The Man of Steel is back. In a grand fashion, to boot.

To say that I loved the movie, is an understatement. But let me try to count the ways:

1. Brandon Routh as Superman = PERFECT

I certainly don't want to sound irreverent. Christopher Reeve is a Hollywood icon, and my childhood memories will always include him as THE Superman.

Routh may never surpass the status that Reeve as Superman achieved. But Routh, whose uncanny resemblance to the original movie-version superhero can't be missed, successfully breathed life into the comic book character that so many of us love.

He looks the part. And good acting for a newcomer. See, even if we all know that Clark Kent is Superman, Routh is able to convince us why the make-believe world of Metropolis (not even Lois, who's close to both characters) don't have a clue. (It must be that single curl, I think it hypnotizes people and prevents them from seeing the obvious.)

2. Pointing out another obvious, Brandon Routh is uber gorgeous. He just brings out all the school girls in us. Every time he appears on screen, I got tempted to either scream like a teenager or do a Parker Posey (rather, Kitty) on him. "Do you wanna have coffee sometime?"... Hahaha.. Sobrang kilig.

3. Kevin Spacey as Lex Luthor. "K-k-rrrrrrrryp-tonite!" I fell in love with Spacey in The Usual Suspects (which I just found out, is a Singer film as well - why am I not suprised? :)). He is a great actor. 'Nuff said.

4. Great effects. Didn't need to watch it in an Imax theatre to feel the scenes. Astig! But, after all the queue is gone, I will watch Superman Returns again in Mall of Asia's 3D Imax. That will be fun!

5. Loved the story. This is the movie version of TV's Smallville, where Superman is painted as very human, inspite of his superpowers and greatness. He is not immune to love or pain.

One of my favorite scenes in the movie was brief but it spoke a lot. That was when he flew out to space, kept still, closed his eyes and listened to the rest of the world crying out for someone to save them, as if to drown his own pain with their cries for help. After spying on the love of his life and her family, he realized that Lois can never have that life with him. The longing he felt for something unattainable was so palpable, it makes you want to reach out to him and comfort him. It was in his pain and solitude that he finally embraced his destiny as mankind's saviour, after years of searching for his place in the universe.

Another favorite scene would be the one where Superman and Lois were first alone together. Just when Lois was about to let go of Superman, there were so many words that were left unsaid. Instead they just looked at each other intently. They love each other and they know it, but they just cannot be together.

Yeah, tragic love stories just get to me. Sigh.

6. I loved that this movie pays tribute to the original Superman movie, and of course, Reeve. Using the original score almost tricked us into thinking that it was only 5 years ago since Superman disappeared from the big screen, instead of the almost 20 years that it really is.

They even used the original Jor-el clip. Now we all remember how the young Marlon Brando looked like.

7. Like other superhero movies, Superman Returns remind us again how lucky we are to be human. We don't have to take the weight of the world's burdens on our shoulders. We don't have to wear silly costumes in order to fulfill our destiny. We don't need invisible geeky alter egos. Best of all, we are free to love and be with the people we love. Unless of course you are me (then you'd fall for people who were bound to leave eventually). Harhar.

8. The movie reminds us that being different is not a cause for confusion or shame. Or that even superheroes cry, so we shouldn't be afraid to be vulnerable.

9. It was cool that they mentioned Manila in the scene where the television showed Superman news flash reports from all over the world.

10. Superman is prolly everyone's favorite hero. And this new movie makes you love Superman all the more.

When I saw Clark first rip open his shirt to reveal his Superman costume inside, I was as excited as a girl on her first date. The first time he appeared in the movie in all his superhero glory, saving the world (or Lois) yet again, I clapped my hands. Seriously. Hehe.

So yeah. Superman returns. Indeed.

* Photos courtesy of the movie's official website :)