Superman Returns (2006)
Related: Man of Steel (2013)
A man who dons his underwear over an immodest skin-tight costume is blasphemously presented as earth's savior in a movie that takes God's holy name in vain at least 9 times and normalizes profanity (at least 7 instances), deceit, sexual immorality, idolatry, and defiance against God. For this reason, the movie should be avoided. Since its heroes practice sin, this movie conditions viewers to substitute evil for good and good for evil (Isa. 5:20) by praising evildoers who ought to be despised (Ps. 15:4; Pro. 28:4).
After having been gone for years, upon his return Superman learns that Lois has moved on and gotten engaged to another man named Richard, with whom she apparently had a son out of wedlock (while it is later revealed that Superman is the father, at the time he is unaware of that). Undeterred, we see him deliberately pursuing Lois, despite the circumstances, and trying to win her back using his imaginary ability to fly, where he carries her around the city and up into the atmosphere, after which he attempts to seduce her. She pulls away, saying, "Richard's a good man, and you've been gone a long time." These events reveal that Superman selfishly sought to destroy an engagement and split apart a child's parents. The audience is hereby trained to dismiss blatant teachery and cultivate partiality.
Violations of God's Law
Defiance against God
This movie violates the First Commandment.
- This film makes mention of the false gods of the Greek pantheon, including Prometheus
- Lois denies her need, and the world's need, of a Savior
- This film denies the biblical doctrine of total depravity (e.g., Rom. 3:10-18) by maintaining the "capacity for good" of all people and their desire for good, and their need of Superman to lead them to greatness
- The film repeatedly presents Superman as a substitute Christ
- Jor-El is presented as God the Father, who sent his "only son" to earth to be the light that will show the people how to become great
- The film's antagonist Lex repeatedly refers to Superman as a god
- Kitty sings a Christian hymn in reference to Superman, instead of God: "he's got the whole world in his hands"
- After being stabbed by Luthor, Superman is left with a "penetrating side wound to right part of lower back" (a clear reference to the side wound Christ received while on the cross)
- After saving the earth by hauling a growing landmass into outer space, Superman falls back to the earth posing in the shape of a crucifix after succumbing to exposure to kryptonite
- Newspapers prepare to announce "Superman is dead" but, lo and behold, he rises again
Blasphemy and Profanity
This movie violates the Third Commandment. God has warned that he will not hold guiltless those who take his name in vain (Ex. 20:7).
- Perry, Olsen, and a pilot each take God's name in vain at least once
- Lois and Richard each take God's name in vain at least twice
- Profane references: hell (1), damn (4), among others
Immodesty and Sexual Immorality
This movie violates the Seventh Commandment. The Bible warns that those who do not repent of sexual immorality will not inherit the kingdom of God (1Co. 6:9-10), but will be judged by God (Heb. 13:4). We are commanded to "flee fornication" (1Co. 6:18).
- Lois (Kate Bosworth, unmarried) and her fiancé Richard (James Marsden, married) are repeatedly shown kissing, and also portrayed as living together as an unmarried couple.
- Lois and Superman (Brandon Routh, unmarried) are shown embracing and kissing. The movie reveals that they also had a child together out of wedlock.
- Kitty (Parker Posey, unmarried) embraces and jumps on Superman
- Lois and Perry trade sexual innuendos regarding the titles of her news stories being suggestive of her and Superman's sexual relationship
- Lois is shown immodestly dressed, showing breast cleavage, exposing her legs, having her dress ripped
- Superman is shown shirtless
Deceit
This movie promotes violations of the Ninth Commandment, by presenting each instance of lying and deception as either normal, good, or funny. The Bible, however, warns that all liars, whom God hates (Pro. 6:16-19; 12:22), shall have their part in the lake of fire (Rev. 21:8).
- Superman deliberately maintains the deceptive charade of his alter ego Clark Kent
- Superman uses his ability to see through walls and hear from great distances in order to secretly eavesdrop on Lois' private conversations, and watch her, Richard, and their son in their own home. He claims to hear people daily from all over the world crying for a savior, yet he spends his time creeping and spying on a woman who is engaged to another man. Such behavior demonstrates that Superman is a super busybody and peeping Tom.
- Lois lies to her Richard when she denies previously being in love with Superman
- When her son ask, as if she's trespassing someone's private property, Lois lies, denying it, and proceeding to continue trespassing
- Lois lies about the identity of her son's father
Sinful Content in Superman Returns
Warning! The following table contains direct quotations from the film, which include instances of blasphemy, profanity, and other vices.
| Classification | Character | Quote/Description |
|---|---|---|
| "On the doomed planet Krypton, a wise scientist placed his infant son into a spacecraft and launched him to earth. Raised by a kind farmer and his wife, the boy grew up to become our greatest protector—Superman." | ||
| Jor-El | "You will travel far, my little Kal-El. But we will never leave you, even in the face of our deaths." | |
| Blasphemy | "Gertrude, for God's sake!" | |
| Profanity | "Damn it, Gertrude, let us in now!" | |
| Blasphemy | "Oh, God." | |
| Idolatry | Lex | "Do you know the story of Prometheus? ... Prometheus was a god who stole the power of fire from the other gods, and gave control of it to mortals. In essence, he gave us technology. He gave us power." |
| Idolatry | Lex | "I just want what Prometheus wanted." |
| Blasphemy | Lex | "Gods are selfish beings who fly around in little red capes, and don't share their power with mankind." |
| Lex | "This is more of a monument to a long dead and extremely powerful civilization. This is where he learned who he was. This is where he came for guidance." (Referring to Superman's lair, the Fortress of Solitude) | |
| Martha | "Clark, the universe is a big place. And you don't know who's out there." | |
| Blasphemy | Olsen | "Welcome back! Oh, my God!" |
| Sexual Immorality | Lois | Picture showing she has had a child out of wedlock |
| Kitty | "Sounds like hocus-pocus to me." | |
| Lex | "Well, naturally, to the primitive mind, any sufficiently advanced technology would be indistinguishable from magic." | |
| Olsen | "if you ask me, she's still in love with you-know-who" (referring to Lois, in love with Superman) | |
| Kitty | "It's freaking Gone With the Wind." | |
| Profanity | Lex | "I said shut off the damn camera." |
| Blasphemy | Pilot | "Oh, God." |
| Luck | Flight Attendant | "And if you're lucky, you may hear the faint pop of the sonic boom." |
| Profanity | Pilot | "What the hell is that?" |
| Immodesty | Superman | In skin-tight costume, wearing underwear over his pants |
| Idolatry | Everyone cheering and praising Superman | |
| Perry | "Politics, does he still stand for truth, justice, all that stuff?" (speaking of Superman) | |
| Profanity | Perry | "Lois, three things sell papers: tragedy, sex and Superman. People are sick of tragedy, we know you can't write worth a damn about sex." |
| Blasphemy | Richard | "Thank God." |
| Sexual Immorality | Lois, Richard | Kissing |
| Lois | "He's also a pilot and he loves horror movies." (speaking of fiance Richard) | |
| Blasphemy | Kitty | Singing a Christian hymn in reference not to God but to Superman: "he's got the whole world in his hands" |
| Lust | Kitty | "Oh, he's cute." (referring to Superman) |
| Superman | Using his so-called x-ray vision to spy on Lois, Richard, and their son in their home | |
| Sexual Immorality | Perry | Sexual innuendo, the title of one of Lois' articles, "I Spent the Night With Superman," hints at her sexual relationship with Superman |
| Deceit | Lois | When asked if she was in love with Superman: "No." |
| Blasphemy | Jor-El | "They can be a great people, Kal-El. They wish to be. They only lack the light to show the way. For this reason above all, their capacity for good, I have sent them you, my only son." |
| Profanity | Police Officer | "Holy shit!" |
| Sexual Immorality | Kitty | Embraces, jumps on Superman |
| Sexual Immorality | Lois | "Chief, I've done Superman. Covered him. You know what I mean." Sexual innuendo, she's referring to reporting, but it's a hint to their sexual relationship. Olsen giggles about it. |
| Sexual Immorality | Perry | "Do him again." Continued sexual innuendo |
| Blasphemy | Lois | "Lex Luther is a career criminal who nearly killed him, for God's sakes." |
| Lust | Superman | Gazing upon Lois |
| Blasphemy | Lois | "The world doesn't need a savior. And neither do I." |
| Sexual Immorality | Lois | Embracing Superman, clutching his body to hitch a ride as he flies |
| Blasphemy | Superman | "You wrote that the world doesn't need a savior, but every day I hear people crying for one." |
| Sexual Immorality | Superman, Lois | Embracing, come very close to kissing, Superman goes in for a kiss but Lois pulls away |
| Lois | "Richard's a good man, and you've been gone a long time." (she says as she pulls away from kissing Superman) | |
| Immodesty | Lois | Legs are exposed, as she puts on her shoes |
| Deceit | Lois | When asked by her son Jason, "Are we trespassing?" She responds: "No, Yes," as she trespasses into Lex's yacht |
| Lex | "I'll have advanced alien technology" | |
| Deceit | Lois | When asked by Lex, "Who is that boy's father?" she responds, "Richard." |
| Profanity | Richard | "Damn it." |
| Immodesty | Lois | Showing cleavage |
| Immodesty | Lois | Henchman throws her around, causing her dressed to be ripped |
| Jason | Pushes the piano powerfully, killing the henchman, revealing that he is Superman's bastard son | |
| Minced Oath | Perry | "Great Caesar's ghost." (this is a minced oath for taking God's name in vain, uttered as he looks up at Superman who saved him) |
| Blasphemy | Lois | "Oh my God." |
| Profanity | Richard | "Damn it!" |
| Violence | Lex | Stabs Superman, seeking to murder him, after his henchmen violently beat him |
| Jor-El | "Your leadership can stir others to their own capacities for moral betterment. The human heart is still subject to monstrous deceits." | |
| Blasphemy | Richard | "Oh, my God." |
| Blasphemy | Superman | Depicted in the shape of a crucifix after saving the world |
| Immodesty | Medical Staff | They tear off Superman's shirt, exposing bare chest |
| Blasphemy | Medical Staff | "Penetrating side wound to right part of lower back" (blasphemous parallel to Christ's wound) |
| Newspaper article "Superman is dead" (preparing for release, as Superman is in a coma) | ||
| Sexual Immorality | Lois, Richard | Kissing |
| Sexual Immorality | Lois, Superman | Lois gets on top of Superman and kisses him while unconscious in a coma |
| Superman | Speaking to his sleeping son Jason: "You will be different. Sometimes, you will feel like an outcast. But you'll never be alone. You will make my strength your own. You will see my life through your eyes, as your life will be seen through mine. The son becomes the father, and the father becomes the son." |