Movies Revisited: Man of Steel

[skillzdadirecta]

With Justice League on cable, I decided to rewatch Man of Steel. I always thought it was just an "okay" movie... not bad but not great. I'm revising my assessment. Man of Steel is a legit good movie and a great take on the Superman story. It may be darker than we may expect from a Superman movie but it's nowhere near as bleak as Batman vs Superman which leaned too heavily on The Dark Knight Returns. Henry Cavill is a GREAT Superman and while DC has been overshadowed by Marvel in the movie department, I sincerely hope they don't give up on their shared Universe. Batman vs Superman, Suicide Squad and Justice League were all products of a studio wanting prematurely ape Marvel/Disney's success. Man of Steel and Wonder Woman give me hope that DC's characters will get the justice they deserve on the big screen. 

[SimpleG]

I am on the same boat. I like the darker color palette choice for the film. People criticized the end fight scene destruction, not sure why considering we have seen Supes go 1v1 in metropolis before, the film showed the dark under belly of when this happens that the comics and cartoons dont. Zods death at Supermans hand was reasonable and realistic considering the situation , he knows no prison can hold him and he wont stop till Earth is his.

[EternallDarkness]

I still think it sucks  

[Hurdyb1]

I remember when the end credits began, said this is the Superman movie I've been waiting for which was no disrespect to the first Chris Reeves movies. But this had the ability to tell a story visually about what a Kryptonian could do on Earth. Yes it was darker than we are used to for Superman but like said above, it's no where  as dark as BvS. Man of Steel has some concerns but, nothing that stopped me from enjoying it and appreciating it. 

 

I know the scenes that people knock are

 

1. PA Kent's death which is in line with his wishes cause he didn't want Clark to go public due to the nature of people. So I can easily understand why that played out the way it did.

 

2. Superman killing Zod. I mean regardless of the infinite number of fan fiction we have heard and even suggested about how Superman could have saved those people and not kill, Zod put Clark in a hard place and had to make a quick decision.

 

Regardless of both scenes, Henry Cavil excellently shows the pain of losing his dad and having to kill the one kin of his people where I felt Superman's pain.

 

Man of Steel set a wonderful foundation that's been poor used with the DCEU. 

[skillzdadirecta]

11 minutes ago, SimpleG said:

I am on the same boat. I like the darker color palette choice for the film. People criticized the end fight scene destruction, not sure why considering we have seen Supes go 1v1 in metropolis before, the film showed the dark under belly of when this happens that the comics and cartoons dont. Zods death at Supermans hand was reasonable and realistic considering the situation , he knows no prison can hold him and he wont stop till Earth is his.

 

Plus Superman has killed Zod before in the comics. That was a minor quibble... the internet not really knowing what the fuck it was talking about once again.

[skillzdadirecta]

1 minute ago, Hurdyb1 said:

I remember when the end credits began, said this is the Superman movie I've been waiting for which was no disrespect to the first Chris Reeves movies. But this had the ability to tell a story visually about what a Kryptonian could do on Earth. Yes it was darker than we are used to for Superman but like said above, it's no where  as dark as BvS. Man of Steel has some concerns but, nothing that stopped me from enjoying it and appreciating it. 

 

I know the scenes that people knock are

 

1. PA Kent's death which is in line with his wishes cause he didn't want Clark to go public due to the nature of people. So I can easily understand why that played out the way it did.

 

2. Superman killing Zod. I mean regardless of the infinite number of fan fiction we have heard and even suggested about how Superman could have saved those people and not kill, Zod put Clark in a hard place and had to make a quick decision.

 

Regardless of both scenes, Henry Cavil excellently shows the pain of losing his dad and having to kill the one kin of his people where I felt Superman's pain.

 

Man of Steel set a wonderful foundation that's been poor used with the DCEU. 

 

Oh Pa Kent's whole position in this movie was fucked up for sure. But the fight scenes had a Dragonballz quality to them and showed what's Supes would look like fighting someone as strong as he is. Yeah but the Kent's don't come across well in these movies at ALL.

[Hurdyb1]

And let's not forget the fantastic soundtrack that Hans Zimmer freaking snapped the hell off on.

[Hurdyb1]

Just now, skillzdadirecta said:

 

Oh Pa Kent's whole position in this movie was fucked up for sure. But the fight scenes had a Dragonballz quality to them and showed what's Supes would look like fighting someone as strong as he is. Yeah but the Kent's don't come across well in these movies at ALL.

Definitely in comparison to what we have seen in various forms of media over the years whether from the old Superbly show, to Lois & Clark, Smallville , the Reeves movies, comcis, and cartoons. The Kents always told Clark he was gonna be great and to use his power for the better.

[skillzdadirecta]

3 minutes ago, Hurdyb1 said:

Definitely in comparison to what we have seen in various forms of media over the years whether from the old Superbly show, to Lois & Clark, Smallville , the Reeves movies, comcis, and cartoons. The Kents always told Clark he was gonna be great and to use his power for the better.

 

EXACTLY... they taught him how to be human.

[johnny]

[misfit410]

I enjoyed it personally.. Cavill was a beast as Superman.

[cusideabelincoln]

Jon Kent's death bothers me the most, but it's not the scene itself that's the problem.  I choke up and get emotional at that scene; it's pretty powerful.  The problem is the movie was leading us to experience Clark's personal journey to finally making up his own mind to become Superman, and subsequently show himself to the world.  But we never get to see that decision - we never get to see Clark rationalize why Jon's reasoning has become wrong - because Zod just shows up.  And while I like Zod's arrival scene, it undermines the journey we were on at that point in the movie.  It doesn't matter why Clark thinks his Earth father is wrong - a question the movie was throwing at our faces for the first hour - because Clark's thoughts about that are irrelevant now.  Zod is here, Zod has announced, who the fuck cares if Clark thinks Earth is ready or not?  

[SimpleG]

6 minutes ago, johnny said:

need that reloading sound effect

 

 

 

 

 

Edit: Just noticed

Henry grows a beard when he reloads the guns

 

[Hurdyb1]

4 minutes ago, johnny said:

OMG! I was so a fan of this scene due to how intense he looked. Now it Wil be the butt of bad special effects joke for years, lol.

[skillzdadirecta]

8 minutes ago, johnny said:

 

On my way to see this in an hour or two... birthday treat from my lovely lady.

[johnny]

Just now, skillzdadirecta said:

 

On my way to see this in an hour or two... birthday treat from my lovely lady.

i think superman should have a mustache 

[Remarkableriots]

35 minutes ago, skillzdadirecta said:

 

Plus Superman has killed Zod before in the comics. That was a minor quibble... the internet not really knowing what the fuck it was talking about once again.

Superman killed Zod in the Reeves version and I know they have a cut scene where they survived I believe? But that scene isn't in the theatrical version so imo it doesn't count.

[TwinIon]

I also actually quite like Man of Steel. It's a beautiful and beautifully scored film. Cavil is great in the role, and overall it's a slightly different take on Superman, a character that I've never really found interesting. The only reason that people care about Supes killing Zod is because of an attachment to another iteration of this character. This version of the character didn't really know what he was doing or what he'd gotten into (which is why I also don't have a problem with the city's destruction). He was pushed to his limits and had no other choice.

 

Pa Kent's death on the other hand, is terribly portrayed regardless of the history of the character. I don't actually have much of a problem with his general outlook and what he teaches Clark. I think it's an outlook that feels more an more justified by the day. We do have an intense fear of the other and a legit super powered alien would kick up some intense feelings. The death sequence itself though is just stupid. Pa Kent doesn't tell Clark not to help until the end, and it feels so long between when Clark should have gone to help (people in general or his dad), so when Pa finally puts his hand up to say don't come it just seems silly. If he was going to help, he had ample time to do so, which seems like exactly what he was saying he wanted to do about 10 seconds before deciding not to. Also, Pa died saving the dog; not an old lady or a child, a dog.

[Spawn_of_Apathy]

I always like Man of Steel. There were some things I took issue with, but overall I enjoyed it. It was far more cohesive than BvS. People complained that in Superman Returns he doesn't punch anyone. That there was very little action. Well, here they got a ton of action. 

 

What did they want? DBZ, where Superman and powerful evil thing/guy just fight it out on an uninhabited island or in the desert? 

 

I also like Superman Returns. I liked the emotional aspect of him having to come to terms with the life he left behind, and the people that moved on. He was faced with something his powers couldn't fix. 

[GeneticBlueprint]

I never understood the quibbles with the fight destroying the city. Kal-El is still discovering who he is and how powerful he is.

 

Michael Shannon's Zod is my favorite villain in the current comic book movie universes. He's my favorite because he did an incredible acting job and I thought he was relatable. Would I destroy an ant colony to save my species? Yeah, probably.

 

And the Krypton scene at the beginning is awesome.

 

And Cavill is a great Superman.

 

And the soundtrack is epic.

 

I always loved Man of Steel.

[Remarkableriots]

3 minutes ago, Spawn_of_Apathy said:

I always like Man of Steel. There were some things I took issue with, but overall I enjoyed it. It was far more cohesive than BvS. People complained that in Superman Returns he doesn't punch anyone. That there was very little action. Well, here they got a ton of action. 

 

What did they want? DBZ, where Superman and powerful evil thing/guy just fight it out on an uninhabited island or in the desert? 

 

I also like Superman Returns. I liked the emotional aspect of him having to come to terms with the life he left behind, and the people that moved on. He was faced with something his powers couldn't fix. 

I think they expected Superman to absorb every hit instead of avoiding some of them. I think that would have cost him the battle eventually. I also enjoyed both of them.

[Kal-El814]

31 minutes ago, TwinIon said:

I also actually quite like Man of Steel. It's a beautiful and beautifully scored film. Cavil is great in the role, and overall it's a slightly different take on Superman, a character that I've never really found interesting. The only reason that people care about Supes killing Zod is because of an attachment to another iteration of this character. This version of the character didn't really know what he was doing or what he'd gotten into (which is why I also don't have a problem with the city's destruction). He was pushed to his limits and had no other choice.

Personally I don't care about Superman killing Zod because of an attachment to comic Superman, I care because the whole first half of the movie sets up a Superman that the back half completely fails to deliver. Which would be FINE if the movie leaned into subverting our expectations of Superman in a way that was deeper that incredibly superficial. I just can't get on board with humanity thinking of Superman as a savior after the events of MoS. The movie wants to have its cake (it's a new take on Superman!) and eat it, too (everyone knows Superman is a savior... he's Superman and we know him well!). Also let's not forget that Superman ends the possibility of Kryptonians existing because he decides that "Krypton had its chance" after learning about and knowing what Krypton was for like... a week? Then he passes judgment on the entire species? Bleh.

 

36 minutes ago, TwinIon said:

Pa Kent's death on the other hand, is terribly portrayed regardless of the history of the character. I don't actually have much of a problem with his general outlook and what he teaches Clark. I think it's an outlook that feels more an more justified by the day. We do have an intense fear of the other and a legit super powered alien would kick up some intense feelings. The death sequence itself though is just stupid. Pa Kent doesn't tell Clark not to help until the end, and it feels so long between when Clark should have gone to help (people in general or his dad), so when Pa finally puts his hand up to say don't come it just seems silly. If he was going to help, he had ample time to do so, which seems like exactly what he was saying he wanted to do about 10 seconds before deciding not to. Also, Pa died saving the dog; not an old lady or a child, a dog.

Pa dying to save the dog is astronomically idiotic. Everything about Pa in MoS other than Costner's delivery sucks. He brings legitimacy to the character that the writing does not earn.

 

3 minutes ago, GeneticBlueprint said:

I never understood the quibbles with the fight destroying the city. Kal-El is still discovering who he is and how powerful he is.

 

Superman doesn't dodge a fuel tanker and let it destroy a building behind him even if he's been Superman for 15 minutes. That is his fucking job. Superman doesn't smooch Lois Lane in the crater of the city he protects while there are burning buildings behind him, while characters we're meant to care about are crawling out of the rubble. Novice Superman makes mistakes? I get that, I'm fine with that. It's the KIND of mistakes he made. He should be making mistakes to put himself in harm's way, not literally doing the opposite.

 

He's should either be above the fray, willing to sacrifice pawns in the interest of checkmating the villain (given the stakes, that's perhaps not even a terrible idea), or he's willing to get in the way. The movie tries to make him both of these things while counting on the audience's familiarity with the character to fill in the gaps. Snyder tried to channel Mark Waid and Frank Miller for the same character, in the same movie. It's fucking sloppy.

[Emblazon]

Man of Steel is fucking horrible. To think otherwise is just wrong. Opinions aren't valid with this movie, it's that bad. 

 

This movie has so much stupid in it, even for Zack Snyder. He really out does himself in the stupid department with this movie. 

 

Man of Steel is the reason that DC universe movies suck. It is the foundation of suck that all other DC movies that came after are based on. 

 

PA Kent: "You can save everyone."

Superman: "Whoops."

[skillzdadirecta]

1 hour ago, Hurdyb1 said:

And let's not forget the fantastic soundtrack that Hans Zimmer freaking snapped the hell off on.

Yeah I forgot to mention that score... freaking amazing.

[skillzdadirecta]

People who have quibbles about the amount of destruction in Man of Steel have literally never read a comic book in their fucking lives... seriously.

Cities get destroyed ROUTINELY in superhero slugfests, especially in the Silver age. I never understood this critique.

[Emblazon]

7 minutes ago, skillzdadirecta said:

People who have quibbles about the amount of destruction in Man of Steel have literally never read a comic book in their fucking lives... seriously.

Cities get destroyed ROUTINELY in superhero slugfests, especially in the Silver age. I never understood this critique.

It's not the destruction that's the issue. It's the HOW. All style, ZERO substance. The movie is literally Sucker Punch with Superman. 

 

If you like this, then you must like Revenge of the Sith. The shot of Supes flying over the tanker is the same as the lightsaber twirl shot. 

 

They don't even show him ATTEMPT to stop the destruction. Instead we get a crappy joke inside an IHOP. 

 

Come on, Skillz, you're better than this. 

[Kal-El814]

12 minutes ago, skillzdadirecta said:

People who have quibbles about the amount of destruction in Man of Steel have literally never read a comic book in their fucking lives... seriously.

Cities get destroyed ROUTINELY in superhero slugfests, especially in the Silver age. I never understood this critique.

If Krypto showed up and started derping in MoS I’d shit on that, too.

[Dragonseeker]

I never get the hate for the destruction of the city. It is war, shit happens.

 

But Man of Steel is a mediocre movie because every character is so dull, including Superman. They wasted one of the most talented actress today in Amy Adams by making her do absolutely nothing.

 

Hans Zimmer's score is the only thing memorable that came out of that movie.

[Wild]

2 hours ago, skillzdadirecta said:

People who have quibbles about the amount of destruction in Man of Steel have literally never read a comic book in their fucking lives... seriously.

Cities get destroyed ROUTINELY in superhero slugfests, especially in the Silver age. I never understood this critique.

 

Smallville is a giant commercial. I was too distracted by those immaculate washer and dryers to notice all the destruction.

[Keyser_Soze]

I enjoyed it when I saw it in theaters, the only time I saw it.

[Man_of_X]

Outside of Wonder Woman, Man of Steel is easily the best DC movie out of their connected universe attempts. That's not saying too much, obviously. It probably falls at about a 7 for me. 

 

I'm certainly not as hard on it as some, as Superman isn't even close to my favorite character, but the second half of the movie is a little inconsistent with Superman's character and was a bit of a disappointment. 

 

For the most part, Warner Bros has felt the need to rush and to try and beat Marvel at a race that doesnt even exist. They literally have no idea where they want to go or how to fix this mess. 

 

For a final point, I haven't seen Justice League yet, but it's on the movie channel. While I was switching channels the other day, I saw that it was on, so I stopped in to take a look. All I will say is that it was a fight scene on some building steps, but I was absolutely fucking floored at how laughably horrible the cgi was.  

 

I still will watch this when I get the chance, but fuck sakes. 

[Greatoneshere]

Obviously I agree and it's great to see someone's mind can genuinely change about something! That's always cool regardless. 

 

Everyone knows I find Man of Steel to be a really good movie (but not amaze-balls great) so I probably don't need to keep repeating myself after all these years but it's nice to see more on this board like the movie than I remember. 

[Kal-El814]

1 hour ago, Greatoneshere said:

Obviously I agree and it's great to see someone's mind can genuinely change about something! That's always cool regardless. 

 

Everyone knows I find Man of Steel to be a really good movie (but not amaze-balls great) so I probably don't need to keep repeating myself after all these years but it's nice to see more on this board like the movie than I remember. 

 

I’ve revised my opinion from ”gigantic piece of shit” to “formerly flaming / now smoldering and not altogether unpleasant turd.” It’s amazing what BvS and Justice League did to lower the basement of terribleness for DC movies, sweet Jesus in a bento box.

[skillzdadirecta]

23 minutes ago, Kal-El814 said:

 

I’ve revised my opinion from ”gigantic piece of shit” to “formerly flaming / now smoldering and not altogether unpleasant turd.” It’s amazing what BvS and Justice League did to lower the basement of terribleness for DC movies, sweet Jesus in a bento box.

 

I had issues with it, but I NEVER thought it was a "gigantic piece of shit"... that's just hyperbole. I always thought it was a flawed yet entertaining superhero flick that may have been a little darker than it needed to be. My issues with it always stemmed from how the Kents, particularly Pa Kent. Also the complete lack of concern for Clark's secret Identity which by the end of the film, made you think he no longer had one. Film is fine and Cavill is a great Superman.

[Kal-El814]

18 minutes ago, skillzdadirecta said:

I had issues with it, but I NEVER thought it was a "gigantic piece of shit"... that's just hyperbole. I always thought it was a flawed yet entertaining superhero flick that may have been a little darker than it needed to be. My issues with it always stemmed from how the Kents, particularly Pa Kent. Also the complete lack of concern for Clark's secret Identity which by the end of the film, made you think he no longer had one. Film is fine and Cavill is a great Superman.

Gigantic piece of shit is indeed hyperbolic but I would never go so far as to say that the movie is fine any way other than superficially. It’s superficially VERY fine, of course, but there’s little of value beneath the veneer.