Human beings, as a rule, almost never choose what they need over what they want or like. It's one of the unassailable truths- until the day they die, most people never truly rid themselves of the rebellious streak that showed up around two years old and then gestated into a mile tall monster once puberty hit. While the monster may hibernate and even let so called reason believe that it has won, in reality stubbornness selfishness and rebelliousness are always there... waiting.
What brings this up, do you ask?
In the past few months I've been obsessing over Superman returns. And much to my surprise, it turned out to be a great movie. Superman Returns is much more than a new installment in the franchise or one more testimony to the current success of superhero movies; the movie is more than just a story or a special effects achievement, rather it is an essay on the human need to have faith in something greater than ourselves.
The title "Superman Returns" refers to much more than just the storyline of the movie, it also refers to the return of Superman to the media and pop culture mainstream. The movie explores the question "does Superman have a place in our society?" While the film itself answers with a strong positive, it turns out that the film is almost too pertinent, almost too accurate to real life, because the answer that seems to be coming from society as a whole is a reluctant "no."
Now, don't get me wrong, the film is doing rather well in the box office. While many are under the impression that the movie is failing, in fact it's nearly made back its budget in its two week run. And that's even considering the record smashing opening of the other big movie this summer, Pirates of the
It's actually the great success of "Pirates" that made me to realize that something is seriously wrong with our society today. I realize that this sounds dramatic, but it's true. Now my, logic may be a little biased, but it runs something like this-
When Superman first appeared, he was a hero to a people just coming to grips with a changing world. With everything growing like crazy, many began to question their place in the world. And then the Depression began. Suddenly the regular person felt powerless to affect their lives, to save themselves from the problems of the world. And then came Superman. Superman is perhaps the closest thing to a pop culture Christ that we've ever had. Much of this comparison could have to do with the creators of Superman, two Jewish boys who saw that people needed a hero, a savior.
And Superman quickly became that savior. An example of hope and strength, Superman helped every person to realize that there is a super man in all of us, a hero able to change his or her own life and the lives of those around them.
While Superman has become more or less popular through the years, he has always stood as a champion of right, as the example of what we could do with our lives we chose to. While we may not be able to fly or lift cars in the same sense, we could grow, learn, and gain the "power" needed to accomplish what we set our hearts and minds to.
Superman used to be seen as the perfect example, as the hero of the people, and as a symbol of hope. But no longer.
In his prime, Superman was a hero that everyone could believe in. But these days this generation seems to have forgotten how to believe. Sure, they like stuff such as Spider-man; and admittedly, Spider-man is a lot easier to relate to. But then again, Judas is way easier to relate to as opposed to Christ.
In today's world we choose believable heroes; protagonists who live in a gray area between right and wrong, who dress in black, who break the rules, who serve themselves instead of the people. Which is where Pirates comes in.
When Superman came out, I was, as I've stated continuously, elated. I told everyone to see it, and some did. Most people told me they were waiting for Pirates. Others told me they had seen superman, but it was too far out, too hokey. Too unbelievable. Most said, whether they saw it or not, that Superman was just to perfect to be able to believe in.
Apparently most of the world felt the same way, as nearly everyone went to the theater to see a movie that features a thieving, whoring, murdering drunkard of a protagonist as opposed to someone that can be looked up to. For the record, I saw pirates that weekend to, and enjoyed it, but it made me sad that many people rejected Superman, a symbol of right, for Jack Sparrow, the embodiment of that stubborn and rebellious monster in all of us. For the record, Superman Returns does dirty our hero a little, making him a little more worldly, which only goes to show that even superman is being affected by this trend.
Sure, Jack is more relatable; but if that's true, what does that say of us? Are we weak and dishonest creatures? Is that what we want to be? According to the box office, it is.
Superman is more important and useful than anyone realizes. He, and many superheroes like him, are symbols, icons if you will- figures that teach us moral, values, and help us learn to exercise faith. While many may feel this is a stretch, Superman is a stepping stone, an exercise in having faith in something greater than ourselves. The truth is, believing in superman is a preparatory step to having faith in Christ. When someone loses this faith, this ability to believe in the unbelievable, they begin on a road that eventually keeps them from believing in anything they can't imagine actually happening, or in anyone they can't relate to. Because if Superman is unbelievable, how much more unbelievable is Christ?
All things point to Christ, or should. The Scriptures urge us to surround ourselves with those things that remind us of Christ, those things that speak of God. If Superman doesn't fit this bill, I don't know what does.
In the end, the world needs Superman. We need to have the symbol, that exercise in suspending our disbelief, for only when we learn to banish disbelief do we truly have a chance of truly having faith in something.
