TMOS Review & Speculation Thread (Spoilers) - Part 2

[dnno1]

Elmayimbe's review of "Man of Steel"

 

[Poni_Boy]

I guess you chose not to listen to Jor-El's speech about bridging the culture of Krypton with that of Earth. That's why he puts on the suit.

I probably missed it since it was the up-teenth time someone told him about his purpose. Or maybe I was too distracted by the suit -- that was tailor made for him and colored differently for no viable reason -- magically appeared out of an antechamber of a space ship that had crash landed on Earth over 20,000 years ago. Yeah, that might have been it.

 

[Ozymandias]

The fights and such are CGI Gumby men fighting and while I've long pined for Superman to punch something - I got what I wished for. And dammit - I don't think it was worth it. I wasn't riding with Superman. I couldn't get an "in" to be rooting for him.

Most of the build up is about Clark trying to find his place in the world... even though he really kind of already knows what it is. It's more or less him trying to figure out "when" to come out of the alien closet - reducing him to a one note character. The key to Superman, with all his physical prowess, is to give him as many internal and emotional struggles as possible. That not only makes him interesting when he's unbeatable physically - but it also makes him more human and thus more relatable. He does wonder how he got here and what his place is - but then Jor El pops up in the fortress and explains it all to him in under 3 minutes.... effectively ruining the last 30-45 minutes and making them irrelevant to his character arc..... rendering him to have none.

I was far more into the fights than you were. I had no trouble rooting for Superman, and the use of super speed and the mass destruction caused fulfilled all of my hopes.

For me, all of the buildup prior to Jor-El is not rendered meaningless once Clark learns where he came from. Clark's upbringing on Earth is crucial to who he is. Without it, he would be far more likely to side with Zod than care about the fate of humankind. I did not get the sense he was a one note character just waiting to come out of the alien closet. His experiences adjusting to his powers as a child, saving others, watching his father sacrifice himself, and his many odd jobs traveling the world showed his internal emotional struggles.

 

[Ozymandias]

I probably missed it since it was the up-teenth time someone told him about his purpose. Or maybe I was too distracted by the suit -- that was tailor made for him and colored differently for no viable reason -- magically appeared out of an antechamber of a space ship that had crash landed on Earth over 20,000 years ago. Yeah, that might have been it.

Up until that point, the only "purpose" speeches Clark received were from Jonathan telling him he was meant for great things. Hearing the exact intention of him being sent to Earth from his alien father is quite different.

As for the suit, I could not have cared less that it wasn't explained why it was there. We're talking about a ship that has a genesis chamber to artificially create more Kryptonians, an AI that has all of the memories of Jor-El, and who knows what other technology. It's not crazy to think that the Jor-El AI could have seen Clark and had the ship create a suit to fit him.

 

[Anjow1060]

Anjow, from you said - it seems like it will be mine as well. Hell, even the trailer had a "moment" for me with him discovering the spaceship and asking Jonathan if he can continue pretending to be his son. That really struck a chord with me.

Also Clark Kent is Superman, Superman is Clark Kent - the only alternate persona is "Clark Kent." Also that most of the build up is Clark trying to find his place? That and action is all I want from the film to make it "my" Superman review. Basically saying, awesome and surprisingly more hyped despite it being intended as a negative review. We've already seen the Daily Planet crew, so now it's really time to dive into "Who Am I?" as The Amazing Spider-Man should have done and promised. So it sounds like the introspective superhero movie I've been waiting for since TDKR with amazing action to add.

1) The moment is when Jonathon dies. All the other moments don't play as well as they do in the trailer. Blame the editing / cinematography.

2 / 3) You don't understand my meaning. There is no emotional struggle shown. It's Clark working here. CUT TO: Clark now working there. CUT TO: Clark now working there. There is nothing "struggling" about it. There's no sentimentality or emotion tied to it.

- Jow

 

[slimshady247]

This is not at all what I wanted to hear.

 

[Ozymandias]

1) The moment is when Jonathon dies. All the other moments don't play as well as they do in the trailer. Blame the editing / cinematography.

2 / 3) You don't understand my meaning. There is no emotional struggle shown. It's Clark working here. CUT TO: Clark now working there. CUT TO: Clark now working there. There is nothing "struggling" about it. There's no sentimentality or emotion tied to it.

- Jow

There is nothing struggling about it? The guy can run at super speeds, but he's hitchhiking to avoid being seen using his superpowers. He can't fight back against anyone. He essentially can't be himself because he doesn't want others to find out he's an alien.

The struggle is that he knows he has the power to save people, but he doesn't know how to do so without alerting the entire world that they're not alone in the universe. His father taught him that the world wasn't ready and they would reject him. The fear of rejection is something everyone faces, and for me it made Clark more relatable.

 

[hitmanyr2k]

There is nothing struggling about it? The guy can run at super speeds, but he's hitchhiking to avoid being seen using his superpowers. He can't fight back against anyone. He essentially can't be himself because he doesn't want others to find out he's an alien.

The struggle is that he knows he has the power to save people, but he doesn't know how to do so without alerting the entire world that they're not alone in the universe. His father taught him that the world wasn't ready and they would reject him. The fear of rejection is something everyone faces, and for me it made Clark more relatable.

I don't know. It just sounds kind of stupid to me. If the world rejects him so what? What are they going to do to him? He could EASILY prove himself by helping people in the first place. I hate to bring up the Donner movies but Superman revealed himself by doing what? SAVING people Why would the world reject you when you're doing good things?

 

[Herolee10]

If I only had a time machine so that i could travel back to the past and warn people about this period.lol

 

[Iron_Madrigal]

I don't know. It just sounds kind of stupid to me. If the world rejects him so what? What are they going to do to him? He could EASILY prove himself by helping people in the first place. I hate to bring up the Donner movies but Superman revealed himself by doing what? SAVING people Why would the world reject you when you're doing good things?

Pa Kent's death was melodramatic and forced.

 

[Ultimatehero]

There is nothing struggling about it? The guy can run at super speeds, but he's hitchhiking to avoid being seen using his superpowers. He can't fight back against anyone. He essentially can't be himself because he doesn't want others to find out he's an alien.

The struggle is that he knows he has the power to save people, but he doesn't know how to do so without alerting the entire world that they're not alone in the universe. His father taught him that the world wasn't ready and they would reject him. The fear of rejection is something everyone faces, and for me it made Clark more relatable.

/\ I have to say this is definitely going to be me and my outlook on it after seeing it, since it seriously seems like Ozy and I look at this in the same way.

Plus Russel Crowe who said he would never be in a superhero movie said that he accepted when he read the script and loved how much it was based around Superman's families and the complications that arise from that.

It also says something to me that the top critics are giving it the same score as Batman Begins.

Anjow, just from these three points I'm sure we'll see oppositely including after I see it.

 

[Poni_Boy]

Pa Kent's death was melodramatic and forced.

Not to mention easily avoided

 

[flickchick85]

If I only had a time machine so that i could travel back to the past and warn people about this period.lol

If you went back in time and warned people about the current meltdown, you'd just create a meltdown in the past, and ruin the glorious time that was the care-free, hope-filled last couple of weeks. What kind of monster are you?

 

[dnno1]

Like I said in my review, stuff happens "just because" which is a telltale sign of poor storytelling

You know what's really funny, you didn't say that about "Avengers" (a film that had it's share of plot holes and contrivances), but yet you had stuff like this going on in that film:

Yep, buildings were destroyed, stuff was blown up in that film (and there was a lot of CGI), but yet when it happens with Superman who is fighting otherworldly beings and is doing things far beyond those of mortal men (and stunt actors), it's just poor writing to you. Obviously, you have a double standard here or you just write with a forked pen. In any case I don't think you have much credibility here because of your inconsistencies.

 

[FourteenthAngel]

In Avengers, stuff just happened and plenty of it without much logical reasoning behind it. The plot was also quite weak.

 

[Poni_Boy]

You know what's really funny, you didn't say that about "Avengers" (a film that had it's share of plot holes and contrivances), but yet you had stuff like this going on in that film:

Yep, buildings were destroyed, stuff was blown up in that film (and there was a lot of CGI), but yet when it happens with Superman who is fighting otherworldly beings and is doing things far beyond those of mortal men (and stunt actors), it's just poor writing to you. Obviously, you have a double standard here or you just write with a forked pen. In any case I don't think you have much credibility here because of your inconsistencies.

I don't compare the two films. What I felt worked in one didn't work in another.

Sounds like you're just picking a fight. Goodbye

 

[bizarroelaine]

Was there any significance to the ring from lois' apartment that was on sale as a prop a few months ago?

 

[Marvin]

Pa Kent's death was melodramatic and forced.

Not to mention easily avoided

Sounds like a few other comic book father figure deaths I've seen

 

[RastaMentality]

I loved the last scene.

 

[NJCaliboi]

I don't know. It just sounds kind of stupid to me. If the world rejects him so what? What are they going to do to him? He could EASILY prove himself by helping people in the first place. I hate to bring up the Donner movies but Superman revealed himself by doing what? SAVING people Why would the world reject you when you're doing good things?

I really want to disagree with u and say ur making it too simplistic and simple but as I think about it ur points are valid, in fact it's too logical for movies. So while u may be right it won't matter much, as people will forgive that and chalk it up to "well it is a movie about a flying, laser eyed, invulnerable alien human-looking guy" so we can over look that.

 

[bizarroelaine]

I loved the last scene.

Spoiler

Is it perry who introduces clark?

 

[Herolee10]

If you went back in time and warned people about the current meltdown, you'd just create a meltdown in the past, and ruin the glorious time that was the care-free, hope-filled last couple of weeks. What kind of monster are you?

Tis true; damn, what does an person do in this case?lol

 

[Marvin]

In Avengers, stuff just happened and plenty of it without much logical reasoning behind it. The plot was also quite weak.

Seems Nolan's superman is being held to a higher standard.
All this talk of struggle and emotional connection failing yet not even remotely attempted in the second highest rated cbm of all time. I suppose people did cry when Coulson [BLACKOUT]died[/BLACKOUT] I assume no tears will be shed this time around.

Can't blame people though, this film has alot of hype and made alot of promises.

At this rate it will be at 55% by tmr and 0% by friday.
WWZ will have a higher score no doubt and all because this film didn't meet it's standard.

 

[Ozymandias]

Spoiler

Is it perry who introduces clark?

Spoiler

Yes, it is.

 

[Marvin]

I don't know. It just sounds kind of stupid to me. If the world rejects him so what? What are they going to do to him? He could EASILY prove himself by helping people in the first place. I hate to bring up the Donner movies but Superman revealed himself by doing what? SAVING people Why would the world reject you when you're doing good things?

Yea, maybe if he just watched those movies like the rest of us did he'd know how silly he was being..

There's something to be said for a character's own reality and belief's, especially when they are indoctrinated into them at a young age. Next people will come down on superheros for not revealing their identities to their female leads immediately...I mean it's pretty obvious the females will accept them after all..