I disagree with Waid because he's judging based on the paternalistic idealized mature Superman in his mind, and judging a fledgling character on that unobtainable basis. How does a character reach that realistically in an identifiable manner from the outset before his first real test of character? Moreover, if your character starts as that paragon, where does your character go from there in terms of a character arc? Returns was so frustrated by that question they only thing they could do was screw up his love life and have him "die" and come back twice in the film.
I don't mind the childhood that creates a paragon in the comics because our unending serial adventures lie in the present so you're persistently working with an established character... for a film, the character needs an arc and by staring out with narrower vision the character can grow on screen. The way MoS ended provided a perfect impetus for that kind of growth, whereas if it simply came out of Smallvile it would have been off balance and unrealistic. The film, on the motivation level, is trying to push realism and the pragmatism that comes with it, which is why Jonathan credibly obsessed with secrecy. He can't have the lax attitude that life must be protected at all costs, even at the cost of your secret, because he isn't protected by the tropes of the comic books. If secrecy is your top priority then protecting life will not be the same absolute that it is for the older, more mature Superman.
It doesn't mean this Superman didn't try, but he was barely treading water in an increasingly crazy situation, it's not like he's had years to develop his views on triage, responsibility, paternalism, sanctity of life, etc... he's just coping after a lifetime of alienation with just the beginnings of his identity and full potential. That just means we get to see Superman actually become and earn his status on screen, rather than assume it like all the previous films have.