Holy Suffering Servant, Superman: Have We Been Had?

Saw the Superman Returns trailer this weekend. One word: Wow. You can view the trailer below, but there's a bunch more at Blue Tights Network (and they're better quality, too!). I was totally psyched to see the film prior to the trailer, then after seeing it- I had a serious monkey on my back and he was wearing a cape. (BTW, I would like to publicly acknowledge the utter ridiculousness of that last line, I mean base absurdity.) However, after reading this article I'm now wondering if the clear messianic overtones of the trailer weren't just marketing by the filmmakers to court Christians, specifically evangelicals. Take this example:

The preview shows the hero with his eyes closed as the voice of his father — Marlon Brando's, courtesy of 1978's "Superman" — tells him he was sent to Earth because humans "lack the light to show the way."

For this reason," continues the voice, "I have sent them you, my only son."
Online message boards and Web logs quickly latched onto the biblical resonance of those lines.

"The allusion to Jesus Christ could hardly be accidental," wrote Christian blogger Tom Gilson.

"Is this a new Superman for the new Evangelist red state America? Superman as Jesus?" asked one contributor to the Portland-based blog site Urban Honking.

The premise of the new Superman movie alone has fueled speculation that it's wearing its biblical comparisons on its long, tight sleeve. Superman, in the film, returns to Earth after a long absence, a narrative that's been likened to Jesus' death and resurrection. Moviegoers who enter the theater looking for Christian imagery are unlikely to be disappointed. At one point, Superman sustains a stab wound reminiscent of the spear jabbed in Christ's side by a Roman soldier. In another scene, Routh poses with his arms outstretched as though crucified.

Bryan Singer, who did X-Men & X-2 (both of which were praised by Christian critics for their Christian undertones and questions of faith they raised), directed Superman Returns also. For most evangelicals unable to use Google, this guy would be a celebrity (his producer for the X Trilogy, Ralph Winter is a committed Christian), but Singer himself is a gay Jewish man. So are the themes that Christians are seeing just the archetypes that many have seen since the Man of Steel was first created in the 30s (by 2 Jewish artists)? Is this a marketing ploy designed to manipulate us similar to Gibson's tour of megachurches courting evangelicals prior to the Passion? Or is Superman just gay? Should any of these matter? Do we Christians get too jacked up about this crap? Should we let movies be movies? My brother-in-law gets so annoyed with me for always ruining a good movie with too much discussion and dialogue afterwards. maybe this is the same thing. Instead of examining the tea leaves (or kryptonite shards?) we should let the art speak for itself. If art is real, it can draw us closer to God or allow us to understand His will. Likewise, I think of the heavy-handed "Christian movies" often made that are so "unartistic" not only do I come away not feeling closer to God, I feel alienated from culture, because I cringe so much. Bottom line? Maybe we should think about something Uncle Emil used to say, "Superman? Now that was a good comic book alright. 'Course, I only read 'em to look at that Lois Lane gal." Wise ol' Uncle Emil. He was always a little dirty, too.

Jor-El's Only Begotten Son: ?