TMOS Review & Speculation Thread (Spoilers) - Part 3

[Tra-El]

I'll have a written review soon, but I'll drop my youtube video here. Still tough to talk about it in words. Too fresh not to jump around everywhere haha.


Tra-EL's Man of Steel movie review: May contain mild spoilers:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYHaoc2xX_A

 

[Scarface5]

This is the most eloquent and brilliant review of this movie I have read. It perfectly sums up how I feel about it stands as an incredible and persuasive counterpoint to those with such visceral reactions against it.

http://www.supermanhomepage.com/news.php?readmore=13399

The whole thing is the in spoiler tag below, no spoilers, just saving space.

Spoiler

"Man Of Steel - First Impressions"
By Marc Pritchard

"Joyless," Mark Waid said. And I guess he'd be one to know, right, given the great things he's done with our boy over the years, some of it mined for this movie? Still, in this case I don't see things the way he does.
No, there isn't a lot of overt joy in this film, but that seems to me entirely the point. And it's not darkness, either. No, this movie is about loneliness, sadness, alienation and the raw impulse toward freedom. If it is joyless and dark, it is only to the extent that joy's absence is the hole that must be filled - nay, that will be filled.
Man of Steel, in other words, is about why joy and love and trust matter, and why they are hard-won and worth the tragedy of death. It is not some wanton celebration of joy's disappearance into nostalgia. There is death and destruction, yes, but there would have to be. That's what "serious" and "realistic" look like if you take those ideas... well, seriously. Battles to the death between beings with this magnitude of power would not confine themselves to a few city blocks and do little more damage than blowing out a few windows, popping open a few manholes, and knocking over a single Coca-Cola billboard.
I'm sorry, but those days are over.
And so lament that, I say, but not the mood and tone of this film. Lament the loss of our innocence, not Superman's. Because Superman doesn't need to be "innocent," he just needs to be aware. Responsible. Accountable.
And this Superman is all of that.
And so I say this film is the product of a reverence to this character and the ideals he embodies, not a betrayal, as some are saying - a reverence, moreover, that may make its first move on faith (which never impresses me) but doesn't let it end there. A film with the courage of its convictions, and those, I find, are in short supply.
So, yeah, I remain, after two showings now, thoroughly favourable to Zack Snyder's and David Goyer's interpretation and presentation of Superman. To some extent, I can echo a lot of what my Homepage colleagues have already said:

• Shawn Morrissey (aka Hypoxic, aka Slo-Mo): There is a sombre tone, to be honest, and this was something that worried many fans. While there is a melancholy, it's suitably well-measured and unfolds to reveal a heroic centerpiece. Scotty V (aka Scotty V): The jaw-dropping action scenes are nothing short of awe-inspiring at every turn. [...] Man of Steel grabs you from it's [sic] first fade-in and doesn't let go until the credits roll.
  Steve Younis (aka Chief): Henry is Superman! He embodies the role so well. He too takes us on a journey of so many emotions. [...] He's able to deliver so much in just the smallest of glances.

Indeed, boys, indeed. Do I think there were problems? I do, especially with the editing, but if we're still avoiding the details, then let's avoid them. Right? We'll get to them. Meanwhile, if it's gotta be in numbers, as of today I give Man of Steel an 8/10, but, believe me, I haven't said my last on this and a second review absolutely stuffed with spoilers and other goodies should be ready in another week or so.
Meet you here.
Marc

 

[JerseyJoker]

My review:

http://thejerseycritic.wordpress.com/2013/06/15/stub-review-man-of-steel/

 

[The Guard]

I need to see MAN OF STEEL again before writing a review, but...I think people trying to figure out things Superman could have done in that moment to save that family are missing the point of the scene.

Superman isn't just screaming "Don't do this" meaning "Don't fry these three or four people". There's a bit of metatext to the whole sequence. He's trying like hell to get Zod to stop fighting and destroying Earth, period. Hence the fact that he stops fighting Zod, and has him in a headlock. He's trying to reason with a superpowered being who is borderline insane with rage and grief.

And when Zod says "Never"...the point is not that Superman couldn't have put his hands over his eyes, or that he couldn't have tried to get Zod away from people...there are ALL KINDS OF THINGS he could have done, and he tried to do many of them already during their battle...the point is that eventually Zod would have continued to threaten innocents, and made this very clear. And Superman did what he thought he had to do.

 

[Figs]

I don't know about anyone else but after seeing this movie late last night, I can't get this movie out of my head. In a good way! This movie was so different than what's come before and I'm not just talking about the increase in action.

I didn't find it too dark at all, a bit grim but it worked with the story they were telling. My only real complaints...

1. As many others have already said, they needed to let the flashback scenes breath a bit more. They were too short. I didn't want them to be as long as the ones in Batman Begins, but then again, I wonder what the combined run time for them was. BB had two major flashbacks that were fairly lengthy, while MoS had something like 4-5 maybe six but they were shorter of course.

2. This one is an incredibly tiny nitpick, and I usually don't nitpick films. I thought it was kind of weak that Jor El was able to beat up Zod. He's a scientist who was engineered to be one while Zod was engineered for battle, which I assume is war tactics as well as hand to hand fighting.

3. Too much shaky cam. This was the first thing my wife said when I asked her if she like the movie. Her exact response, "it was terrible". I thought she meant the overall film but then she explained that she only meant the shoddy camera work. I expected more from Snyder in that department as well as the visuals. Thinking back to 300, Watchmen and Sucker Punch, the scenes in those films were shot well and were clear and easy to watch. In this film he may not have pissed off some fans by putting in slow motion like he usually does, but it seem he traded that up for sloppy camera work. Don't get me wrong, I'm used to shaky camera editing during action scenes, that seems to be the trend this past decade but as my wife pointed out, the camera was moving constantly in stupid ways even during talking scenes where it should have been still, minus any panning they might have wanted to do.

The performances in this were great. While I grew up watching Donner's films(and those terrible sequels which I haven't seen since my grade school days and don't plan to revisit)I must say that this is my favorite Superman film and this next opinion might open the doors for people to give me a hard time, but as much as I loved Reeve in the role, Cavill is my favorite now. He edges out Reeve just a little. I really thought Costner did a fantastic job, might be bias due to being a big fan since childhood watching a number of his films with my dad. I couldn't tell you how many times I've seen Field of Dreams and Robin Hood, Dances With Wolves and No Way Out. I just wish he had a bit more screen time. Which goes back to one of my complaints that the flash back scenes needed to be fleshed out more. Amy Adams was pretty good as Lane, since I don't read Superman comics I'm not 100% sure how accurate she was written when comparing the character to the comic version, but I liked her overall. Michael Shannon was great at Zod. At first I was worried because his first few scenes in the beginning he was overacting a bit, but once he comes to Earth he was fantastic.

As for other complaints that a number of critics and fans had, I didn't give a damn that Lane knew where Zod and Superman ended up at the end of their fight. It's a nitpick as far as I'm concerned and it didn't bother me at all. The destruction of Metropolis and the obvious deaths of a lot of it's citizens also didn't bother me as much. People made it sound like Superman didn't give a damn, but he was in the middle of a heated battle and a lot of the destruction was from him being thrown into the buildings by Zod and there's not much he could have done in those moments until he got his footing back. My wife and I both agreed that since this movie was PG13 they wouldn't have gotten away with showing numerous dead bodies around, which it seems is what some fans wanted from the complaints I have read these past few days. They had scenes of citizens running away from the destruction, not to mention early on when that ship is using that gravity energy to terraform Earth, you can see some of the people of Metropolis getting lifted up way in the air along with the cars and rubble and then getting shot back down.

Overall, I give this movie a 3.5/5. I almost wanted to give it a 4 but I thought about it a bit longer and realize that it wasn't THAT good. I definitely will be seeing this in the theater again but this time it won't be 3D on Imax.

I do feel bad for all the hardcore fans that were disappointed with the movie, or even flat out hated it. Hopefully you get the movie you wanted with the sequel. As others have said, if this was the BB of the series, maybe the next one will be more like TDK and blow the first film out of the water. In certain areas at least.

One last thing. At any point in the history of the comics, did the Kryptonians make/engineer their citizens or was that made up for this movie? I really liked that idea.

 

[LostSon88]

Really kinda emphasized how Clark really is the "Last Son of Krypton."

Loved it.

 

[TheFlamingCoco]

^ Yes. This Superman isn't a "smallville movie" and it certainly isn't a "metropolis movie." It's a "Krypton movie" focusing more on the idea of him as a "Super" man, than as a human. But there WAS plenty of a human element. And Superman was no more brooding than who ANY concerned citizen would be. It's like it has to be Reeve's happy-go-lucky Superman or it isn't valid. I bet these critics wouldn't like TAS.

As for Cavill, he actually reminded me of George Reeves at times, and occasionally Chris. But mostly, he NAILED who Superman is in comics, personality wise

 

[snowball41293]

nice but spoilery review here:
http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2013/06/man-of-steel-review-a-surprisingly-human-superhuman-story/

Man of Steel is far from perfect. A lot of the excesses that made Snyder's Watchmen and 300 such ridiculously over-the-top spectacles are still on display here. But by taking a good, hard look at how humanity would react to a world that suddenly had a Superman (and supervillains) in it, the movie gains an emotional core that's missing from many of the less thoughtful superhero flicks. After the utter misfire of Superman Returns, this could finally be the film that rebuilds Superman as a continuing film franchise in a way that will resonate with audiences.

 

[BH/HHH]

I need to see MAN OF STEEL again before writing a review, but...I think people trying to figure out things Superman could have done in that moment to save that family are missing the point of the scene.

Superman isn't just screaming "Don't do this" meaning "Don't fry these three or four people". There's a bit of metatext to the whole sequence. He's trying like hell to get Zod to stop fighting and destroying Earth, period. Hence the fact that he stops fighting Zod, and has him in a headlock. He's trying to reason with a superpowered being who is borderline insane with rage and grief.

And when Zod says "Never"...the point is not that Superman couldn't have put his hands over his eyes, or that he couldn't have tried to get Zod away from people...there are ALL KINDS OF THINGS he could have done, and he tried to do many of them already during their battle...the point is that eventually Zod would have continued to threaten innocents, and made this very clear. And Superman did what he thought he had to do.

Great post

This was definitely not a "I don't have to save you moment" he really had no other choice.

Tbh I loved the scene the tension, the emotion, it was all there in that one moment.

 

[Doc Samson]

Well I certainly didn't receive any diminishing returns. I felt that there was JUST ENOUGH action. When I say plethora, I mean in comparison to the previous Superman films. I felt that all the action in this film was justified.


Well then you and I just fundamentally disagree. I felt that this film covered all the bases that makes Superman the figure of authority that he's come to be known as. Pa Kent guides him to be a good person, Jor El supports that notion and Ma Kent nurtures all of that with her love and support. They got all the character development and emotional storytelling done before the climactic battles so I didn't need to see him question himself while he's fighting Zod and his cronnies. He already knew who and what he wanted to be! No, he might not have been able to save every life in Metropolis. Yes, he might have caused some accidental deaths by fighting with Zod.....but if the dominoes are falling, you have to sacrifice some of them to stop the REST from falling. If there's a threat that is not going to stop, then you need to stop the threat before any further damage is done. If you're too preoccupied with keeping everyone safe, then that threat will just continue to wreak havoc. To me that's just common sense...and maybe that's why I'm perfectly fine without seeing Superman worrying about the people who are dying in the path of the battle. If anything, Zod threatening to kill the family at the end was meant to signify the collateral damage. Zod and Superman's battle surely killed dozens of people, but Superman had to stop Zod despite the consequences.

In absolute & total agreement!!

 

[RoughNTumble]

saw it for the second time today

really didn't enjoy myself this time

it felt like it was 3 and a half hours long

I'm beginning to think fans will start turning against this movie en masse once the initial excitement settles down

it's hard to admit because on paper this movie did everything I could have hoped for

 

[macphisto96]

saw it for the second time today

really didn't enjoy myself this time

it felt like it was 3 and a half hours long

I'm beginning to think fans will start turning against this movie en masse once the initial excitement settles down

it's hard to admit because on paper this movie did everything I could have hoped for

I had the opposite experience the second time I saw it. Went even faster than the first, flowed better, and passed The Dark Knight. Seriously. The more I listen to the soundtrack, think about it, and watch it, the greater of a film I find it to be.

But the film takes processing.

And this whole process has really pushed Superman above Batman for me. I never thought that would happen, but Superman is just such an incredible character overall - and not for his powers, but what he chooses to do. He is a god who chooses benevolence, love, and peace when he could just so easily intimidate, rule, and dominate. That's what makes Clark, the Kents, and even Jor-El so great as well - the molding of Kal-El into a superpowered servant instead of a tyrant who could decimate militaries without much effort.

 

[GremlinZilla89]

I had the opposite experience the second time I saw it. Went even faster than the first, flowed better, and passed The Dark Knight. Seriously. The more I listen to the soundtrack, think about it, and watch it, the greater of a film I find it to be.

But the film takes processing.

This. I loved it the first time I saw it, but the second time the whole thing flew by even faster.

 

[Metallo]

Well lads...I saw MOS last night. I had a lot of apprehensions about this movie but I honestly tried to go into it fair and with an open mind. And truthfully I rarely found myself comparing it to past incarnations of Superman WHILE I was watching it. I didn't really do that until later and only then it was more in terms of execution rather than WANTING it to be like past incarnations The only time I did was in the flashbacks to Young Clarks life. I could help but compare it to Smallville with Lana and Pete there.

But anyway on the the review/long @$$ed post.

SPOILERS!

Spoiler

As soon as the film opened I got a strong Star Trek 09 vibe visually and structurally. Opening with Kal-El's birth reminded me of Trek 09 opening with James Kirks birth. Now I didn't mind that they opened this way at all because not only is it different (I welcomed that) but it makes sense. Actually it makes even more sense than it did in Trek since Superman's story often starts with him as a baby. Lara dying on Krypton also reminded me of Amanda's death in Star Trek 09 with the planet going up around her. But I liked it because it gave Lara something different to do than just "hug Jor-El until the planet blows up." I also got as weird Kirk/Nero vibe from Clark/Zod later on.

I really like this films version of Krypton. Its got a more modern slant production design wise. Very detailed but this Krypton also has a Silver Age craziness to it. I loved Jor El hopping on the giant space dragon or whatever the hell that was. It does much more to create a "world" for us to experience. Only issue I had was there was a little too much going on in some shots. I know they wanted to create this frenetic chaos as we are witnessing a battle/attempted military coup and the planets destruction but it was a lot to take in in some shots. But I loved some of the shots of the landscape and the wildlife. Like I said we get to experience more of what Krypton is like.

Crowe is solid as Jor-El. I like that he got to do a bit more and take on Zod before the end. Reminded me of Jor -El "man of action" like we've seen before such as in Superman TAS. He didn't blow me away but its a strong performance. Doesn't feel like he phoned it in or anything like that. I think I liked his performance as the Jor-El A.I. later on even more. You could tell that what Jor-El was was still there but it was like a digitized version of a faded photocopy. It felt a bit more cold and to the point. the IDEA of what it was came off well. It was a subtle distinction that I think he did a fine job showing.

Cavill is great...when the film really lets him come alive. I know he's supposed to be kind of somber because of where he is in his life. He's kind of "lost" emotionally trying to find out who he is, where he comes from, and what he's here for. When he gets to do more than furrowed brow expressions hes good. His line delivery is solid. Less stiff and awkward than Rouths was at times even though I liked Routh a lot. That's no slight on Brandon but Cavills a more experienced actor at this stage in his career. Cavills certainly got more gravitas and more of commanding presence as Superman than Cain did as Superman or Welling did as pseudo-Superman in training (near the end of Smallville). I think Cain got to show more charm but again thats because Cains Clark/Superman and Cavills Clark/Superman are in such different places in there lives.

I'd say if anything Cavills Superman reminds me of Tim Dalys in terms of delivery. Its a very straightforward serious take on his personality. The vocal range is pretty steady. I think it works sometimes but I also think thats where some critics might take issue with his performance. Reeve and Reeves got to show much more range in everything from facial expressions, line deliver, and vocal range. More fun less overly serious. Sometimes Cavill has this strange "i'm trying to hide my accent" monotone whereas Reeve and Reeves moved up and down a lot in terms of voice and personality. Things like their line delivery had more diversity and range instead of being so monotone. Does anyone get what I'm trying to say? Thats not a knock on Cavill its mostly the type of story that dictates what he's doing. This Clark is in a different place. I get that.

But when Cavill really gets to come alive he REALLY comes alive. When he gets to fly for the first time I FELT it. It was amazing. The whole film has some of the same issues of things not having enough feeling though. Epic stuff is going on but sometimes it never registered with me emotionally. Like when Suprman was trying to take down the Kryptonian World machine near the end. I know it was supposed to be gripping and serious but I kinda checked out. Not so when he flew for the first time and hit orbit. I was like "WOW!" Thats the kind of feeling and I wanted more of it. There are a few more great moments like that sprinkled int he film but for long gaps I had this disconnect. And it wasn't so much because of the scale of things it was because the filmmakers, IMO, didn't do as good a job of getting it all to resonate with me emotionally.

Sometimes they did and sometimes they didn't. I think a lot of this has to do with Snyder's directing and particularly Goyers writing because there is a good cast here. Snyders not what I'd call the best actors director. He's a visual guy. Goyers work over the years is dubious at best. Good with ideas but sometimes the small character stuff doesn't always work.

Another time Cavill and the film REALLY come alive is the stuff with the Kents. I love Diane Lane. She gives Martha some great southern gal quirks. I like that they didn't' mind aging her up for the present day stuff. She came of like a real person instead of only this untouchable ideal of parenthood. She was a great mother but she felt like a REAL mother. The Flashback with Clark trapping himself in the closet or room or whatever is another strong scene. The "X raying through everything" stuff was done before in Smallville but the way MoS handled it was great.

Most of the flashbacks really work even if the way some of them are included is a little jarring. Young Clark kinda had me laughing because he looked a little like Welling when he saved the bus but he looked like an ACTUAL KID. The Smallville flashbacks in this movie fixed most of the issues I had with Smallville the series whenever it did similar things. MOS treated it all far more seriously. I liked what they did with Pete Ross in this movie. I felt like they did more with the Clark/Pete relationship in like...2 minutes than Smallville did in the years Pete was on the show. I wanted to see that friendship explored a bit more in MOS. Maybe in the sequel.

Costner as Pa Kent is another stand out. He's right up there with Glenn Ford, John Schneider, Mike Farrell, etc. In my opinion anyway. He's a decent salt of the earth hard working man. The kind of man you believe Clark could get his strong morals from. I feel like their scenes hit just the right notes. Its not about him fearing his son but being fearful for him if things don't play out right. He wants it all to play out right and he knows there's a time and a place for everything and Clarks time will come. His death scene really moved my. Its another sequence where I felt Cavill got to come alive in the role and show what kind of actor he is. The tornado killing him played out a little awkward because of the set up but it works for me. The way he warned him off "don't do it" really hit me I knew the risk and was willing to die for Clark. Willing to die to protect him because he knew it wasn't time. And Clark did the hardest thing he'd ever had to do up to that point and trust his father. Great stuff.

I admired how the film revolves around the core of Superman and his two fathers and I love how instead of working against each other its almost like their efforts were in concert for different parts of Clarks life when needed. Clark really does come off like a child of two worlds instead of a child of one or the other the way its been in past incarnations and personally thats something I've always wanted. I've always felt it should be that way instead of belittling one or the other. His Kryptonian heritage and his Earth upbringing are both shown reverence in this movie. He's a product of both fathers and both worlds. Personally thats one place where I think it improves on Byrne's own Man of Steel reboot. The human background for Clark is strong without sacrificing his ties to Krypton.

Superman Returns tried some similar stuff with the characters personality and thats one place I applaud SR and MOS. It never felt like they were forcing fans to choose one or the other. It was about Clark, Kal-El, and Superman all united as part of one ultimate being. It worked for me because we are all multifaceted beings with different sides to who we are.
I think one weak spot is Lois and specifically Clark and Lois's relationship. Amy Adams is a damn good actress but I kind of think she's miscast or they didn't do enough to give her better "character" moments. She does the best she can here but she never really gets to show off Lois's spitfire side much and when she does it didn't' quite click for me. I know its a different take but still...I think she would have been a better Lana than Lois.

BUT...Lois has some really important stuff to do in this movie. Probably more actual work than any other Lois in the same amount of time. They really did a good job showing that Lois is good at her job by looking into the space ship in the arctic story and later by following Clarks trail. I liked that she got to go onto Zods ship with Superman (even if it didn't make much sense for Zod to choose her. She broke the story I know...but still). I liked that she accompanies Hardy and the military on the final run against Zod not only to cover things but to help actually STOP Zods plan. Personally I think Kidder, Hatcher, Coates, and particularly Delaney gave Lois a stronger personality with less but Adams aint bad. Just a bit too light.

And I never really felt any heat between her and Cavills Clark/Superman. Even at the end when they had that "passionate" kiss. They didn't really have much chemistry to me as two people attracted to each other. Its not the first time its happened in a movie like this but I think that kind of chemistry between Clark and Lois is essential in a Superman film. Maybe when they get to do more together in a sequel. I think Downey and Paltrow have a great chemistry in the Iron Man/Avengers films. They bounce off each other very well. I think the KIND of stories they got to tell in those movies helped since there were more light moments but I really dug their relationship in The Avengers. That kind of stuff is one place Joss Whedon kicks David Goyers ass up and down the street. Joss knows how to do character stuff, dialogue, etc.

In STM Lois and Superman had a real innocent romantic spark between them. It wasn't lustful or "sexy" but there was a strong rapport there any time they were together. I'm not a huge fan of Lois & Clark but I think Cain and Hatcher had the best chemistry of any Lois and Clark ever. It seemed like there was real passion there. Especially when they kissed. Whenever they had scenes together there was this magnetism and charm. I guess thats another one we can chalk up to the difference in stories and styles but I still think Clark and Lois need that chemistry.

I liked Shannon's take on Zod. Its not as ...refined(?) or broad as Terence Stamps excellent turn as The General but I welcomed a different version. I love Stamps work but Shannon is good. I think if I had to highlight some key differences its that Stamps Zod comes off more like nobility that is more refined and sees himself as superior. Shannon's Zod struck me more as as true military lifer. He's a harder man but equally as ruthless. He's someone I could see as a grunt who rose through the ranks at some point. Shannon doesn't overplay it but he gets to give his Zod more emotion and his versions is portrayed as a man with a more understandable purpose even though he's twisting that purpose so that the ends justify the terrible means.

I liked Faora too. She comes off as exotic but at the same time incredibly cold blooded. More so than Zod. She's a real psychopath underneath that pretty surface. Jax Ur gets thrown in for fan service I like that they portray him as a twisted scientist/Dr Mindbender meets Josef Mengele type. I wanted more with Dr. Hamilton but again it was nice fan service to throw him in there. There was a lot of that with other characters fans might notice like Jor Els robot Keelex. I dug that Snyder brought back that guy from Dawn of The Dead to play Steve Lombard. Great choice. He could have provided the film with even more much needed levity and humor. Laurence FIshburne was OK as Perry White. He didn't have a lot to do but what he did have was pulled off well. There's never been a bad Perry White IMO (Ok...maybe Michael McKean) and that's because its not a huge part and you get an older more experienced actor. They've all done it differently but I've enjoyed all the different takes. I had to LOL at the ear ring though. C'mon...Chris O'Donnell's ear ring in Batman Forever was lame enough.

I think one of my favorite characters in the whole movie was Chris Meloni's Col. Hardy. I loved his almost rivalry with Faora. Snyder and Goyer and the cast and crew created real tension when Faora kept advancing towards him after his chopper crashed during the Smallville battle. He didn't give up even when he knew she was unstoppable. They both pulled their blades and I thought Hardy was dead. Great save by Superman. The film needed more moments like that to build drama and tension. They put a good characters life at stake after we got a chance to know him and it works. The character accepted Superman because Clark showed him what kind of man he was and in the end I think Hardy was an even bigger hero. when he crashed into Zods ship it created a great moment. The callback to Faora's line about a fine death being its own reward was priceless too.

I think one place where it improves on SR is Clark questioning his place in the world and his feelings of being lost. I know the circumstances were different (in SR Clark was trying to fit back in to a world that moved on and in MOS Clark was trying to reveal himself to a world that had never encountered anything like him before). in SR they really only tried to cover where Clark/Superman fit in in his own personal life that he'd left behind instead of truly looking as Superman's place in the world he'd left behind and now returned to. MoS does a better job exploring how Clark/Superman fits into the world as a whole as he struggles to find his place. It touches on how the governement and the people and the military view him and eventually accept him. SR needed more of that but instead most of the world instantly re-accepted him and glossed over all that. I liked SR but that was one of its flaws.

 

[Metallo]

Part 2.

SPOILERS!

Spoiler

Where I think the movie suffers is the second half and broadly speaking the weak connective tissue of the film for lack of better words. There are great moments but as a whole i didn't feel like everything quite gelled. Some scenes and sequences work (amazingly well in a few cases) and others just didn't register for me. The way some of the present day scenes all unfolded after Clark saved the rig felt as little clunky. The flow wasn't always smooth and I don't mean because of the inter cutting of flashbacks.

I enjoyed the Smallville battle between Supes and Zods crew more than the final big action set pieces of the film because I think the HUMAN stakes were not only high but better represented. We saw people in the streets fleeing and hiding and before that Martha was being threatened. Later on the Kryptonians were crushing the military like they were insects. I LOVED when Faora gets hit with the missle. Its like she's surrounded be a sea of fire. Very cool. I appreciated shots like that because it showed the kind of power these people were wielding. But as the fight between Superman Faora and Namek progressed the CGI...looked thouroughly like CGI in places. I appreciated the scope of it but sometimes less is more. These problems were only magnefied at the end of the movie.

I kept thinking about Matrix Revolutions and Smith vs Neo and while the action at the end of MOS is even bigger it gets SO big and SO CGI sometimes that I found myself stepping out of the movie. Not only that but I didn't think the personal element of the Superman/Zod fight was as strong as it was between Neo and Smith. I guess this is PARTLY my fault because I expected the final battle between Superman and Zod to be MUCH better. When it was over I was like "thats it?" People built it up to be amazing. I mean its all big time stuff scale wise but like I said I didn't feel the tension was there like it should have been and the way it played out didn't quite work for me. It all felt staged and blatantly so. Like they were going through a checklist "OK its time for the big fight so lets fight!" I think what I'm trying to say is all this stuff didn't play out as organically as it should have. Not to me anyway.

The Avengers, Iron Man and even Thor did a better job with this even though the battles in MOS are much more ambitious. Arguably even more ambitious than those in The Avengers. I think its because the human element doesn't get lost and those action pieces are much better paced and plotted. And even though there is "less" that allowed the film makers to make that 'less" better. Not only that but there was a steady logical build to that finale. It was clear what Loki's plan was pretty early on.

I know Superman was busy stopping Zod but I think we needed to see more of the human factor with the people in peril and Superman trying to save them while Zod and the Kryptonians unleashed hell. We saw a bit when the World machine and Black Zero were doing their things but not enough (especially after both were destroyed). Metropolis's destruction was looking like 9/11 times ten but I didn't feel the tension and sense of a threat to the city or the people. When Supes and Zod crashed through skyscrapers I can only imagine how many people were in some of them or on the ground when they fell. In Avengers we not only saw people suffering but we saw the Avengers saving people during the battle.

It added to the tension because we saw how high the stakes were and we saw how the Avengers had two things to worry about at once: the invasion and the people. Superman II's Metropolis battle had some of the same good things going for it. We got to see the human stakes elevate the drama as Superman had to deal with the Phantom Zone criminals and helping/protecting the people at various points and. It felt organic and not tacked on either.

We also saw how it all became too much for the Avengers at points. Whedon just did a brilliant job building the stakes and the tension even though we all knew the Avengers were going to pull out the victory. I just didn't think we saw enough of that when Zod was basically threatening the world. There have been films far less ambitious than MOS but they achieved their goals far better. Maybe because their reach didn't overextend their grasp creatively speaking. In MOS the end--for me anyway--felt like watching a video game. Like watching someone else play a video game at that.

With The Dark Knight Rises there was this great tension in Batman's two battles with Bane that I just didn't feel when Superman fought Zod. Which is kind of strange. There was a much stronger feeling of it being unavoidable and that those two (Batman and Bane) were on a collision course. Its even more strange since we all KNEW the end would come down to Superman vs Zod.

Finally...Superman killing Zod. I didn't feel as strongly about it as Mark Waid but I am one of those guys thats in the camp of "Superman shouldn't kill." Sometimes it takes more strength not to kill. I see what Goyer and Snyder were going for and even recognize the similarities to Superman executing the three Pocket Universe Kryptonians in the comics. I'd have been more ok with Superman killing Zod if it had been handled better. The way they build up to it it kind of just happens in the middle of their fight. Zod threatens people and I kept thinking "You can't grab him and fly him out of there? He's done it before." Or "if Superman is strong enough to break Zod's neck why the hell couldn't he just knock him out or even punch him into a haze long enough to save those people?"

It just felt like a convenient way to have Superman kill Zod in the end. If they had build up to it better I would have been more ok with it. Even in the comics the guilt drove Superman nearly insane. In the film he lets out a scream and then that's pretty much it. We don't really get to see the emotional consequences of his actions nearly enough. And then a few weeks (months?) later we are back to Metropolis with everyone going on about their business with no real signs of the apocalyptic battle that took place there. Clark gets a job at the Daily Planet (how I don't know) and is seemingly OK about it all. The scene where Superman dumps that spy satellite down in the desert was a good start to showing how people were reacting to all this but I think the film needed a bit more.

For a film so rooted in how the real world would react to all this stuff Snyder and Goyer just skim over it. Its hard to really get a feel for all that since I have no idea how long after the battle in Metropolis Clark getting a job at the Planet takes place. I did love Lois's final line to him though.
But overall I DO think this is one of Snyders strongest films. He leaves behind his usual bag of tricks and dials it all back for a bit more character work. I just thought it could have been much better. Somtimes it was great or close to greatness but as a whole its lacking a bit. The great parts truly soar but everything else is pretty standard IMO.

In the end I'd give the film a solid 7/10 at most. Its good but kinda meh in parts and it doesn't reach the heights of the genres best of recent years. But to its credit it destroys some other superhero films of recent years. Its weakest moment is better than Green Lantern as a whole. Its also better than The Amazing Spider-man IMO.

I also liked that MOS dared to be a bit different. I don't mind changes if they are well done or make sense. I like that Lois knows Clark is Superman this early on. It'll be interesting to see who else knows considering how the film played out. In the end it was the exection of some stuff that left me cold. Not so much the ideas.

I really REALLY tried to give MOS a chance. It was ok with moments of brilliance but it didn't blow my skirt up. Sorry, dudes. I really tried. Really REALLY tried. And I'm kind of mad at myself for not loving it. Parts I liked parts a loved but good sized chunks of it left me cold. But I'd tell eveyone to see it for themselves and make up their own mind. Don't listen to anybody before making up your mind because I think different people will get different things out of the film. I'm probably going to see it again tonight. I think if the MOS team gets a sequel (who am I kidding WHEN they get a sequel) it could be much better than the first outing.

Forgot to add I enjoyed Zimmers score. Its different but it worked for me. Very bold. I've had the main theme stuck in my head for about a month and I catch myself humming it sometimes. Lame, right? Anyway I'm glad its different from his work on Nolans Batman films.

 

[scifiwolf]

Well lads...I saw MOS last night. I had a lot of apprehensions about this movie but I honestly tried to go into it fair and with an open mind. And truthfully I rarely found myself comparing it to past incarnations of Superman WHILE I was watching it. I didn't really do that until later and only then it was more in terms of execution rather than WANTING it to be like past incarnations The only time I did was in the flashbacks to Young Clarks life. I could help but compare it to Smallville with Lana and Pete there.

But anyway on the the review/long @$$ed post.

SPOILERS!

Spoiler

As soon as the film opened I got a strong Star Trek 09 vibe visually and structurally. Opening with Kal-El's birth reminded me of Trek 09 opening with James Kirks birth. Now I didn't mind that they opened this way at all because not only is it different (I welcomed that) but it makes sense. Actually it makes even more sense than it did in Trek since Superman's story often starts with him as a baby. Lara dying on Krypton also reminded me of Amanda's death in Star Trek 09 with the planet going up around her. But I liked it because it gave Lara something different to do than just "hug Jor-El until the planet blows up." I also got as weird Kirk/Nero vibe from Clark/Zod later on.

I really like this films version of Krypton. Its got a more modern slant production design wise. Very detailed but this Krypton also has a Silver Age craziness to it. I loved Jor El hopping on the giant space dragon or whatever the hell that was. It does much more to create a "world" for us to experience. Only issue I had was there was a little too much going on in some shots. I know they wanted to create this frenetic chaos as we are witnessing a battle/attempted military coup and the planets destruction but it was a lot to take in in some shots. But I loved some of the shots of the landscape and the wildlife. Like I said we get to experience more of what Krypton is like.

Crowe is solid as Jor-El. I like that he got to do a bit more and take on Zod before the end. Reminded me of Jor -El "man of action" like we've seen before such as in Superman TAS. He didn't blow me away but its a strong performance. Doesn't feel like he phoned it in or anything like that. I think I liked his performance as the Jor-El A.I. later on even more. You could tell that what Jor-El was was still there but it was like a digitized version of a faded photocopy. It felt a bit more cold and to the point. the IDEA of what it was came off well. It was a subtle distinction that I think he did a fine job showing.

Cavill is great...when the film really lets him come alive. I know he's supposed to be kind of somber because of where he is in his life. He's kind of "lost" emotionally trying to find out who he is, where he comes from, and what he's here for. When he gets to do more than furrowed brow expressions hes good. His line delivery is solid. Less stiff and awkward than Rouths was at times even though I liked Routh a lot. That's no slight on Brandon but Cavills a more experienced actor at this stage in his career. Cavills certainly got more gravitas and more of commanding presence as Superman than Cain did as Superman or Welling did as pseudo-Superman in training (near the end of Smallville). I think Cain got to show more charm but again thats because Cains Clark/Superman and Cavills Clark/Superman are in such different places in there lives.

I'd say if anything Cavills Superman reminds me of Tim Dalys in terms of delivery. Its a very straightforward serious take on his personality. The vocal range is pretty steady. I think it works sometimes but I also think thats where some critics might take issue with his performance. Reeve and Reeves got to show much more range in everything from facial expressions, line deliver, and vocal range. More fun less overly serious. Sometimes Cavill has this strange "i'm trying to hide my accent" monotone whereas Reeve and Reeves moved up and down a lot in terms of voice and personality. Things like their line delivery had more diversity and range instead of being so monotone. Does anyone get what I'm trying to say? Thats not a knock on Cavill its mostly the type of story that dictates what he's doing. This Clark is in a different place. I get that.

But when Cavill really gets to come alive he REALLY comes alive. When he gets to fly for the first time I FELT it. It was amazing. The whole film has some of the same issues of things not having enough feeling though. Epic stuff is going on but sometimes it never registered with me emotionally. Like when Suprman was trying to take down the Kryptonian World machine near the end. I know it was supposed to be gripping and serious but I kinda checked out. Not so when he flew for the first time and hit orbit. I was like "WOW!" Thats the kind of feeling and I wanted more of it. There are a few more great moments like that sprinkled int he film but for long gaps I had this disconnect. And it wasn't so much because of the scale of things it was because the filmmakers, IMO, didn't do as good a job of getting it all to resonate with me emotionally.

Sometimes they did and sometimes they didn't. I think a lot of this has to do with Snyder's directing and particularly Goyers writing because there is a good cast here. Snyders not what I'd call the best actors director. He's a visual guy. Goyers work over the years is dubious at best. Good with ideas but sometimes the small character stuff doesn't always work.

Another time Cavill and the film REALLY come alive is the stuff with the Kents. I love Diane Lane. She gives Martha some great southern gal quirks. I like that they didn't' mind aging her up for the present day stuff. She came of like a real person instead of only this untouchable ideal of parenthood. She was a great mother but she felt like a REAL mother. The Flashback with Clark trapping himself in the closet or room or whatever is another strong scene. The "X raying through everything" stuff was done before in Smallville but the way MoS handled it was great.

Most of the flashbacks really work even if the way some of them are included is a little jarring. Young Clark kinda had me laughing because he looked a little like Welling when he saved the bus but he looked like an ACTUAL KID. The Smallville flashbacks in this movie fixed most of the issues I had with Smallville the series whenever it did similar things. MOS treated it all far more seriously. I liked what they did with Pete Ross in this movie. I felt like they did more with the Clark/Pete relationship in like...2 minutes than Smallville did in the years Pete was on the show. I wanted to see that friendship explored a bit more in MOS. Maybe in the sequel.

Costner as Pa Kent is another stand out. He's right up there with Glenn Ford, John Schneider, Mike Farrell, etc. In my opinion anyway. He's a decent salt of the earth hard working man. The kind of man you believe Clark could get his strong morals from. I feel like their scenes hit just the right notes. Its not about him fearing his son but being fearful for him if things don't play out right. He wants it all to play out right and he knows there's a time and a place for everything and Clarks time will come. His death scene really moved my. Its another sequence where I felt Cavill got to come alive in the role and show what kind of actor he is. The tornado killing him played out a little awkward because of the set up but it works for me. The way he warned him off "don't do it" really hit me I knew the risk and was willing to die for Clark. Willing to die to protect him because he knew it wasn't time. And Clark did the hardest thing he'd ever had to do up to that point and trust his father. Great stuff.

I admired how the film revolves around the core of Superman and his two fathers and I love how instead of working against each other its almost like their efforts were in concert for different parts of Clarks life when needed. Clark really does come off like a child of two worlds instead of a child of one or the other the way its been in past incarnations and personally thats something I've always wanted. I've always felt it should be that way instead of belittling one or the other. His Kryptonian heritage and his Earth upbringing are both shown reverence in this movie. He's a product of both fathers and both worlds. Personally thats one place where I think it improves on Byrne's own Man of Steel reboot. The human background for Clark is strong without sacrificing his ties to Krypton.

Superman Returns tried some similar stuff with the characters personality and thats one place I applaud SR and MOS. It never felt like they were forcing fans to choose one or the other. It was about Clark, Kal-El, and Superman all united as part of one ultimate being. It worked for me because we are all multifaceted beings with different sides to who we are.
I think one weak spot is Lois and specifically Clark and Lois's relationship. Amy Adams is a damn good actress but I kind of think she's miscast or they didn't do enough to give her better "character" moments. She does the best she can here but she never really gets to show off Lois's spitfire side much and when she does it didn't' quite click for me. I know its a different take but still...I think she would have been a better Lana than Lois.

BUT...Lois has some really important stuff to do in this movie. Probably more actual work than any other Lois in the same amount of time. They really did a good job showing that Lois is good at her job by looking into the space ship in the arctic story and later by following Clarks trail. I liked that she got to go onto Zods ship with Superman (even if it didn't make much sense for Zod to choose her. She broke the story I know...but still). I liked that she accompanies Hardy and the military on the final run against Zod not only to cover things but to help actually STOP Zods plan. Personally I think Kidder, Hatcher, Coates, and particularly Delaney gave Lois a stronger personality with less but Adams aint bad. Just a bit too light.

And I never really felt any heat between her and Cavills Clark/Superman. Even at the end when they had that "passionate" kiss. They didn't really have much chemistry to me as two people attracted to each other. Its not the first time its happened in a movie like this but I think that kind of chemistry between Clark and Lois is essential in a Superman film. Maybe when they get to do more together in a sequel. I think Downey and Paltrow have a great chemistry in the Iron Man/Avengers films. They bounce off each other very well. I think the KIND of stories they got to tell in those movies helped since there were more light moments but I really dug their relationship in The Avengers. That kind of stuff is one place Joss Whedon kicks David Goyers ass up and down the street. Joss knows how to do character stuff, dialogue, etc.

In STM Lois and Superman had a real innocent romantic spark between them. It wasn't lustful or "sexy" but there was a strong rapport there any time they were together. I'm not a huge fan of Lois & Clark but I think Cain and Hatcher had the best chemistry of any Lois and Clark ever. It seemed like there was real passion there. Especially when they kissed. Whenever they had scenes together there was this magnetism and charm. I guess thats another one we can chalk up to the difference in stories and styles but I still think Clark and Lois need that chemistry.

I liked Shannon's take on Zod. Its not as ...refined(?) or broad as Terence Stamps excellent turn as The General but I welcomed a different version. I love Stamps work but Shannon is good. I think if I had to highlight some key differences its that Stamps Zod comes off more like nobility that is more refined and sees himself as superior. Shannon's Zod struck me more as as true military lifer. He's a harder man but equally as ruthless. He's someone I could see as a grunt who rose through the ranks at some point. Shannon doesn't overplay it but he gets to give his Zod more emotion and his versions is portrayed as a man with a more understandable purpose even though he's twisting that purpose so that the ends justify the terrible means.

I liked Faora too. She comes off as exotic but at the same time incredibly cold blooded. More so than Zod. She's a real psychopath underneath that pretty surface. Jax Ur gets thrown in for fan service I like that they portray him as a twisted scientist/Dr Mindbender meets Josef Mengele type. I wanted more with Dr. Hamilton but again it was nice fan service to throw him in there. There was a lot of that with other characters fans might notice like Jor Els robot Keelex. I dug that Snyder brought back that guy from Dawn of The Dead to play Steve Lombard. Great choice. He could have provided the film with even more much needed levity and humor. Laurence FIshburne was OK as Perry White. He didn't have a lot to do but what he did have was pulled off well. There's never been a bad Perry White IMO (Ok...maybe Michael McKean) and that's because its not a huge part and you get an older more experienced actor. They've all done it differently but I've enjoyed all the different takes. I had to LOL at the ear ring though. C'mon...Chris O'Donnell's ear ring in Batman Forever was lame enough.

I think one of my favorite characters in the whole movie was Chris Meloni's Col. Hardy. I loved his almost rivalry with Faora. Snyder and Goyer and the cast and crew created real tension when Faora kept advancing towards him after his chopper crashed during the Smallville battle. He didn't give up even when he knew she was unstoppable. They both pulled their blades and I thought Hardy was dead. Great save by Superman. The film needed more moments like that to build drama and tension. They put a good characters life at stake after we got a chance to know him and it works. The character accepted Superman because Clark showed him what kind of man he was and in the end I think Hardy was an even bigger hero. when he crashed into Zods ship it created a great moment. The callback to Faora's line about a fine death being its own reward was priceless too.

I think one place where it improves on SR is Clark questioning his place in the world and his feelings of being lost. I know the circumstances were different (in SR Clark was trying to fit back in to a world that moved on and in MOS Clark was trying to reveal himself to a world that had never encountered anything like him before). in SR they really only tried to cover where Clark/Superman fit in in his own personal life that he'd left behind instead of truly looking as Superman's place in the world he'd left behind and now returned to. MoS does a better job exploring how Clark/Superman fits into the world as a whole as he struggles to find his place. It touches on how the governement and the people and the military view him and eventually accept him. SR needed more of that but instead most of the world instantly re-accepted him and glossed over all that. I liked SR but that was one of its flaws.

Can't give you enough props for that review, man. You did such a better job of remembering everything. I totally had forgotten about the opening with Kal's birth. I was thinking ST09 while watching it, and how I don't think I'd ever seen Kal-El's birth before. It was so incredibly powerful, especially knowing beforehand its significance for Krypton's history.

And again with Col. hardy and Faora. It was nice to create a bit of a 'thing' between the two. People gripe about the movie feeling a bit long, but that is one of those beats that gets dropped in the editing room, and then praised when it's added on a director's cut. When she boards the C-130 at the end and works her way to the cockpit, I was writhing with tension in my seat. Being presented with genuine tension and suspense in an movie is something I always find to be a real treat as a savvy viewer.

 

[Figs]

saw it for the second time today

really didn't enjoy myself this time

it felt like it was 3 and a half hours long

I'm beginning to think fans will start turning against this movie en masse once the initial excitement settles down

it's hard to admit because on paper this movie did everything I could have hoped for

For me the movie flew by real fast. It's pretty much the same length as The Dark Knight, and as much as I love TDK because I'm such a huge Batman fan, that movie can be a chore to sit through at times. You really can feel the length of that movie.

 

[rayc1971]

it did feel too long and they still didn't get lois lane right just like superman returns.i thought she was to young for Brandon rouths superman and too old for cavills superman adams is 38 cavil just turned 30 no chemistry what so ever.i feel like a 25 to 30 yr bruenette would have worked better there is no good actresses in that range or what!a Kristen stewart type or someone

 

[BigThor]

Well I just got back from seeing Man of Steel and I can honestly say I enjoyed myself quite a bit. Of course there were things I didn't like such as the pacing, editing, and overally lack of focus of the film, but it doesn't make it a "bad" film. The acting was great, the action was mind blowing, and the CGI was ok although it was heavily overused.

Everyone fit their roles nicely with Faora being one of favorite henchmen in a CMB film along with JBD as Eric Savin in IM3. Russel Crow, Kevin Costner, and Diane Lane knocked their roles out of the park as expected and Cavill is my favorite Superman YET.

I give this film a 7.5 overall and I can't wait for the sequel, although I don't see how they're going to top the scale of the Supes/Zod fight.

 

[flickchick85]

saw it for the second time today

really didn't enjoy myself this time

it felt like it was 3 and a half hours long

I'm beginning to think fans will start turning against this movie en masse once the initial excitement settles down

it's hard to admit because on paper this movie did everything I could have hoped for

I just saw it for a second time myself (this time in 2D IMAX instead of 3D), and had the exact opposite reaction. I think I enjoyed it a little more this time, and I don't think that was just due to 2D being the better viewing experience (even though it definitely is). I think knowing exactly what kind of movie it is going in really helps.

 

[Keyser Soze]

I feel bad that I came onto the thread earlier today and jumped into talking about all the things I didn't like about the movie. My overall impression was deeply positive. Is it up in the top tier of my all-time favourite superhero movies? No. But Man of Steel is a very good movie, with lots to like about it.

The visuals in the film are just stunning. That opening sequence on Krypton is incredible, and for my money trumps the sterile depiction of the iconic Krypton prologue in the original Superman: The Movie. That Krypton didn't feel like a lived-in place, but this version had a palpable sense of life, withered and in its last days as it might have been. Torn by civil war, with ragged terrain and diverse wildlife, it felt like an actual, realised world. You could just feel the tragedy and desperation in its last days of existence. And the action here was thrilling, especially in 3D IMAX format. My jaw was dropping. They chose the right people to populate the world too. Russell Crowe brought real life to Jor-El. Marlon Brando was very stately in his monologuing, but we get to see Crowe kick major ass. And you really feel the raw emotion of parents sending their beloved child away, especially from Lara. I loved staying with Lara in the planet's final moments, it was really bittersweet. That whole opening sequence was a trumph, the best possible way to start the film.

I think the casting was right on the money. I've already mentioned Jor-El and Lara, but the Kents were so well-realised too. There was such weight and sadness in Kevin Costner's performance, though now I'm kinda gutted the "You are my son" linewas spoiled in the trailer, as that remains possibly the most emotionally resonant moment in the whole film. Diane Lane was good too, and amid all the talk of "Superman and his two fathers" she presented the strong guiding presence of Clark's mother. Laurence Fishburne is Laurence Fishburne, and that's a compliment. The role of Perry White has never been the most pivotal of parts, and his whole bit in the third act did feel a little bit like "let's give Perry White something to do because LAURENCE FISHBURNE is playing him." But Fishburne executed that moment really well, and in that scene you could see why this group of reporters view him as a leader. I really think he deserves a meatier role in the next film. In general, the Daily Planet staff were top notch, and I want a more Planet-central plot in the next film.

Which brings us to Amy Adams' Lois Lane. I've seen some people criticising her performance or how the character was used, but while her and Superman switched to holding hands and making gooey-eyes at each other a tad quick for my liking (I think I'd almost have preferred establishing their friendship and trust and building to romance in the sequel), overall I think she was handled very well. In fact, Lois Lane might just have been the best part of the movie for me. Canny casting of Amy Adams, who gave the character gravitas and steely strength. I like that she wasn't really a damsel-in-distress, where one of the few moments where Superman rescues her coming minutes after she had in turn rescued him, and the other times involving Superman having to help her after she's done something heroically foolhardy rather than just saving her after she got captured by the bad guys. In fact, Lois is presented as a strong, determined heroine in her own right in the film, and the action sequence where she escapes the spaceship was a real highlight for me. I imagine some will dislike the stray from canon, but I for one LOVED Lois Lane's dogged investigation into Superman, and how she follows that lead. It really demonstrates how she truly deserves her status of world-renowned reporter, and that she's someone who earns Superman's trust and admiration rather than being duped by him.

Michael Shannon as Zod is just brilliant. I'm a huge fan of Shannon as an actor, and he once again impressed me here. He's such a conflicted figure. Ruthless, certainly, but you can see the little tinges of guilt here and there. This isn't a Terrance Stamp, relishing in his own wickedness. This is someone going about what he sees as his duty with grim, unrelenting determination, willing to decimate whatever gets in his way. The moments he comes unhinged don't feel campy or OTT, they feel totally emotionally justified. And as horrible as his plan is and as much as you want him to fail, at the same time you feel a real tragedy in Zod. Shannon finds the humanity in his plight. Faora is nowhere near as conflicted, she DOES relish in her badness. But it's a badass supporting character who I enjoyed.

And of course there's Henry Cavill himself. It's hard, the movie's 2-and-a-half hours, but I almost wanted to see more of the soul-searching, more of that deep sadness and isolation he feels as he struggles to come to terms with who he is. As what we get of it is very good, and very well executed by Cavill. There's an emotional struggle here which we don't always get with Superman. I don't mean "dark", per se, even when he does The Bad Thing we don't really get a sense there's a risk of him plummeting into the abyss. But there's definitely an anger he has to keep in check, a sadness and loneliness rooted in him. But we also sense his compassion, his gentleness. The tufts of chest hair poking out his costume were a tad distracting (Don Draper Superman!), but he wore the suit well. I think by the end of the film, we'd got a really good sense of his approach to the character. I think Cavill hass successfully stepped out of Christopher Reeve's shadow in a way Brandon Routh was never really allowed to in Superman Returns, and crafted his own take that I'm keen to see more of.

The only other thing I really want to touch on is the fight scenes. The glorious fight scenes! For years and years now, people have been complaining that they want to see Superman PUNCH SOMEONE in a film. Well, he does a lot of punching here. He punches people through walls, across cities. He punches someone into space, then back to Earth again. When the Kryptonians start battling, there are whole sequences that play out like the 3 seconds of Loki/Hulk that everyone fangasmed over. These guys really hit HARD! And best of all is the final Zod/Superman battle. Breathtaking in scope. And there wasn't that much of the cut-cut-cut-cut-cut philosphy that detracts from a lot of action scenes these days: the stage was laid out and we got to see the combatants move through it. This battle set the standard for superhero smackdowns, in my opinion.

So there, hopefully that post balances out my earlier negative one. Don't let the critics put you off. There is so much to like about Man of Steel.

 

[X Knight]

just got back!!

I was really worried going into it, with all the negative reviews and comments, but I LOVED it!!!

I'll have a more detailed spoiler-filled review later.

but for now, if I had to score it, I'd give it 8/10.

 

[113]

I saw this movie 30 hours ago and I'm STILL giddy about it. I haven't felt this way about a movie since I saw Spiderman 2 back in high school. I just can't stop thinking about how awesome Man of Steel is. I can't wait to see it a 2nd and 3rd time.

 

[Keyser Soze]

I will say, as well, that another thing that makes the fact that this is starting to get written off in some quarters as a critical failure really disappointing is that I'd put it above so many other superhero movies considered successes.

Thor. Captain America: The First Avenger. X-Men: First Class. All three of these movies back in 2011 were considered "successes" while Green Lantern was written off as the failure. And yes, Green Lantern is the poorest of the four, and yes, I think all three are good films that I enjoyed. But I'd say Man of Steel comfortably surpasses all three. But at times it almost feels like with Marvel films they get a medal just for showing up, and if they appropriately set the stage for the next Avengers with their post-credits scene or whatever they are considered a resounding victory. Or they performed well given the modest expectations going in, like more wasn't expected of them. But with Man of Steel people are expecting an enduring masterpiece and therefore write it off as a disappointment if it is instead in the same ballpark of quality as the Marvel or Fox films that were praised, even if it's actually better than those.

 

[Destructus86]

I thought it was freaking amazing and EASILY the best DC film so far.