Everyone wants to start with a huge action scene. There is a downside folks.

[LaraLane]

It seems everyone and their mother/brother/cousins friend wants Superman to begin with a huge action scene showing his power.I am in the minority but that would be a mistake. If you start off that big, settling back down into the story could prove difficult. Not only that, there is a chance you do not top that with a later battle scene that is of more importance.If there is to be any action to open the movie I think it should be a tease. Maybe someone is getting robbed, he sweeps in a nearly unrecognizable blur and saves them. Then a quick cut to him stopping an attack on somebody, then maybe another quick cut to him stopping a train from going off the tracks or something. A little reveal panning up to his \S/ would be sufficient enough. DO NOT reveal what Superman looks like in the opening though!Giving it all up for a first scene is anti climatic and a waste. I hope they do not do that.

 

[GreenKToo]

I hope they do..the last film let alot of folks down action wise. Starting this one off with a bang will mend some fences.

 

[GinsterHead]

You're right.

Bryan Singer missed a trick by throwing all the action into Superman's first scene. It's not just that he spoiled the surprise of Superman's return...he didn't even try to top that scene when he was filming the climax. That's just absurd.

I mean, Superman singlehandedly rescuing a crashing jumbo jet is frigging amazing...what do they follow that up with?

...SUPERMAN LIFTING A GIANT ROCK INTO SPACE AND FALLING BACK DOWN TO EARTH.

 

[ChickenScratch]

So the argument you make for not having an action scene in the opening is based upon the fear that they may not have a better one later on?

Well I would love if there is an action scene to open. I want as many action set pieces as they can possibly cram in there ... and maybe a couple more too.

 

[GreenKToo]

I'd like to see something dramatic at the opening..not so much a feat of strength as it would be to show how invulnerable he is...for instance, a nuclear reactor melts down near a large city, folks are in a panic. They're told to evac to at least 10 miles away..the fire is so intense that concrete and steel melt away in the plant..
Fire trucks that were abandoned in a haste some distance from the complex melt from the heat.

Enter Superman..He lands and calmly walks through the fire, heat, and intense radiation to the heart of the reactor itself and shuts it down. He then uses his superbreath to cool things down.
When he is finished, he casually brushes dirt and debris off his suit.

 

[Kal-El Fan]

I'd like to see something dramatic at the opening..not so much a feat of strength as it would be to show how invulnerable he is...for instance, a nuclear reactor melts down near a large city, folks are in a panic. They're told to evac to at least 10 miles away..the fire is so intense that concrete and steel melt away in the plant..
Fire trucks that were abandoned in a haste some distance from the complex melt from the heat.

Enter Superman..He lands and calmly walks through the fire, heat, and intense radiation to the heart of the reactor itself and shuts it down. He then uses his superbreath to cool things down.
When he is finished, he casually brushes dirt and debris off his suit.

Now that you've established that he is completely invincible, how will you convince the audience that the villain can present any real threat to him? This is what Lara is referring to. How do you build up from that?

 

[bunk]

Well, Superman doesn't necessarily have to be in the opening scene. We don't even know if he will be Superman at the beginning of the movie. TDK had a pretty cool opening.

 

[GreenKToo]

The villain ( Brainiac ) will most likely be just as strong as Superman. The threat won't really be to superman himself but to the people of the earth. The challenge for superman will be how does he stop a being just as powerful as he is from destroying everything.
It's not like he will be able to just fly in and take him out with one punch. It would be a knock down drag out sort of fight.

 

[Karelia]

I kinda hope it starts off with a big action scene, actually. I remember seeing Superman Returns in theater and being kinda bored.

Just because it starts off with an action scene doesn't mean they won't be able to top it later on in the movie anyways. If he has a decent villain fight I'm sure it'll be better.

 

[DorkyFresh]

if the rumors about Superman not showing up until 1/3 through the film are true then forget about a huge opening action scene. i honestly wouldn't mind if there isn't a huge action sequence at the beginning of the movie, especially if he isn't Superman yet. if he's just Clark then save the real action for when he's Superman. however, i WOULD like to see a solid action sequence within the first 10 minutes of the movie (ala Inception). maybe Clark realizing that he needs to do something in order to save someone from something and then getting the feeling of heroism afterward which could motivate him to become Superman.

 

[Kal-El Fan]

(@GreenKToo and Karelia) Very true. It's just one needs to keep that in mind. The story has to keep going and the danger has to continue to ramp up through the movie and any potential sequels. Also, we have to make sure not to make Superman so powerful that he has no need for the Justice League later on.
We want to avoid another SR plane scene dilemma. Someone needs to argue the counterpoint, ya know?

 

[Anubis]

Now that you've established that he is completely invincible, how will you convince the audience that the villain can present any real threat to him? This is what Lara is referring to. How do you build up from that?

Have said Villain punch him in the face and make him bleed.

 

[Kal-El Fan]

Have said Villain punch him in the face and make him bleed.

 

[Anubis]

It's simple, to the point.

 

[SuperFerret]

Y'know, having an awesome action sequence right from the get-go that wasn't topped by any of the other action scenes in the entire movie really didn't seem to hurt X2 all that much.

 

[DorkyFresh]

no, but it's not ideal. do you really want the best action sequence of this movie to be in the BEGINNING of the movie? some movies can get away with it, but Nightcrawler's sequence was by far the most adrenaline-filled and creative action sequence of the film and it almost made everything else look tame. i remember watching the previews and going bonkers seeing shots of Wolverine going berserk in the mansion...and although there were a couple of good parts to that sequence, it felt mild compared to the beginning.

 

[Anubis]

I got an idea. How about you actually surpass the action sequence that's at the beginning of the movie.

 

[DorkyFresh]

put too bar too high and it becomes hard to do. i think TDK is a perfect example of putting a combative sequence at the beginning of the film that grabs the attention of the viewer without overshadowing the rest of the action sequences. whatever the first action sequence is doesn't have to be a HUGE spectacle....it just has to be interesting and well done.

 

[Anubis]

Exactly.

 

[GreenKToo]

Anyone remember that crossover with the Hulk Vs Superman? Supes didnt really take the Hulk seriously, and when the Hulk hit him, it knocked Supes over two miles away..It didnt hurt Supes of course, but it did surprise him..Something like that is what i'd like to see with the villain in our film.
Supes would be used to dealing with villains that he defeated with relative ease. Imagine him facing one as powerful as he is, only he doesnt know it at first.

 

[Timstuff]

Most fanboys don't know how to write a film with a 3 act scructure, which is why so many of them want to see Superman in the first 5 minutes with a huge action scene. Fortunately, Nolan and co. are much better writers than that.

 

[LaraLane]

put too bar too high and it becomes hard to do. i think TDK is a perfect example of putting a combative sequence at the beginning of the film that grabs the attention of the viewer without overshadowing the rest of the action sequences. whatever the first action sequence is doesn't have to be a HUGE spectacle....it just has to be interesting and well done.

Very true. I still think it will mess with the pacing of the film. I like seeing a gradual build myself.

 

[dulcetpine]

I am tired of gradual builds. If it is a stand alone superman movie, don't make us wait 45 minutes to see the man. It doesn't have to be a dire rescue, just some drama to insert us into the world so we can enjoy the whole movie without waiting to see the big guy.

 

[I SEE SPIDEY]

I don't care if there is a huge action scene at the first part, I do think that the movie should have non-heavy lifting action in it though. I want a good story and 3 good action scenes...that is all. The movie doesn't need to be all action but it does need to be more exciting than Superman Returns. I don't like the action scenes in Nolan's Bat-films but I like the films and you know why? Because they are exciting and most well made.

 

[david icke]

Most fanboys don't know how to write a film with a 3 act scructure, which is why so many of them want to see Superman in the first 5 minutes with a huge action scene. Fortunately, Nolan and co. are much better writers than that.

The original cut of Superman II worked very well, it launched right into the terrorist attack on the Eiffel Tower, that got the audince immediately caught up in the drama of Clark being Superman, and was just the exact right amount of SM to open the film with.

Maybe it would be good just to see a Clark Kent scene with him using his powers as a taster to get us in the mood.
Whether that is like the scene where he catches the mugger's bullet in SMTM, or somehing like seeing him as a kid in SV using his powers for his advantage , I think it would be good to open the movie with something 'super'.