New feature-length Superman fan film online

[JacksonArcher]

Fan films are a dime a dozen but sometimes we get high quality and professional productions that demand our attention. In the past few years we've seen some notable and successful fan films from Batman: Dead End to City of Scars and most recently Portal: No Escape.

Until now, fan films have been for the most part short films. City of Scars for example, which was a Batman fan film, was around 30 minutes long. Now comes Superman: Requiem, the first ever feature-length Superman fan film (and probably the longest fan film to date) toppling at around 70 minutes.

Superman: Requiem is a psuedo-sequel to the Richard Donner Superman films and Superman Returns. The story centers around Superman losing some of his powers and having to stop Alexander Luthor without being a "super man". The film had a micro-budget, especially compared to most feature-length stories, which was around $20,000 or more. However, the production values are very strong, and the acting is relatively decent. The writing is a little wobbly at times, but that's to be expected with fan film productions.

Anyway, if you have 70 minutes to spare, I suggest you check out the film over at OpenFilm where you can watch the entire film online for free. I know some of you might be a little harsh to the film, especially hardcore Superman fans (and especially those that didn't enjoy or appreciate Superman Returns) but this a pretty admirable effort from some faithful Superman fans.

If you want to follow the film on Facebook, click here, where you can check out behind-the-scenes photos and more.

[Admiral Buzzkill]

That's pretty remarkable for twenty thousand dollars.

It was a valiant effort...most fan films are. I didn't care for the story and some of the writing was shaky. I thought the actress who played Ally could have past as Lois...if they just went with a new story without tying to the Donner movies and SR.

[Admiral_Young]

I too thought it is a remarkable effort and applaud the ambitious scale and love for the Donner Verse but had a lot of problems with this film, especially with the writing. The acting wasn't as bad as I've seen in other fan films (this actually was a pretty well done film compared to a lot of others) but still was wonky and goofy at times.

[BDJ]

Not bad. Although the actor portraying Supes looked a little like a Twinklight Vamp during his last scenes.

[Gaith]

I'd rather watch an excellent 20-30 min. film, with a very tight script and first-rate performances, than a "pretty decent/not bad" 70-minute movie.

... Er, make that "I might watch" an excellent 20-30 min. fan film. I'm definitely not watching a 70-minute fan movie unless the reviews are absolutely rapturous.

[CorporalClegg]

BDJ wrote:

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Not bad. Although the actor portraying Supes looked a little like a Twinklight Vamp during his last scenes.

Actually, my first thought was Sheldon Cooper in his Superman costume.

[J. Allen]

Just my opinion, of course, but it was okay. I definitely give them credit for doing what they did on a $20,000 budget in terms of production values, though the writing was very hit and miss, and the editing was slow and despondent. It needed a severe tightening, as there were too many long, empty spaces. The acting was mediocre in most instances, though there really was effort there, but the opening lake sequence should have been cut entirely, as I couldn't stop laughing, and not in a good way.

[Kai "the spy"]

CorporalClegg wrote:

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Actually, my first thought was Sheldon Cooper in his Superman costume.

Looked like Jake Gyllenhaal to me. "Donnie Darko"-Gyllenhaal, not "Prince of Persia"-Gyllenhaal.

For a fan film, it's pretty impressive. Of course, there's stuff to criticize, but hey, those were no professionals at work, and they only had $ 20,000 to work with.

Plus, at least, this Superman still wears his red trunks. Yay to that!

[Forbin]

Can't watch an entire movie on my PC screen. If it was downloadable, I could burn a DVD and watch it in my comfy recliner in the living room.

[Agent Richard07]

I'll have to check this out. I'm watching City of Scars right now and it's visually impressive.

[davejames]

Ha ha, I love how these fan films always have Clark ripping open his shirt while running out the front entrance of a building, for all to see.

As for the rest... ugh. I know it's a fan film, yadda yadda, but that was one wimpy and uninspiring Superman actor. There were any number of extras or bodyguards in the movie who would have made for bigger and manlier Supermen. Even his Superman hair was wimpy looking. lol

[wamdue]

[disclaimer]I should know better than to be critical of fanfilms, these are people who have come together, and actually made a 70 minute film, this by itself is an achievement. [/disclaimer]

Why did Superman not go to the Fortress, when he first realised his powers had weakened, heck why spend so much time in your apartment when only minutes in the son heeled him? the whole "I saved you as a man" speech is nice, and its a nice thing for Clark to experience, but the ending makes the whole theme of the film unnecessary. Maybe Clark didnt want to have to do it, hoped his powers may recharge, or that he may not need them, and that the world does not need him to have all those powers.

As for the actor playing Clark/Superman obviously borrowing from the Clark of the Donner movies, and there are a few times where he almost pulls it off, maybe the fact he is an uninspiring Superman is good for the movie, as the movie was never about Superman.

The actress playing Ally did remind me of Smallvilles Lois Lane, but she was always going to be a Lois substitute, and I thought Clark telling her he loved her as a bit much.

I am glad that around the half way point the plot decamped to London, as up until that point the film was doing an awful job of pretending to be set in Metropolis, America.

There is no one I want to mention for good acting, and some of Alex henchmen, helped make the leads appear better than they deserve to look.

Please pretty shoddy sound work as well.

If there is going to be a definite Superman fan film (and there is no reason there will be, but IF there was to be one) this isnt going to be it.

[Captaindemotion]

I really wanted to like this and its being a sequel to the Donner/Singerverses and using the John Williams theme certainly endeared me to it.

But, oh dear, I just couldn't take seriously the actor playing Superman. He looked like a cross between Cripin Glover and Eddie Furlong and was too skinny to even convince as Spider-man, never mind Superman. Okay, not everyone can have a body like Henry Cavill, but could they not have padded out his suit in places?

The actress as Ally was wooden and I didn't find the scene in the Daily Planet (which is as far as I've watched so far) convincing. Can one still smoke in an office in the US? Would a story about theft of NASA artifacts topline a daily newspaper? And would Clark really have to ask what the MNAs (Metropolis Newspaper Awards) were?

Still, as enough people here whose opinions I respect have sung its praises, I probably will check the rest of it out.

[Agent Richard07]

I enjoyed it quite a bit. Good Superman story, good love story and it had an interesting Lex. It didn't have the best effects in places, but the whole thing was made well enough that I didn't feel like I was watching an obvious fan film.