For you. For myself it all worked like gangbuster each of my six times seeing it in theaters. And I am a Superman fan that isn't someone that likes something just cuz it's SUPERMAN. I hated LOIS AND CLARK and was disappointed in STAS and SMALLVILLE.
MOS was the Superman movie I didn't even know I wanted. It's NOT what I would have done, or would have had the testicular fortitude to do if I were in charge. All I wanted was an updated Donner formula, music too, and a physical baddie to showcase Supe's awesome power to rope in the DBZ generation.
For me, it worked that he wasn't immediately hailed as a savior. After all... Was Jesus immediately accepted by everyone around him? Sure, that messiah had followers but the story of his widespread acceptance didn't take place in a day. Otherwise that crucifixion don't happen.
The triumphs and tragedies in MOS are about Clark and how he reacts anyway. What were his struggles and quest. It's like with the ending... It doesn't matter what anyone thinks about him killing Zod... It matters what Superman thinks about him killing Zod.
The idea of Superman is usually a totally upbeat one, no argument, but there have been quite a few stories in comics over the years and there are even bits in the Reeve films, that point to less pure uplift, and I think it's fine to tell a more complex and more nuanced super hero story with the Man of Steel as a character. I think he's flexible enough a creation to be done in many ways and not break. If anything this world needs more fictional heroes that present morality, tragedy, and triumph in more shades than black and white and wrapped up in a bow of certainty. Real growth as we travel through life is ever so perfect. Would that more heroic fiction in the States at least, mirrored this. As I said before, STM was the fairy tale version of Superman from nearly 40 years ago... And it is a glorious fairy tale. But Superman has always changed with the times. From scrappy New Deal styled social crusader to agent of order and the status qou, to galactic hero and beyond. MOS is just another link in this chain for me.
