How often does a superhero truly get tested in their movie? How often do you genuinely think they might lose the fight? Not all that often, especially since most of them have unlimited resources and/or godlike powers. Superman Returns, though, does a very good job of putting its protagonist through the wringer. Throughout the film, Supermans physical limits are tested. He takes the weight of a plane at one stage, and gets shot at point blank range right in the eye at another. But the true test of his mettle as a hero comes in the third act, when Lex Luthor whips out the Kryptonite, effectively de-powers Superman, stabs him and leaves him to drown in the ocean. Fair play to Singer for making sure that Superman didnt get off lightly. He might be one of the most powerful beings in the DC Comics universe, but he does have his exploitable weaknesses. Its important to make it tough for him for a few of reasons: it supports the Christ metaphor of suffering and rising again, it makes the film much more entertaining, and the makes Superman way more relatable. Again, Man Of Steel didnt manage this quite as well. Zack Snyder just pitted Henry Cavills Supes against an equally powerful enemy and let them duke it out for half an hour. Singer, though, gave Routh an intimate and almost fatal beating that pushed Superman right to his limits.
