I have to stay that they got everything about the character and his struggles right. It all rung true to what an adolescent and young Clark Kent would go through. Throughout the whole film I felt all the way there with Clark on his journey towards becoming the Man of Steel. I'm similarly adopted, from a foreign war-torn country, into the good ol' USA and have traveled to try to find my place. Thus, a lot of it just stood out and made me emotional in all of the right ways.
The alien invasion route, I think, might be what is throwing reviewers off. Because there is nothing like this. I can't come up with even one example of a film that goes in the same areas. It just really felt unique and new and refreshing, I'd more than love for other superhero films to approach them in the same way because here - it truly felt like Superman could be real and living among us rather than just a comic book adaptation which was truly spectacular in and by itself. To avoid confusion later on, it still felt like a comic book but the comics I love. For TDKR it was an amazing adaptation of 'No Man's Land,' while here it's a brilliant adaptation of 'Birth Right' 'For All Seasons' and the classic fight with Doomsday.
Due to this, although we don't get to truly meet the Daily Planet staff we feel right at place with them and among them because in a sense we are in the city and world that Superman is protecting.
The kiss between Lois and Clark does seem somewhat forced, but doesn't really detract from it. By the end their connection is truly established in a later scene at the Planet. I was really upset by how much focus Gwen got in 'The Amazing Spider-Man,' I like the middle grounds such as in 'Iron Man' but really dug the amount of focus between Bruce and Rachel in the Batman films and I see this going the same way.
Jonathan Kent's death is handled well, by the way people on here put it - I was afraid that Clark just didn't go over there. But, Jonathan told Clark not to rescue him which was really tough on both ends and you can see how that affected Clark.
I'm really unsure about what people meant by not enough character and too much action. The plot and characters were central to the overall story and got the most focus. With a run time of two hours and twenty minutes, only forty minutes went to the fight. These really long fight scenes typically get to me because of how long they are, but here that didn't really happen. I was fully engaged from beginning to end. Plus, in the end with Superman mourning Zod's death - that's all Superman and how I suppose any guy with a good heart would react. He's not as cold as Batman, so an action like this to him would naturally mean a lot.
There were some biblical antidotes that got me worried at first. But, it fits and really hits home. I see people complaining about the priest too, but I loved the priest and think many here will as well. He even LOOKS (!) like the priest from 'Superman: For All Seasons' and I'm pretty sure they share some of the same lines as well.
As to the level and destruction of the fight. Yes, a lot of Metropolis falls apart and gets destroyed but it was a necessary evil. If Superman didn't stop Zod more people would have died. He had to stop Zod as fast as he could to save as many people as he could. Here too, we've seen this fight with Doomsday. It's the same fight and same level of destruction which was really a treat to see.
The cinematography too was astounding in the final fight. The CGI was in top shape and top form which added to this, but at times it felt like you were flying right alongside Superman and seeing what he sees. It wasn't entirely first person POV, but it felt remarkably like it could be at some times that's how much you were along for the ride.
The editing in the beginning was a little choppy, but after a while it starts to flow better and that will definitely flow better upon second and sequential viewings.
What I look for in superhero films is something else. I look for films that I can completely relate to, for out of this world action that you can only see on the pages of a comic book, and for a riveting overall experience. I want it to feel like a comic book, but bring all of the weight of the characters as well. Because of this my favorite MARVEL MCU films are Avengers, Iron Man 3, Captain America, Iron Man, and Thor followed closely by The Incredible Hulk. I want to feel something and these are the films that paid off in spades to me:
1. MAN OF STEEL
2. THE AVENGERS
3. THE DARK KNIGHT RISES
4. X-MEN: FIRST CLASS
5. SPIDER-MAN 2
I don't hate TDK, I just don't think it's as good as it could have been. To me that film felt like it was apologizing that it was a comic book film by changing genres. The only real highlight is the Joker and Harvey Dent once he becomes Two Face. To me, TDK is 8.5 - 9/10. Whereas TDKR, while some parts were too short, truly felt like a Batman comic that truly captured the essence of the character or at least what the character means to me.
As an adoptee/orphan superheroes have always been more than just about fights and amazing spectacle. They've been so much more personal and inspiring to me because I can relate to them. I lost my parents when I was sent away partly and probably for safety from a war-torn country (highest crime rate in the world). Because of that, I've always felt like an outsider and have always traveled trying to find my place in the world and where I fit in. I've sometimes become upset that I don't know my biological parents and have accidentally hurt my mom one time with that. And despite all of that, superheroes in the end rise above. While they're impacted by that loss, they don't let it completely define them and they find a way to use it to rise above. That's what's always been inspiring to me. TDKR heavily dealt with that theme of the orphaned hero and MOS took it a step further. I could completely relate to Clark and that's what I was looking for. And Martha's reaction when Clark told he found his parents? Pitch perfect. Although I haven't found them yet, whenever I bring them up -- you can see a hint of the way Martha looks in that scene. For a superhero movie with an orphaned hero to truly get everything right, and this one did and then some.
You will truly believe a man can fly. 10/10 (or 9.75/10 - as said the editing was awkward at first (but, that would only be there in the first viewing since you don't know when and how it will jump back and forth) and the kiss was a tad bit forced but the overall focus on the relationship was handled much better than most films and I can truly see this as evolving into a relationship similar to Bruce and Rachel. So, while not 100% perfect - it's the closest there is).
even more psyched to see it and I thankfully don't have much longer to wait. Funny thing though I didn't wanna come to this wedding wanted to see Man of Steel so badly but the weddings been awesome so if its capped off by what I'm hoping will be the greatest CBM ever then all in all gonna be a great weekend.
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