because he obviously knows how, from his experience as Superman. But in the end, he is fighting against himself. The superidentity he is, vs the weakling identity he created.

Should he get married to Lois as Superman? Should he pursue her as Superman? Should he marry her as Superman? Superman isn't like Richard. Superman can't be there all the time. Everytime he soars, he hears humanity calling out to him for help. Everytime he looks at Lois, he hears his own humanity calling out for help. He can't be both Superman and married. He can't be there for everyone. And when he's gone, everyone hates him for leaving. He simply can't win. Would Lois be happier with Superman? Yes! But would Lois be happier in general? No. Because although Lois is with the love of her life, Superman might not be there all the time.

What's the point of getting married to someone who's never there?

posted by Downhere. @ 8:01 am