What makes a Superman film for you?

[Silvermoth]

For me (if we're talking about just the movies here not the comics) it's that rare form of storytelling where it's a family movie but it's not cheesy or overly moralistic or dark and moody. It's like the golden age of cinema when Dick van Dyke could be really entertaining and interesting just having a conversation with kids in 'Chitty Chitty Bang Bang'.

I think going dark and moody is too easy to gain points. The minute people see something where a character is always in shadows they're like 'I'm allowed to like this now'. That's a shame because although I don't think it needs to be a silly, camp cheesy film like Fantastic Four or Thor, a sense of fun was what made Superman cool.

It's like the Byrne run of Superman, it was just so inventive and not constrained by needing to be dark or not alienating toy demographics. It was mind expanding for the whole family.

[sethypants]

The underwear ofcourse.

[Rewstar]

There needs to be a sense of familiarity and safety with all the characters yet provide situations and threats not presented on film before showing us why this character is so powerful and fills us with a sense of awe at what we have seen Superman accomplish.

[Szetsilya]

A good Lois Lane and Clark Kent/Superman. Lois not treating Clark like a non-entity. Good effects and believable flying. Not a rehash of past stories, if similar plots are brought up do them differently!
Superman choosing to help people because he wants to and feels compelled to do it, not because he is forced! He can have some depressing moments but don't make him freakin emo, Kurt Cobain, Edgar Allen Poe like. For example in the cartoon he was standing on a roof sulking because the world feared/hated him after the Darkseid fiasco! That is a perfect time to get yourself down and blame yourself.

[G.Godfrey]

Good topic. I could list a lot of things that make a good Superman movie for me, but I'll try to keep it short and to the basics.

For me, ideally, a Superman film (in order for it to be a truly great Superman film, not just good) would have to be a Fantasy Action/Adventure movie, with a strong underlining drama elements coupled with powerful and intense moments and with just the right amount of lightheartedness and a touch of humor. It should have a big scale and an epic/majestic quality to it.

I think grounding the world in a Superman movie and making it mirror ours is the right way to go in this day and age. But a Superman film also shouldn't forget about it's fantasy elements. It is after all a movie where the main character is a super powered Alien with access to alien technology and with most interesting villains being of Alien origin.

A Superman film should also have intense and powerful action moments but shouldn't feel like an action movie and rather like an adventure movie It needs to have strong adventure elements.

And at the end of the day it needs to leave the viewer with a good, positive feeling. No matter how serious the tone is or what happens during the movie, the end should signify hope and bring out positive emotions in the viewer.

Basically, it needs to be a grand spectacle with a lot of heart.

Like I said, I could go on and dwell on how the characters and their relationships should be and so on, but for me, that's it in a nutshell. I do believe there is more than one way to make a great Superman movie (just look at the rich history of the character and mythology) but I think all of the above should be present in one.

[GreenKToo]

A cross betwen raiders of the lost ark, close encounters of the third kind, and speed. *In feel, not look.*
Epic, wonderment, and adrenaline.

[afan]

Find and watch "Superman and the Mole Men" a feature film starring George Reeves as Superman. Pay attention to the portrayal of Clark Kent, Lois Lane, and Superman. If you can look past the FX, i.e. an electrolux vacuum as the Mole Men's weapon, and focus on the basic elements of the story, and the portrayal of the characters, you have what makes a Superman film for me.

[Anjow1060]

Simple,

in order of importance,

1) Unrelenting adherence to strong moral values. Even when someone is like "come on, it's not that big of a deal" to him. He's unshakable.

2) Music that gives me goosebumps.

3) Flying while; Freezebreathing, punching, eye lasering - w/e. The combo of the flying + another power at the same time is usually some of the best stuff. The more powers you have him rocking at the same time in some creative way, the more impressed I am.

4) REALLY goodie too shoes melodramatic uplifting quotes.

5) Strong contrast of blue/red/yellow to the surroundings.

6) A villain who's insanely perfectly evil, but SMART enough to know how to gray the lines. Not graying them for Superman, but rather, those around Superman.

- Jow

[NewYorkSpider]

For me it's all about the emotion the character goes through during the course of the film. Zack Snyder directing this has me excited because I thought he did that well in Watchmen.

[charl_huntress]

Originally Posted by JerseyJoker

But for you on a solely personal reasoning...what makes a Superman film for you? What are the essentials you NEED to have. And what are some smaller tidbits, that you like to see just for your own viewing pleasure.

For me, any and every Superman incarnation has to have a well-written and well-developed Lois Lane. A lot of people discount her and Supes/Clark relationship, but she is one of the essential elements of the Superman mythos. The Lois element is also one of the easiest to screw up.

I still believe one of the reasons SR was received poorly by comic fans and did not generate a lot of buzz and excitement is because of a poorly-written Lois Lane, and the horrible choice of Kate Bosworth to play her.

hahah...as for tidbits I'd like to see, I want to see Superman do a super-spin where he blows stuff around just from spinning. I know...it's corny, but I love it and would like to see it.

[Jim-El]

I may be in the minority but I still love the Donnerverse. With that said, this Superman film needs to be more on the darkside. I think that is already obvious in what we have seen so far. Less camp, more Superman, and villains who are a challenge. Most importantly, as Cavill goes, so will this franchise.

[UaalaDan]

What makes a Superman film for me?

Heart, amazing action scenes and faithfulness to the characters.

I seriously hope this movie is going to have all 3 in spades.

[CGHulk]

Heart and badassery!

[Super Kal]

A good story, a good suit, and a good visual art director

[Deathlok]

Lots and lots of flying...

[Poeman]

I want a Superman that isnt soft and a wimp. Cavill looks like he will deliver a meaner Superman

[Destructus86]

A strong Superman that isn't perfect...he can get angry, sad, etc... One that has epic battles against other superhumans that literally shatter nearby windows. Sci-fi elements.

[godisawesome]

Originally Posted by Szetsilya

A good Lois Lane and Clark Kent/Superman. Lois not treating Clark like a non-entity. Good effects and believable flying. Not a rehash of past stories, if similar plots are brought up do them differently!
Superman choosing to help people because he wants to and feels compelled to do it, not because he is forced! He can have some depressing moments but don't make him freakin emo, Kurt Cobain, Edgar Allen Poe like. For example in the cartoon he was standing on a roof sulking because the world feared/hated him after the Darkseid fiasco! That is a perfect time to get yourself down and blame yourself.

Agree entirely with this. The biggest disappointment of Superman returns was how the action and main conflict did play almost exactly like the old Reeves films, while at the same time you could pop in Matrix Revolutions for an actually thrilling final fight with flight and super-strength.

I want a high flying Superman with lots of kinetic energy, who definitely has a bit of an attitude and little bit of fun with his role. When people keep shooting him when they know he's invulnerable, he should be smirking and seemingly exasperated. He should also be awe-inspiring when he uses his super-strength, and should float easily as much as fly.

Clark Kent should be the real personality in the same way that professionals have a "real" personality outside of work. He should be just as engaging as Superman.

And if or when Lex Luthor returns to the big screen, he should balance suaveness and sophistication with his obsessive nature and absolute depravity, be introduced as a supporting player to build his relationship with everyone, and then have a downright vicious and personal attack on his enemies.

[Snoo]

Next to all the stuff already mentioned, I'd like to see Clark doing some actual investigative reporting, research, maybe even interviews, you name it. Not just scenes of him sitting in the background at the Planet shifting some papers while the camera is on Lois talking or whatever, but perhaps him following some mystery related to the main plot.

I want his investigating making a difference somehow, however small, in the way the events unfold. I want Reporter Clark to be just as interesting to the audience as the Origin Clark (basically, adult Clark before he becomes a reporter) and Private Clark (Clark at the farm, when he's around people he trusts). Or whichever other Clark persona/side of him there may be in the film.

I want people watching the film to feel invested in all sides of the character, instead of just waiting impatiently for the "cool stuff" to happen already, like Superman appearing and so on. Clark needs to be intriguing and relatable as a person, so the audience will cheer for him when he's Superman.

No idea how much Reporter Clark will actually be in MOS (if at all) but yes, Clark following some leads and being all sneaky and clever and throwing himself into action would be awesome.

[UaalaDan]

Originally Posted by charl_huntress

For me, any and every Superman incarnation has to have a well-written and well-developed Lois Lane. A lot of people discount her and Supes/Clark relationship, but she is one of the essential elements of the Superman mythos. The Lois element is also one of the easiest to screw up.

I still believe one of the reasons SR was received poorly by comic fans and did not generate a lot of buzz and excitement is because of a poorly-written Lois Lane, and the horrible choice of Kate Bosworth to play her.

hahah...as for tidbits I'd like to see, I want to see Superman do a super-spin where he blows stuff around just from spinning. I know...it's corny, but I love it and would like to see it.

Completely agree. That's why I love L&C so much. Love Teri Hatcher.

[8wid]

I was okay with the monster of the week style of villains coming to fight Superman and substituting them for a rogues gallery with Brainiac, Zod, Darkseid, and others that are already established. Superman v. the Lavamen, Molepeople, dinosaur frozen in ice for millions of years wouldn't be a horrible idea. It's the cheese that's fun.

[Eggyman]

The adults should feel like adults. Not kids in their parents' clothes. The only young in the film should be young Clark and Jimmy.

I want a full IMAX blue sky and a burning sun. I need bright colours in a Superman film.

He should make the right choices, and it should be a battle for him to do so.

Keep things simple. No contrived plot twists, please. A bad guy wants to do some horrible sh**, and Superman has to stop him.

Spectacle. The Superman shots. Something, with Snyder, I'm confident we'll get.

A ballsy Lois.

Corporate Lex, with no mention of real estate.

A good origin with a sure foot, not forshadowing too much, but leaving plenty of space for sequels.

[Hypestyle]

...what hasn't been done yet in a modern film: super-epic action packed fights..

..deemphasizing the blatant nerd cliches in Clark.. take cues from the 90s animated show, the 50s live show, and the 1st season of the Superboy TV series of the 1980s..

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

Dont get me wrong, I am looking forward to the action scene's and seeing Superman really cut loose against a villain equally or more powerful than him, but mostly, I want Superman done right.

As a character Superman can inspire feelings very few other heroes can replicate, a sense of awe and at the same time, inspiration to others to be better, as well as wanting to be better. Also that fact that he is an alien and yet he has so much dedication to protecting this planet and its inhabitants it should have us all close to tears. These are the things Superman can give an audience if done correctly.

[Spuzz]

The lack of Richard Pryor is what makes a Superman film for me.