DVD Review HTF REVIEW: Superman Returns - Two-Disc Special Edition (RECOMMENDED). (1 Viewer)

[Mike Frezon]

Jeff: There are already a couple of threads running in HD/Software Forum on the Blu-Ray and HD-DVD versions of Superman Returns.

 

[Tino]

Seems like no one here agrees with the review(video)?

Strange

 

[Ron Reda]

Chalk me up as another unsatisfied viewer. I watched the DVD last night and was very disappointed. I was expecting a clean transfer and colors that popped and got neither. At first, when I was watching the scene where Superman’s “comet” crashes, I was thinking that the dark interior shots were the cause of the compression artifacts (my Denon 2910 has been known to have issues with “crawlies” in dark scenes or dark backgrounds which I need to fix via a firmware update), but when I saw them throughout much of the film (even the daylight scenes), I realized it wasn’t the player. To me, the muted tones (especially the scenes in the Daily Planet) seemed intentional, but when the scenes outside of the DP looked just as bland, I started to wonder.

I’m just glad that I wasn’t the only one that experienced this because I was starting to worry.

P. S. I’m viewing on an ISF’d 56” Samsung 1080p DLP set via a Denon 2910 upscaled to 1080i HDMI from 10 feet back in a dark environment.

 

[Chris Atkins]

I saw SR four times in the theater--twice in IMAX--and never did the colors look muted to me.

The SD release just doesn't faithfully recreate the way the film looked in theaters.

 

[Grant H]

I wasn't a big fan of this film. Still, I'm disappointed to hear about the video quality. I'd have expected this to be reference quality on all formats. And it is puzzling that many say the HD versions are excellent, others not so much.

I hope they didn't deliberately leave room for improvement on the transfer, just so they'll have an additional selling point for the double-dip. That would be a page out of the 'ol Sony playbook. Sounds like on the DVD anyway the compression just isn't what it should be.

Whenever these releases are subpar I become angered at the volatile advertising campaigns. I've seen a lot of TV ads lately.

 

[Bryan Ri]

Saw it 5 times total in the theaters, and I can echo those sentiments for every viewing.

 

[Matthew Clayton]

I thought the video quality was good, although it surprisingly wasn't up to the WB's high standards. When the scenes are brightly lit, the picture looks stunning and just as good as SD can look (such as the scenes in the Daily Planet and Lois's "interview" with Lex on the yacht). However, when the scenes that are darkly/poorly lit (such as Lex's museum robbery), there's video noise and compression artifacts abound. (However, the scenes in Richard's seaplane are very clear and crisp.)

And detail is also iffy... in the theater I remember that I could make out the blue 'S' scales on Superman's suit very clearly, but on the DVD the details on Superman's suit in wider shots fluctuate wildly, and only when there's a closeup of Superman do you really see the fine detail on his suit (such as him flying away after listening to Richard and Lois's conversation). But overall, the colors hold up very well and the picture is perfectly fine for the most part, it just wasn't as good (or stunning) as I hoped it'd be. Perhaps the picture was slightly softened to try and emulate Geoffrey Unsworth's work on the 1978 Christopher Reeve work? I'm not sure about that...

Perhaps Warner sourced the transfer from a film negative and not a direct-digital transfer from the HD tapes it was shot on.

 

[Jose Robles]

Ok, thank goodness I'm not the only one complaining about the video quality. To me, I think the video looks kind of muted and dark and for a while I thought it was my LCD's HDMI interface that had somehow screwed up. I even ran DVE last night just to calibrate it a bit but it seemed to make no difference. Having watched it once in the theatres, I too expected to see vibrant colours throughout the movie. Sadly, this is the case. Kinda disappointed...

Jose

 

[Chris Atkins]

Happily, the picture quality seems to improve a little bit later in the movie (mind you, all I've done so far is chapter skip around to my favorite scenes).

But the most atrocious looking part is the scene between Clark and his mom inside her house. The entire scene looks very yellow and is not AT ALL what I remember the scene looking like in the theater.

 

[Mark65]

When i saw this movie in the theater i was rather disappointed with it, so i thought i would give it another try on DvD and sorry to say iam still disappointed. The story, the color of the suit, some of the actors and the editing choices miss the mark. In my opinion Mr.Singer just did not get Superman right, its just to dark and depressing(cryed like a baby at the end). I watched both discs last night and I also think there is room for improvement with regards to the picture quality. The documentary should have been more comprehensive, as it stops at the end of principle photography(i thought i hit play-all, but i had to double check). Would have been interesting to hear some thoughts on the editing choices they made etc. I hope Mr.Singer makes some casting changes and hires some new writers for the second film.

 

[Chris Atkins]

Mark:

If you cried like a baby at the end, then it must have hooked you emotionally. I like movies that do that, personally.

 

[Mark65]

Chris, it sure did and normally i like movies that do that to but iam not sure i like it in a Superman film. I mean i know its just a movie but, i felt very badly for Superman. He can't be with with lois, his child is being raised buy another man and can't be part of his life(or very little). Superman seems very isolated and alone. At least thats how i felt at the end of the film. The film certainly was not all bad and i think Brandon Routh was a very good choice. Here's hoping the next film is more uplifting and successful.

 

[Chris Atkins]

Mark:

I see what you mean...but the end clearly shows us that Superman is going to be involved in the life of his son, and that in this relationship he will begin to reconnect with his human family.

On the other hand, the film showed us the consequences of trying to straddle two worlds: you end up not spending enough time in either one. I can connect with that.

 

[Mark65]

Chris,

What did you think of the movie? It seems most people either like it or hate it. I seem to be somewhere in the middle to not liking it. Btw, sorry if you have already made comments about the film in another post.

 

[Sam Davatchi]

If that happened, it means it worked for you and you liked it. If a movie doesn't work for you, you don't care about the characters! You only cry when it works!

 

[Chris Atkins]

Mark:

Click my 2006 film link in my signature...then you'll learn what I thought about the film.

 

[Jerome Grate]

Maybe I'll get the single disc version cheap at CC. It's weird to see varying reviews on video. I saw a little bit of it at JR on a LCD and it looked pretty good to me but, that was all of 5 to 7 minutes.

 

[DeathStar1]

Love your sig, BTW .

I just hate studios that double dip. Especially now that the next gen DVD's are out. are they going to makes us rebuy the DVD again, then twice more on HDDVD and Blue Ray for more footage?

So, the Return to Krypton scene ain't on this Ultimate Set 12disc extraviganza, huh? Bummer. I must say though, that I enjoyed this movie a whole lot more the second time around, especially the casting of Bosworth. She's starting to grow on me with a second viewing.

 

[John Geelan]

Watched the movie tonight on a SXRD via a Denon 3910 (ISF calibrated) and the DVD is very noisy. Not sure if I can blame the SXRD, the 3910 or the transfer.

You notice the video noise in the dark scenes. Other than that many scenes look good and the movie is well done.

We enjoyed the film. A nice return for Superman.

 

[Jerome Grate]

My verdict:
Great film, especially the surprise (well for me anyway)
Sound, let's just say, the bass on this movie is great.
Video, much to be desired. Towards the end the video appears to get a little better, but I've noticed some video noise and on a blue background with Lois, I thought I saw some artifacting. Brief, but enough for me to notice. Watched on a Sony KP51WS520, Zenith DVB 318 scaled to 1080i via component.