BvS Henry Cavill IS Superman - Part 7

[John-An]

One of the most dramatic, emotional, powerful scene I've ever seen in cbms.

 

[John-An]

This is where Cavill showed his range as an actor and there were tons of it in Man of Steel. He has great facial expressions that tell the story. Acting isn't just all about how you say a line or how you move. It's also about expressing emotion through facial movements as well and the killing of Zod, Henry showed some serious chops in letting us see how he felt without even saying a word, especially the closeup of his face right before he made the decision. You can literally feel his agony and regret of killing Zod before he even does it. Cavill was fantastic.

The other scene that he showed his rang came in the Pa Kent scene. He gave a great performance there when showing how bad he wanted to save Pa and then that scream showed how painful it really was to trust in Jonathan. Great stuff.

Both scenes were great handled and well acted by Cavill, Those scenes really get on my feelings. especially the Pa Kent scene. The sacrifice both did, the expressions, the smile, the feelings.. that really was a powerful scene. That would be great.

I wonder if they use Clarks memories again and give us some flashbacks for this or the "2018 movie". I want to see more of that great Pa Kent. I don't know if they may put an interaction in the present that Clark imagine having with Johnathan.

 

[FeedOnATreeFrog]

The Jonathan Kent death scene is one of my favorites.

 

[MrsKent26]

This is where Cavill showed his range as an actor and there were tons of it in Man of Steel. He has great facial expressions that tell the story. Acting isn't just all about how you say a line or how you move. It's also about expressing emotion through facial movements as well and the killing of Zod, Henry showed some serious chops in letting us see how he felt without even saying a word, especially the closeup of his face right before he made the decision. You can literally feel his agony and regret of killing Zod before he even does it. Cavill was fantastic.

The other scene where Henry showed his range came in the Pa Kent scene. He gave a great performance there when showing how bad he wanted to save Pa and then that scream showed how painful it really was to trust in Jonathan. Great stuff.

I agree. Some of Cavill's finest acting in MOS is with his face, not his voice. Unfortunately, I think some of the folks who call him wooden may have missed that.

Not that I didn't like the scenes where he used his voice. I found he displayed something special in these scenes as well:

These just have a "superman quality." I'm not even sure how to explain it. I'd make a terrible director. I'd be saying to the actor "Just be commanding! But not arrogant or menacing! Just be...you know...like Superman!"

Superman is a difficult character to be right for. There's a kind of insensible gravitas that's required. IMO, only Cavill and Reeve have really had it. It's something that you either have or don't have. There's no in between and for me, it's easy to recognize. The scenes above (and many others in MOS) just made me think "He has it."

 

[Tra-El]

I agree. Some of Cavill's finest acting in MOS is with his face, not his voice. Unfortunately, I think some of the folks who call him wooden may have missed that.

Not that I didn't like the scenes where he used his voice. I found he displayed something special in these scenes as well:

These just have a "superman quality." I'm not even sure how to explain it. I'd make a terrible director. I'd be saying to the actor "Just be commanding! But not arrogant or menacing! Just be...you know...like Superman!"

Superman is a difficult character to be right for. There's a kind of insensible gravitas that's required. IMO, only Cavill and Reeve have really had it. It's something that you either have or don't have. There's no in between and for me, it's easy to recognize. The scenes above (and many others in MOS) just made me think "He has it."

There's plenty of Superman-ish qualities from Cavill in MoS. The trucker scene was such a perfect Clark Kent and I think the part where he says "Or else...I'm gonna have to ask you to leave.." was such an innocent and mild-mannered line the way he said it. I geeked out there.

In the interrogation scene and the scene where he meets Lois for the first time in the Fortress before looking at Lois's wound showed his "kind" eyes to calm her down. He's just so heartwarming in his gaze and showed it in these two scenes just with his eyes alone. The charm is there without a shadow of a doubt.

Great call on when Supes was hovering in front of our military as well. "I would like to speak to Lois Lane.." had Superman written all over it that it wasn't even funny. The command and the sense of urgency in his voice sold it all over.

 

[MrsKent26]

Yes! His "kind" eyes are so superman as well.

We saw that in this scene too until he had to fly off:

That whole exchange in the cornfield was so Superman and Lois.

He was great in all of his scenes. Can't wait to see him interact with some new characters in BvS.

 

[Beige Lantern]

I think one of the best delivered lines of the movie is "And Kal... that's my name?" It's done subtly but masterfully because you can see his delight in knowing who he is.

 

[Tra-El]

I think one of the best delivered lines of the movie is "And Kal... that's my name?" It's done subtly but masterfully because you can see his delight in knowing who he is.

Another good call! It was almost like the child in him coming out for a brief moment but hiding his proud excitement of hearing his real name for the first time. In my eyes, there couldn't be a better casted Superman than Henry Cavill. So appreciative to have him.

 

[NewYorkSpider]

One of the most dramatic, emotional, powerful scene I've ever seen in cbms.

Rorschach's death in Watchmen is probably the best I've seen in a CBM. This scene with Cavill is right up there though.

 

[TheNextNolan22]

Yeah, Rorschach's death in Watchmen might be the most powerful moment in a CBM for me. That scene with Clark is also up there as well. Snyder damn sure knows how to shoot an emotional death scene.

 

[Batmannerism]

I said in an earlier post that i didnt remember Superman saving anyone in the final battle, and that he only saved people during the Smallville fight. Here it is:

I guess he saved Lois in Metropolis.

Again, Lois, and the rest of the human race.

You're right about your concerns about what would happen had superman got distracted by trying to save people during the fight. The thing is that he didnt help anyone even when the dust settled, instead he made out with Lois. People like to point out that she was the love of his life but he barely knew her and the scene itself had him looking passionless and dumbfounded at her and then they kissed and she delivered that line.

I think the whole sequence would have been 100 times better in general, better paced and less heart wretching if:
1. there was no desaturation filters that made everything look grey, like some dystopic future scene from Terminator
2. the action wasnt so freaking long
3. superman tried to reason with Zod, hadnt killed his entire race, and hadnt made out with a woman he barely knew on the rubbles of metropolis.

Then i wouldnt have minded not seeing him save people. But this was a scene so brutal, relentless, and grey that it honestly reminded me of the future scenes from Terminator.

Those are some fair points.

1. For me the colour palette worked, but that's just personal taste, so I could see how some wouldn't like it. Good point though. Pacific Rim, one of my other favourite films from last year had a fantastic colour palette, wow, loved it.

2. To be honest, I think it feels longer than it is. The fight with Zod is around five minutes, it just feels long because it's so apocalyptic.
Again, that's personal taste. For me, it was just long enough, longer would have been too much.
I agree that it did feel relentless, and I can see how that would put some people off.


3. Reasoning with Zod, after the "My soul, that is what you have taken from ME !" and of course Jor El's earlier attempts, Zod wasn't going to listen to reason, so I can't agree with you there.
As for killing Zod's entire race......well Zod didn't really give him much of an option, seeing as how Supes had narrowly avoided the extinction of humanity (by taking out the world engine) and Zod was still hell-bent on re-starting Krypton. If you want to get technical, Supes didn't kill any kryptonians, except Zod, as there was nothing in the genesis chamber at that time (because the codex to provide the DNA, was inside Supes). Also, the Kryptonians who were sucked back to the phantom Zone, may not be dead, and even if they were, that was Col. Hardy (although Supes was part of that plan).
I suppose on one level Zod really killed off his own race, because he was so insanely pig-headed about Krypton or Earth

But that's not a very good argument, even I wouldn't buy into that.
At the same time I don't think we can shift the sole responsibilty for the end of Kryptonian life onto Supes.

Now as for kissing Lois.......... again, for me that worked, mostly because Amy Adams is such a superb actress - the first version of Lois Lane I actually liked.


As for the Terminator reference, I agree, but that's what I liked. The sheer totality of the destruction, it was truly apocalyptic This is what happens when god-like beings throw down. In fact, for Superman to have to be involved things have to be pretty dire, hence the expression "this is a job for Superman ! But again, that's just personal.

So all in all, I'm not saying you're wrong about why you didn't like the film, that's totally your opinion, and I respect that. I'm just saying that from where I sit, a lot of the things you thought were negatives were huge positives for me.

cheers.

 

[Batmannerism]

Is it Gif time again.

Okay, here are some of my faves.

Supes doesn't just glide, he hurls himself into the sky.
I loved the "flight" sequence, definitely my favourite part of the film

And of course this.....
Now that is what a Superman fight scene should look like. POW !

The cape stuff is cool too..

This was my number one favourite moment, because at this precise instant it was like Superman had walked straight out of the comics and onto the screen. Magic ! Got a bit emotional.

 

[charl_huntress]

Batmannerism is my hero!

 

[Batmannerism]

Batmannerism is my hero!

That's very kind of you ! Cheers

 

[Spider-Aziz]

Supes doesn't just glide, he hurls himself into the sky.

He barfs to reach the sky?

And of course this.....
Now that is what a Superman fight scene should look like. POW !

Yes, indeed

I repeat what Charl said, you are my hero

 

[matt47]

While we're at it. So beautiful.

 

[FeedOnATreeFrog]

Dayyyyyuuum

Suit needs no tweaking.

 

[Glassjaw]

The blue needs to be, well blue. That right there is basically grey, which if the reports are to be believed, is the colour of the TDKR inspired Batman suit. Has to be some contrast between the two characters. To contrast Gotham and Batman I'm betting Metropolis and Superman's suit will look a heck of a lot brighter this time around.

 

[matt47]

I get what you're saying but I like that darker blue, it looks more alien to me.

 

[FeedOnATreeFrog]

It still looks pleasing to me!

but ditto on the contrast between the two characters though. I'm guessing the Superman stuff will be lighter than MOS, which feels natural given the end of MOS, while the Batman stuff will be darker than MOS.

 

[elgaz]

I agree. Some of Cavill's finest acting in MOS is with his face, not his voice. Unfortunately, I think some of the folks who call him wooden may have missed that.

Not that I didn't like the scenes where he used his voice. I found he displayed something special in these scenes as well:

These just have a "superman quality." I'm not even sure how to explain it. I'd make a terrible director. I'd be saying to the actor "Just be commanding! But not arrogant or menacing! Just be...you know...like Superman!"

Superman is a difficult character to be right for. There's a kind of insensible gravitas that's required. IMO, only Cavill and Reeve have really had it. It's something that you either have or don't have. There's no in between and for me, it's easy to recognize. The scenes above (and many others in MOS) just made me think "He has it."

I think it's a mixture of acting ability, hard work and Cavill's insane genetic luck with his looks/build. He has the kind of face which looks naturally kind and welcoming, but also steel-jawed and chiselled enough that he can furrow his brows and also do a serious or pissed-off Superman very well. It's EXACTLY how I picture a live action Superman, and as many have said already, eerily evocative of how Superman has been drawn by many artists over the years in the comics. Superman is the character who should be seen as a towering, kindly hero to a small kid ............. but to an enemy, a tough son-of-a-***** not to messed with. And that's what we got from Cavill.

Not to turn this into yet another SR debate, but it was hugely refreshing for me to see after the kind of bland expressionless deliveries we got from Routh.

I'll admit, I was actually on the fence 50/50 about whether I wanted Manganiello or Cavill for MOS back when they were casting. I thought Manganiello had potential despite some people's concerns about his range, and he also has that amazing physique. But I think we got the right man in the end, Cavill did an amazing job of not only making Superman super, but of also bringing across his very endearing human side.

 

[elgaz]

Is it Gif time again.

Okay, here are some of my faves.

Supes doesn't just glide, he hurls himself into the sky.
I loved the "flight" sequence, definitely my favourite part of the film

I thought the flying scenes were masterfully done, and also showed how much his skills improved over the course of the film - as Jor-El told him, he had to keep pushing himself and testing his limits.

He starts off with some unsteady jumps to high altitudes (great nod to "leap tall buildings with a single bound") on his first attempt at flight. But by the end of the film, when he destroys the satellite and talks to Swanwick in the desert, he is launching off the ground and accelerating past the speed of sound (hence the sonic boom) in just a couple of seconds.

 

[elgaz]

And of course, loved this shot also

 

[matt47]

^ don't forget in the zod battle. Him floating in that classic superman pose to Zod kneeling. When Zod's heat vision goes off in the building and instead of falling he starts to hover...gahh I love it!

 

[elgaz]

^ don't forget in the zod battle. Him floating in that classic superman pose to Zod kneeling. When Zod's heat vision goes off in the building and instead of falling he starts to hover...gahh I love it!

Agreed, I liked how Snyder handled all that - his flight abilities didn't just have to be about him launching off the ground and into the clouds every time. He was able to hover and float at pretty much any time it was convenient, this really showed how much his power of flight had become second nature to him pretty quickly.