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Second, given that it's probably a send-up of celebrity silliness, to vocalize " … and the American way" would have been to mock it.

Third, when Superman was helping the Allies drop bombs on the Nazis, he was not, yet, a champion of "the American way." That came later, with the preamble of the Superman live action show starring George Reeves.

Fourth, in the current film, Superman returns to his hometown of Smallville, Kansas, and then moves back to his old stomping grounds of Metropolis—a stand-in for New York City. He does some global do-gooding but it's clear the U.S. is this demigod's adopted home.

Fifth, at the climax of the film, Superman puts his life on the line by uprooting a growing landmass off the Eastern seaboard that would have displaced most of the North American Continent, killing millions (Lex Luthor: "No, billions!") and completely wiping out the U.S.

Let me restate that so the movie's critics can't miss the point. In Superman Returns, Superman saves America from certain destruction, thus ensuring that "the American way" can keep on trucking.

Jeremy Lott is author of In Defense of Hypocrisy: Picking Sides in the War on Virtue, just released by Nelson Current.

Copyright © 2006 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.

Christianity Today Movies' coverage of the film includes:

The 'Savior' Returns | Bryan Singer, director of the highly anticipated Superman Returns, says it makes sense to compare his protagonist to Jesus because, after all, "Superman is a savior." (June 26, 2006)

Superman Returns | Superman Returns not only stands on the shoulders of the first two movies, it also retraces their footsteps, sometimes in small ways and sometimes in very big ways. (June 27, 2006)

What's So Super About This Guy? | Born in the Great Depression, Superman still holds our rapt attention 70 years later, even as he headlines a new movie opening this week. (June 27, 2006)

Books & Culture Corner and Books & Culture's Book of the Week, from Christianity Today sister publication Books & Culture: A Christian Review (want a free trial issue?), appears regularly on Tuesdays at Christianity Today. Earlier editions include:

Dining Dilemmas | How shall we then eat? (June 27, 2006)

Incorrigibly Bookish | Michael Dirda on reading and life. (June 20, 2006)

The Not-So-Evil Empire | A report on The Historical Society's conference earlier this month. (June 13, 2006)

Very Important Fiction | The Gospel according to The New York Times Book Review. (May 23, 2006)

Back to the Garden | Digging in the dirt as spiritual formation. (May 16, 2006)

Words Made Flesh | Calvin College's 2006 Festival of Faith & Writing. (April 25, 2006)

Betrayed Again | The Gospel of Judas Roadshow. (April 18, 2006)

American Theocrat | Richard John Neuhaus, Catholic political ambitions, and the evangelical pawns. (April 11, 2006)

Was George Washington a Christian? | A riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma. (April 4, 2006)

The Mystery of the Numbers | B&C's annual baseball preview, 2006 edition. (March 21, 2006)

Passionately Ambivalent | Christians in the art world. (Feb. 14, 2006)

Worship—What We've Learned | A report from the Calvin Symposium. (Jan. 31, 2006)

Making—and Breaking—Vows | A compelling memoir from the son of a priest and a former nun. (Jan. 17, 2006)

For book lovers, our 2006 CT book awards are available online, along with our book awards for 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999, 1998, and 1997, as well as our Books of the Twentieth Century. For other coverage or reviews, see our Books archive and the weekly Books & Culture Corner.

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July (Web-only) 2006, Vol. 50