Superman Returns home on DVD after a theatrical release that received critical praise as a great rebirth of the Superman saga for the 21st century, though quite mysteriously the film ended up a mild mannered box office disappointment for Warner Brothers.  Fans can read our full theatrical review for a more complete analysis of the movie, but Daily Edge believes that Superman Returns remains as fresh and enjoyable in its home video release as it was playing in cineplexes this summer.

      Viewers will quickly notice the DVD version flies high technically with a crisp digital image transfer boasting rich but controlled colors, deep blacks and no discernible video distortion.  A dynamic but well-balanced Dolby 5.1 audio soundtrack adds dramatic punch to the excellent sound design and John Ottman's stirring film score.

      A simple but functional video clip DVD menu shows a main character montage over a Metropolis rooftop design. Full scene selection choices are available, along with English and French audio tracks plus English, French and Spanish subtitles.  After that nothing remains but to enjoy this sweeping superhero tale which creatively reinvents and reinvigorates Superman's myth and magic for a new generation.

      Disc 11 of the Ultimate Collector's Edition box set offers the Superman Returns Archives, a bountiful DVD jam-packed with bonus material on the making and promotion of the film.  Those less-devoted fans opting not to purchase the Ultimate collection should definitely consider buying the 2-disc Special Edition DVD of the film to enjoy the hours of entertaining and informative documentaries and features on this bonus disc, beginning with:

REQUIEM FOR KRYPTON: MAKING SUPERMAN RETURNS

    Clocking in at almost three hours, this making-of documentary amounts to a second feature-length film about the creation of Superman Returns which gives viewers a front row seat from Bryan Singer's earliest ideas through the last shot of principal photography in Australia.

    Requiem for Krypton divides into five segments mirroring the planning and production of the movie, the first being 'Secret Origins and First Issues: Crystallizing Superman.'   On vacation in Hawaii in 2004, director Bryan Singer videotapes his first concept pitch to co-writers Michael Dougherty and Dan Harris, envisioning how he would return Superman to the big screen.  Eventually Singer pitched his story to Richard Donner (director of the 1978 Superman which these filmmakers used as their cinematic bible on the filmed legend) and producer Jon Peters who had tried and failed to relaunch Superman theatrically for years.  Both Super-veterans immediately liked Singer's take on both the character and the updated story line, and he soon got the nod from Warners to make his film.

    The remainder of this first segment offers plenty of pre-production design and storyboard sessions as Singer and the writers shape their tale of Kal-El.  This near half-hour concludes with the original casting and screen test video of actor Brandon Routh, unaware as he performs that Singer has secretly already picked him for the dual role of Clark Kent/Superman.  It's a fun look back at Routh's earliest moments deciphering Singer's vision for the son of Krypton, and informative how well Routh understood the character long before he ever stepped into the suit and cape.

    Part Two, 'The Crystal Method: Designing Superman' takes viewers on a 34-minute, in-depth journey into the array of design duties spanning Superman Returns.  Costumers and makeup artisans create Superman's distinctive and well-known look with astonishing attention to detail — note how Singer picks out the S-pattern in the fabric of Kal-El's red boots, a minute flair which never registers on screen but completes Singer's world.  Video clips illustrate the process used by stunt directors and wire riggers to make Superman fly in ways never before seen in the film series, including taking inspiration from Brandon Routh's own swimming ability.  Additional revelations include scenic painting of the Daily Planet building and rigging the Boeing 777 jetliner cabin for a turbulent stage performance.  Lastly fans can watch Routh's physical progress growing into the role and body type of Superman through a year of strength training and conditioning to fill his blue tights accordingly.

    This is followed by a hefty hour-long segment 'Shooting Superman' which itself is divided into three chapters corresponding with three phases of principal photography. Chapter one opens in March 2005 as the production team travels to Tamworth, Australia where the Kent Farm stands amid a newly-planted corn field to host Kal-El's return to Earth and the flashback sequence of young Clark's first superhuman awareness. Brandon Routh films his first scenes for the film along with actress Eva Marie Saint as Martha Kent, welcoming her spacefaring son home after his five year absence.

    The second chapter, 'Superman in the City' visits the Australian location Metropolis to film exterior and crowd scenes at the hospital and the Daily Planet building, culminating in the rooftop reunion/confrontation scene between Superman and Lois Lane.  The final chapter of Part Three, 'Superman in Peril' logs the extensive water action and stunt sequences as Superman rescues Lois, Richard and Jason from the wreckage of Lex Luthor's cruiser.  The continually drenched actors display good humor as they goof off for the documentary camera between takes.

    Part Four of Requiem for Krypton marks Kevin Spacey's arrival in Australia to begin his principal photography as the villainous Lex Luthor.  Typical of Spacey's humor and comfort working with Bryan Singer, the actor speeds around the studio lot in his anti-Superman golf cart, dragging a tiny Kal-El doll on the ground in his wake.  Wacky stuff.   Spacey films his side of the story with fellow evildoer Parker Posey, threatening Lois and her son, before the violent battle between Lex and Superman occurs on the New Krypton set.