It's a bird. It's a plane. It's... Kevin Spacey.

The trailer for Superman Returns is up. No question: it looks great. It has that same exquisite, CGI-brush stroke feel as the best images in Revenge of the Sith, like an Alex Ross painting on film. Computer animated humans have come a long way from the rubbery digital stuntmen in the burly brawl. But for all its glossy luster, the trailer can’t find a consistent tone. Is it about a living icon returning to his public? Or maybe about a shy reporter with a deep secret? Is it about a love affair between a woman and a god, or is it just an all-American box office blockbuster, kicking ass and saving the day? Sure, casting Kevin Spacey as the villainous narcissist Lex Luther was a stroke of genius—he was born to play bald and his comic delivery has real pizzazz. But if the filmmakers can’t stay focused for the length of a two minute trailer, how likely is it they’ll get their act together for a two hour movie? Reports suggest the script is a real letdown, and though I dearly want this film to live up to its title character’s legend, my sinking feeling is that Superman may not turn out to be all that super.