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Man of Steel |OT| It's about action.

I'm sure the level of destruction and even when (big spoilers)
kills zod
will play a big part in the sequel specially if lex is the villain considering how manipulative he is, it's almost a certainty he will use those to sway the people's opinion on superman.

Well they have about 60 years worth or Superman story lines to choose from. They can certainly go that direction if they want.

BTW... that final scene that puts an abrupt end to the action scenes... I expect that to get the gif treatment in the future.

it will be properly bish'd.
 

Veelk

Banned
If nothing else, I really appreciate that this is a superman who really can't achieve everything with a swish of his cape. The biggest problem with both the Donner and Routh Supermen were that there was never any sense of danger as long as the opponent didn't have kryptonite. And even then, Lex never managed to do any permanent damage.

Man of Steel gives us a real superman while also giving us antagonists that match if not surpass him. It was amazing to see him struggling so hard against
Faora and the other dude. And Zod. And the World Engine.
I have major reservations with some character and thematic moments, but Snyder did an amazing job testing superman's great power while never losing sight of his great power. And this should put an end to the idea that superman is too powerful to make interesting. It proves that, no matter how powerful your protagonist, as long as he has an antagonist to match that power, you can make the story work.
 
If nothing else, I really appreciate that this is a superman who really can't achieve everything with a swish of his cape. The biggest problem with both the Donner and Routh Supermen were that there was never any sense of danger as long as the opponent didn't have kryptonite. And even then, Lex never managed to do any permanent damage.

Man of Steel gives us a real superman while also giving us antagonists that match if not surpass him. It was amazing to see him struggling so hard against Faora and the other dude. And Zod. And the World Engine. I have major reservations with some character and thematic moments, but the physical portrayal of Superman was spot on.

I definitely agree. The sense of struggle really added gravity to the action. In general, it's too easy is it to make Superman seem overpowered, and most Superman films and shows have done just that. But nope, he really had to fight and scrap for every inch of success in this. And fought he did. Made every blow he landed feel good.
 

DaveH

Member
The film was not bad per se, but what was missing from the character on screen was the inherent need to protect everyone. To do the right thing to protect everyone, no matter the cost. That was missing from Man of Steel.
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.
 

Ashhong

Member
God the tag team fight between
faora + big guy vs supes was amazingly choreographed. There were moments when the big guy would throw supes and faora combo'd that with a punch to send him instantly into the ground and it made me cringe every time.
fucking glorious
 

Error

Jealous of the Glory that is Johnny Depp
God the tag team fight between
faora + big guy vs supes was amazingly choreographed. There were moments when the big guy would throw supes and faora combo'd that with a punch to send him instantly into the ground and it made me cringe every time.
fucking glorious

That was the best part of the film. Best action sequence in any superhero movie.
 

bill0527

Member
Just got back from seeing it. Felt more like a big sci-fi alien invasion movie rather than a superhero movie. It felt like Supes didn't have much dialogue in this movie. Just a lot of stone faced brooding. I didn't hate it or dislike it. I didn't love it either. This isn't what I was expecting. I don't think this was the Superman movie I was looking for. Next time, maybe they should cut back on the special effects budget and maybe hire a few more writers with that extra money.
 

BadAss2961

Member
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.
Good points. Well said.
 

Ashhong

Member
Just got back from seeing it. Felt more like a big sci-fi alien invasion movie rather than a superhero movie. It felt like Supes didn't have much dialogue in this movie. Just a lot of stone faced brooding. I didn't hate it or dislike it. I didn't love it either. This isn't what I was expecting. I don't think this was the Superman movie I was looking for. Next time, maybe they should cut back on the special effects budget and maybe hire a few more writers with that extra money.

I really don't understand this complaint. I felt that supes said plenty. He spoke when he needed to. I need to rewatch or something.
 

Varna

Member
Just got back from seeing this, it was all right minus a few things I really didn't like.

Didn't really have an issue with the pacing (although it does speed up to a noticeable degree once
they find the ship
. I did enjoy the heavy sci-fi feeling regarding the Krypton mythology. It was a great touch in my opinion. Definitely made me
sympathize a bit with Zod and his plight
.

I didn't like Lois Lane one bit which is a damn shame because I think Adams is great. Her character was the weak link in the movie.
Her not selling Clark out was incredibly forced. At this point we don't know much about her other then she does what it takes to get the story. She is a decorated reporter and I imagine it's because she doesn't let her personal feelings get in the way of a story
. It's not that the idea couldn't have worked, but it should have been something that gradually happened over time with her character. Also the
romance
was horribly forced. Yes, I know. But it didn't have to happen in this film in such a cliche way.
This was the same exact scene that made me almost walk out of TDKR
.

I also don't quiet understand why
Clark was so emotional after killing Zod. This isn't comic book Superman and although his morally is called into question earlier I have no doubts that this guy would have killed any of the other Kryptonian's if he needed to. Hell, he was willing to burn his entire people
.

Anyhow, I thought it was decent. A nice foundation for something better. The entire film was pretty bleak, but it did get a few chuckles out of me.
 

Ahasverus

Member
Me neither. people are confusing a learning path to a silent path here. Of course he needs to listen because /that's the point of the whole movie/ that he's asking questions, but he's not passive at all, and in the end you see him confident and big in presence.
 
The movie was..meh.

The action in it was great for the most part, I just got so tired of the military being in every other scene.

I didn't like the actor that played Lois Lane.

I didn't like that they didn't show off Superman's Ice breath. Would've been perfect for the
oil rig scene
.

The fight with
Zod
was great.

I just really wanted more Superman and less other people.. Also I felt like the prologue was way to long.

6/10
 
The movie was..meh.

The action in it was great for the most part, I just got so tired of the military being in every other scene.

I didn't like the actor that played Lois Lane.

I didn't like that they didn't show off Superman's Ice breath. Would've been perfect for the
oil rig scene
.

The fight with
Zod
was great.

I just really wanted more Superman and less other people.. Also I felt like the prologue was way to long.

6/10

Would you figure in real life the military would remain in their bunkers?
 

Dahbomb

Member
The military was there just to show that humans were powerless against Kryptonians... a way to gauge power levels. Its like the Z fighters when Saiyans are fighting in DBZ.
 

kaiju

Member
She's ice cold.

tn-500_scan_3-625.jpg
 

BlueWord

Member
Really not impressed with this film. Action was fun, but pacing and character development was a total miss, and I felt like groaning at several of the lines. Watched Superman Returns when I got home, and it's definitely the stronger film.

6/10 is generous.
 

Dahbomb

Member
There isn't a single thing Returns does better than MoS.

Worse script, worse acting, worse cast, worse Superman, worse pacing, worse story, worse soundtrack, 10000x worse action and effects.
 

kswiston

Member
Saw the film today. A solid 7 from me. I really liked the first half, especially the visuals on Krypton. I didn't think the second half was as strong. While the action scenes did a good job replicating what a superhuman fight would look like (at least in my mind), watching buildings being demolished is only interesting for so long. This Superman is a big fan of collateral damage.
 
The movie was..meh.

The action in it was great for the most part, I just got so tired of the military being in every other scene.

I didn't like the actor that played Lois Lane.

I didn't like that they didn't show off Superman's Ice breath. Would've been perfect for the
oil rig scene
.

The fight with
Zod
was great.

I just really wanted more Superman and less other people.. Also I felt like the prologue was way to long.

6/10

I agree with the bolded.
 

Golgi_Apparati

Neo Member
I'm sure this has been asked already but would you recommend this movie to someone who has never been into superman or comics in general? I really want to see it.
 

Dahbomb

Member
I'm sure this has been asked already but would you recommend this movie to someone who has never been into superman or comics in general? I really want to see it.
Hard to say. I would say if you like disaster, sci fi action movies then you can definitely check this out. If you can't stomach a lot of action/destruction/CG I cannot recommend this.

Honestly speaking BB and TDK are the only superhero/comic movies I would recommed if you weren't big into the genre. Maybe something less mainstream like Unbreakable too but I am just talking about the big ones.
 

Error

Jealous of the Glory that is Johnny Depp
There isn't a single thing Returns does better than MoS.

Worse script, worse acting, worse cast, worse Superman, worse pacing, worse story, worse soundtrack, 10000x worse action and effects.

Seriously, who really enjoys creepy stalker Clark Kent?
 

Ahasverus

Member
Saw the movie, enjoyed it more than The Avengers and TDKR.

image.php


I'm sure this has been asked already but would you recommend this movie to someone who has never been into superman or comics in general? I really want to see it.

Absolutely, my boyfriend is allergic to all kind of comic book movies (even the batman films) and he was stoked, it feels more sci-fi/space stuff than comic booky.
 

Ashhong

Member
I'm sure this has been asked already but would you recommend this movie to someone who has never been into superman or comics in general? I really want to see it.

If u like action movies, yes. Simple. I would honestly tell every single male to watch this film. You never know if you will hate it until you watch it. It's definitely worth a watch.
 

Anbokr

Bull on a Donut
I'm sure this has been asked already but would you recommend this movie to someone who has never been into superman or comics in general? I really want to see it.

Yep. I was never a big Superman fan and have never read a superman comic. This is probably my favorite superhero film of all time, tied with Spiderman 1 and 2. It was awesome in every regard.
 
I'm sure this has been asked already but would you recommend this movie to someone who has never been into superman or comics in general? I really want to see it.

Depends on the person. If they're into blockbuster action movies, then yes this will be perfect for them. Fans of high drama or more hardcore sci-fi won't like it.
 

Grimsen

Member
Zack Snyder squatted down, got real comfortable, and took a huge shit on the Superman Franchise.

I wouldn't give it more than 4 on 10, for Zod and Faora.
 
I'm sure this has been asked already but would you recommend this movie to someone who has never been into superman or comics in general? I really want to see it.

Did you enjoy the tone, mood, and approach of the Nolan Batman Trilogy? Wish there had been about 10x more action?

Then this is the film for you!
 

Grimsen

Member
image.php


Ha! lol no. What an appropiate avatar you have for making that post.

I saw it with 4 friends, all comic fans, and we all thought it was shit. The entire theater left pretty bummed, and some people walked out before the end.

Your ad hominem schtick about GAFers' avatars is also getting old.
 
I liked the movie overall, except I think they should've fleshed out the characters a bit more. There was no background to most of them, little interaction and such. Also, was disappointed that they didn't start the
Justice League
initiative here.
 

Ashhong

Member
I saw it with 4 friends, all comic fans, and we all thought it was shit. The entire theater left pretty bummed, and some people walked out before the end.

Your ad hominem schtick about GAFers' avatars is also getting old.

Cool, my entire theater clapped loudly at the end and the majority loved it.

How exactly, is Snyder responsible for whatever issues you have with the film?
 

Ahasverus

Member
I saw it with 4 friends, all comic fans, and we all thought it was shit. The entire theater left pretty bummed, and some people walked out before the end.

Your ad hominem schtick about GAFers' avatars is also getting old.

To each its own, my theater was ecstatic, even little children came out wowing and stuff.
And nothing stops my avatar train.
it's for the lulz, nothing serious, chill

The thing is, I came with expectations for a mediocre movie, came out with a really good movie that feels unique, perfect? no, great foundation of a style I'd love to be continued? Oh yes.
 

Error

Jealous of the Glory that is Johnny Depp
I liked the movie overall, except I think they should've fleshed out the characters a bit more. There was no background to most of them, little interaction and such. Also, was disappointed that they didn't start the
Justice League
initiative here.

I don't know, seeing as it was basically superman's first big event it would've felt tacky and would've taken protagonism from him if they included JL stuff. Easter Eggs here and there was probably the best way to go.
 

Daft_Cat

Member
..Yah, this thing definitely has some pretty massive problems. They're all to do with the script, and the pacing of the story. I'd get into it more, but I don't really think it's worth much discussion. Come to think of it, I had a lot of similar problems with TDKR and Watchmen. If you like the worst, most bloated kind of shit that these two otherwise talented filmmakers have offerred up in the past, then you'll dig this. Too me, all it really felt like was a poor mans Batman Begins, lacking in that film's rich characterization/atmosphere. Action was absolutely stunning, even though it went on for way too long which basically brought the whole thing down to a sort of boring, one-note plateau.

As a disclaimer..I don't think it's bad. It's just way too sloppily put together. It's a shame because it brings something something so close to greatness down to mediocrity. I can kind of tell what Goyer's initial pitch to Nolan must have been (my guess is it's undergone some substantial changes), and I think it has way more potential than what they managed to get on screen.

7/10

Edit:

Audience was mixed. There was some clapping and cheering at the end, but I also heard A LOT of negative comments as people filed out.
 
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