Man of Steel

“They have chosen cunning instead of belief. Their prison is only in their minds, yet they are in that prison; and so afraid of being taken in that they cannot be taken out.” -C.S. Lewis

This is how I feel about the people criticizing it. Trying so hard to be smart that they missed all the depth and complexity that was on display. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and thats the one thing thats been really bothering me: the people who didnt like it wont accept that a lot of the people who did like it thought it was the best superhero film yet. If you didnt like it great, but dont tell me what I, or a lot of other people think. Consider this: there must be a reason so many people share the same opinion, isnt it possible you missed something, or didnt fully consider something that we all did? And of course the opposite is possible as well. But ive already seen it twice and plan on seeing it a third time tonight, I think im on the verge of being an unmatched expert on this film, haha.

Are you offended? Elitism? Really? Where? I am honestly asking because your reaction to my words are just making the point of my responding to you that much more valid. If you do not like when someone questions you then perhaps say somethings that make better sense to the reader or less questionable. Everything you've said so far has been contradictions to your own claims of understanding/expectations. You cut a film short. Then when questioned as to why you, and some things pointed out, you further your contradiction, along with the point I was making to you. By your own words you state that you cannot look at Man of Steel with a open mind because you on still on the past adaptations of Superman. How exactly do you know what you truly dislike, let alone like anything about Man of Steel when you say you wanted this film to be something it was never even advertised to be like? Hell! Why even bother to see the film if you lack the open mind to at least embrace it on any open front?

As for Superman II. Don't BS me or anyone else. Everyone knows they died man.. . So cut the crap already. You went there with your love for these films, and while that's fine as I enjoyed them too. I was not the one who kept his/her contradiction going. That was you and you alone. It's not a big deal, but I didn't make you type your last response in that fashion either. So I am going to finish this out about Superman II and move on.

Did you notice how Lex in end didn't just vanish? What I am getting is this. Lex Luthor was the only villain left alive. This was made apparent as he didn't fall to his death/get killed by a re-powered Superman. Also if they didn't die (Which we all know they did) Then why wasn't there any mention or showing of them being returned to the Phantom Zone or some prison? Lets face they died. We all know it. Superman and Lois socked it to the bad guys. So on and so forth.

As for the over all bright colour tone and overuse of CG. Is this just an excuse? What the hell are you talking about? There is a grand growing number of films that abuse the hell of out CG and colour. Star Trek comes to mind. Resident Evil etc. I'm sorry pal, but Man of Steel does not fall in this category. All the fight scenes in the film were for the most part, (give or take a few things) was on par with the fight scenes done in the DC animated movies. I don't suppose you hate those as well if you've watched any of them? Of course there was destruction. How often does superman face a villain that doesn't border on epic havoc on some level? Are you really going to be this nit picky? I could see if all the CG was done with no sense of direction, but there was no misuse of it. (Man you must of really hated seeing Krypton then.) Especially not in the way you are trying to say. I could see if they did all of that and he wasn't going up against Kryptonian tech/not going up against Zod etc. How badly do you want this film to be before you went to see it?

At this rate I simply believe that you are not willing to take anything from the film as a result of as stated already. Your own personal bias. You've seen what works for you. Not what works as a whole. We all know what superman represents, but as you haven't noticed. Those values were throughout the whole film as a man/alien trying to understand them. Even when he killed Zod. You say you know Superman, yet are quick to turn a blind eye to those values you have such admiration for when retold in a way that could never be to your liking as you have also expressed. Bottom line. Some people can keep and open mind, others are so set in their ways it wouldn't matter if something was good despite being different or bad. It's all disappointment no matter what to them.

Last thing I am going to say to you before I move on from this and your posts. (Feel free to have last word as I won't be bothered.), is this. The inspiration you are seeking is there. Since this is an origin film meant to jump start a franchise. The film was about deciding his place in a world that wasn't his. Learning who he was and coming to terms with why he was sent to Earth. If this was a Spiderman film It would of ended with the mention of "With great power come great responsibility" but this isn't Spiderman. A larger dose of that inspiration you seem to be now bent on has only yet to come. It would be foolish to think otherwise. Bottom line I was left inspired from several perspectives. Mainly that Kel-El came to embrace his destiny and that it ended with him setting out to be that "Messiah" you wanted to see so badly, but couldn't get past your own wants to see in the film. This film is not flawless, but it sure as hell is a step in the right direction for a change.

Comic Vine, I am disappoint. Some of the irrational comments I've seen are laughably ignorant. Claiming everyone who didn't like the film is this. Claiming anyone who loved the film is that. Grow up -- it's subjective content and your opinion isn't the final say on these matters. By all means, say what you want about the film, but when you start to belittle people on the opposite side of the opinion... well, all it does is invalidate your entire post and eliminate the potential for a productive conversation.

Naturally, some of you are being grand. So to those people: much love and keep up the pleasant and reasonable chats. I couldn't help but chime in on the absurd nature of some of the comments I've seen, though.

@k4tzm4n: I wholeheartedly agree. It seems that if you didn't love this movie you "didn't get it" and if you did like it "you're ignoring way too many flaws". I personally loved the movie, yes it has its flaws but to me the good vastly outweighs the bad. Some things come down to personal preference really, like the pacing of the film, it could've used some work but it didn't bother me nearly as much as it did to other people. And is it the best comic book movie ever? Objectively speaking: no, of course not, but it may be the best one for some people, and that's fine, that means they got a bigger enjoyment out of this film than they did from other great comic book films like TDK or Avengers.

And if someone didn't like the movie or even hated it, hey, that's their opinion and they have a right to express it. Maybe they don't care for Superman and couldn't get past the movie's flaws. Maybe they have a different idea of who Superman is and what he represents. Or maybe they just have a different taste in movies, who knows? People like and dislike films all the time, as long as we express our opinion in a respectful manner they're all just as valid.

I will say one thing, though: This movie has gotten people talking much more than Iron Man 3 and that's quite a feat on itself.

This movie really does deserve five stars. The acting was superb, really. Though Cavill doesn't get much speaking time as "Superman" between all that's going on, he nails every bit he gets. When he puts on the glasses as Clark at the end, it just sorta put the cherry on top for me. I'm excited to see him return and really grow int he role. As per the supporting actors, visual effects, and overall storyline, I very much agree with the review. Cannot wait to see where the franchise goes from here!

They need to get their panties out of a twist. I thought that it was one of the better superhero movies so far, honestly.

That scene was incredibly moving. The remorse was so strong and screamed Kal-El to me. I about lost my mind when the person behind snickered slightly at it. Complete idiot. When the movie started, he said "What? This isn't a Marvel movie?" Still almost made me cry, just like when Jonathan died. Another very powerful scene.

@docluthorvondoom:

No you're wrong they died in 2 wanna know how I know for sure cause I saw it in the theater when it was released. What you're talking about is a deleted scene that's not in the film hence the term deleted.

And not only do you insult his taste in film you go on and insult his taste in music another art form that's subjective. So congratulations you're the tool of the week. Especially if you think that about nine inch nails.

i personally have never seen a bad superman movie and yes i have seen them all and liked them. watching the trailers for this i thought it was going to be too much like the nolan films which i personally think sucked. was this movie perfect? no. was this my superman that i read in the comics and seen on tv? no. i accept this like i do other good comic book movies: its alternate version of this character. with that in mind i was able to accept a lot that wouldnt normally have otherwise. that doesnt mean i didnt cringe or get at upset at certain moments in particular the stupid tornado scene and the horrific ending with zod. people said they cried or almost cried at these moments but they were too out of character for me. certain character traits have to stay in tact otherwise its a totally different character, honestly this could have been called 'Mon-El' and i wouldnt have a problem. i dont like stupid (tornado scene) or murder (zod scene) so those moments took me out of the film. there were other little things like amy adams and michael shannon. now everyone in this movie is a superb actor and i am not cracking down on their skills but just because you are great actor doesnt mean you can play any part. amy's character could have been called jane thomas and it wouldnt matter cause she wasnt lois. i dont buy her as a strong or tough woman at all. her fight scene and her being assertive just felt forced and unbelievable. no teri hatcher or erica durance (who should have been in this movie!). michael did a far better job then i thought. the trailers only show his over the top craziness but i was happy to see that they did reign him in for the most part. visually the film is stunning, loved the part on krypton perhaps more than the whole movie. i so wanted to see a krypton movie starring jor-el and lara-van. THAT would be epic. if you are not reading action comics and you liked that opening sequence i strongly suggest you pick it up. so much jor and lara goodness. the fight scenes were also amazing. faora was the standout in the movie, the best thing about it for me. cant say much about henry cavil: he's hot but needs a shave, those chest and arm hairs peeking out of his costume were totally distracting and not in a good way. he barely spoke in this film so i dont know how i can give a fair critique of his acting here but he looked the part and he's super hot. he did have two great emotional reaction moments but i already know he's phenomenal actor i just didnt see anything that screamed this is clark kent or superman.

its an 8-8.5 despite all the negatives. no avengers which i had no problems with (other than the problem that i have with all these boys club films) so that would be a 10. im pretty sure they are going to throw lex in the next one but i so hope someone can get the balls to do a new villain (brainiac)

@deaditegonzo: Did you noticed that Zod was committing suicide via Superman?

Honestly, walking out of the theater, I was super disappointed......

.....

But after I slept on it, I realized why this was so awesome. We've been conditioned by the barrage of Marvel movies to think that super hero movies are character pieces with humor and wit and light-hearted good guy vs bad guy fun. Not to say that the Marvel movies aren't great, just that it's what we expect (and what the critics expect) when they walk in to see a superhero movie. However, this wasn't really a superhero movie, it was a sci-fi movie in spandex. If you look at it for what it is, a dark, serious take on a man trying to come to grips with being a god, the weight of the world on his shoulders, everything he ever believed about himself having been wrong, then it is a powerful new way to do this kind of movie. I respect DC for putting out dark, ultra realistic movies and setting a tonal difference with Marvel. It's a gamble, and once the critics stop walking in with pre-conceived notions about how to do a superhero movie, I think it'll pay off.

@deaditegonzo: i have to disagree with just one thing you said. that whole scene was made for one reason: to humanize clark. why? because for whatever reason a lot of people dont like superman because he isnt relatable but he's not suppose to be and that's what people are misunderstanding. he is suppose to be better than us not like us. we are suppose to aspire to be like him. that scene effected me in a very negative way: part angry that they would do that and part sad to see superman take another life. i literally had to force myself to stay cause if i left i know i would never go and pay to watch it again from the begining. i know deep in my heart that superman would NEVER do that and since i am heavily influenced by him and wonder woman i would never do that, period. im a warrior of peace and love. i would incapacitate never kill. sadly this society thinks so casually about death and the life of those they dont like they are fine with these acts of violence but like professor x and many other great philosophers and wisemen have said before: to do unto your enemy what has been done unto you makes you no better than them.

there are other ways to show that superman is human and that is in his compassion and i know that goes over a lot of people's head but a great writer and director could show that instead of using this stunt.

his action doesnt make him like "us" (at least not like me) but only like those who dont see that EVERY life is precious.

p.s.: i know there are comics where superman has killed before but guess what:

1. they are no longer in canon (welcome to the world of dc comics)

2. that was a writer trying to be edgy

3. just because someone writes something doesnt make it true. if i wrote a story about superman and batman being lovers would you accept that as truth?

Hestia's blessings

I love some people said that there was no character development for Supes even he exposes himself to the world after years of hiding.

@perfect_10: That was far from murder and more towards self-defense and he killed Doomsday in the comics for the same reasons. And what was he going to do with Zod? Zod said that he would kill everyone on Earth. The device to the Phantom Zone was gone and no prison can hold him.

@deviousbastard: good question, and what do superman with the other supervillians much strongers than zod in the comics, kill them or what?

@andreszr: Don't they have prisons made for power houses in the mainstream comic continuity? They obviously don't in this continuity and people who complain about this have so far failed to answer my question.

@perfect_10: Heres the thing, you dont get decide what is true, or definitive either. STILLin-canon, Superman has still killed Doomsday, in much the same situation as he killed Zod in the movie. Besides, the "truest" incarnation of Superman, as in when he was first created by Siegel and Shuster, would just kill baddies wantonly. Everybody picks the version they like best, and so far as movie versions go, this is probably my favourite.

And i wouldnt let imaginary comic book characters define my morality, that cannot end well.

I also feel, if the only way to save that family was killing Zod, then people who would refuse to do so for the sake of keeping their own hands clean is a bad person. Its just my take, but Snyder was very brave for putting this scene in, and it is one of the most thought provoking ever put to film.

While I agree with your point that audience and critic opinions often differ. I would be careful of using the logical train that you are following. You claim that the 82% positive audience rating MoS has from 80,000 fans suggests ALL positive and then say that Iron Man 3 is polarizing and mediocre, but it has an 83% positive and 200,000 votes. So that might not be an internally consistent argument. For what it's worth I thought the action scenes were like and transformers movie (way too much going on) and hey that got a 20% critics rating and a 76% audience rating with over a million voters. So in the end I wouldn't worry what critics or other people think if you love it then great, but remember apparently most movies Iron Man 3 and Transformers Revenge of the Fallen are good movies by audience reactions.

You are heavily influenced by your own vision of Superman and Wonder Woman, which is absolutely fine because we truly all are and there is nothing wrong with that. Wonder Woman #219, which was pretty much in a very strong place within continuity before The New 52, is where Wonder Woman snaps Maxwell Lord's neck to save Superman. It was literally no different than the situation with Superman and General Zod in Man of Steel.

I think Marvel has hit something of a magic note, in the sense they could release anything and at least get above average praise at this point. I think the glowing reviews for Captain America, Thor, Iron Man 2 & 3 prove that.

Superman has the exact opposite problem. Just compare Superman Returns and Man of Steel. Both have a lot of critical complaints, BUT THEYRE THE EXACT OPPOSITE! Basically, no critic will be happy with a Superman movie until we figure out how to resurrect Reeves from the grave and just perfectly rehash Superman the Movie.

I think the broad viewing audience has more credibility and a generally more valuable opinion when it comes to entertainment than "professional critics." Because thats what a movie is when you get right to it: consumable, escapist entertainment. And who is more fit to judge that then the consumer themselves?

@lapis2: Like what? Zod would have easily defeated Supes once he got use to powers(which was happening pretty fast) and then proceed to kill everyone on Earth like he said he would if he wasn't put down. He was already giving him a hard time before he could even fly and had military training. By the end of the film there was no way to imprison him.

I think we're agreeing over all the things that critics are looking for and what makes a movie fun are often worlds apart. I was mostly suggesting that what the audience finds entertaining is almost everything. As movies that you (IM3 from your mediocre comment) and I (anything transformers) didn't like have pretty much the same audience rating as MoS, audience rating doesn't really work as a quality differentiator. For my part I thought MoS had issues, but is also the best Superman movie to date (I never liked the Reeves ones), take that as you will.

I just watched this film yesterday and it was AWESOME!!! Non-stop action and adventure and a great story that stays true to the Superman comics. Looking forward to the next film. This is a must see for all fans of Superman!

Yes, the world of comics has far more options at its disposal to solve the Zod situation. Not to mention Superman is far more experienced and talented with his powers (What's so funny about truth, justice and the American way? is a good example). The film at that point, however, did not have these luxuries.

The phantom drive technology = destroyed. So, what alternative was there to protect the billions of lives on Earth from a heartbroken and bloodlusted Zod? Humanity had nothing to contain him. The technology to change the atmosphere to reflect their world in a room doesn't exist. Superman can't fight him forever or keep knocking him out every time he regains consciousness. Superman had to make the impossible decision and in my opinion he made the right one.

great review! i loved this movie!!!!!!!

Falling off a cliff usually means dead, yes. I don't mean to jump on you over this but you really seem to be making a stretch of an argument for this. It comes off as petty. So do the insults to this user's intelligence for disagreeing with you. I am fairly new here so I don't know how well this flagging system works on this site but rest assured, I am flagging this post for your completely unnecessary attack. I only hope that something is done about it.

HAHA! This part made me laugh pretty hard. :D

I had a feeling you would respond like this. Even after I walked away. The funny part it that I didn't stoop to poor trash talk & shit excuses in my response to you. It was just a chat. If anyone is an idiot it's yourself.

You skimmed nothing so don't pretend. I never said you called me elitist lol. I did ask you how you thought to even reference it. Why and where. Oh but wait you were skimming. All you've done is get mad and act like a brat at the end of this talk we've had. Bravo! Way to have nothing constructive to say. It's the second time in film that Superman killed Zod. You don't have to accept it. However, it doesn't change how it was filmed.

NiN and my name have nothing in common. I would ask you how you thought that or what makes you so sure of it, but Clearly you're willing to assume anything in your attempt to talk shit/get back at me. Music? Really, Doc? That's your route? Let me help you. Rez is short for Resurrection it was nick name I got from an MMO I played Oh.. I don't know. Back in 2005ish maybe. Noir Well... That should be a no brainer, but it doesn't surprise me that in your little tempered outburst and lack of anything else to say that you would fail to grasp it. Noir is French. It means Dark, Black, Also used to describe certain genres of film. I don't want to call you a moron, but it sure is temping after reading your response.

Your "Fourthly" comment was the second most moronic thing you mentioned in that fail of a trash talk. Did I say it was ok? Oh right.. You were skimming... Apparently not.

You want me to tell you how you contradicted yourself after the several times I pointed out how and why? It should be obvious by now. Just like your BS response.. Don't act like an idiot. No I am not calling you one.

Take care. We have nothing more to discuss. It's disappointing/funny for the most part.

People complaining about the CGI fight scenes is a head scratcher to me. We have 4 super-powered villains fighting it out. It shouldn't look anywhere near normal..it SHOULD look surreal. To me, this was the first Superhero movie that did a super fight correctly. If beings like this existed and got into it, it wouldn't look like anything we've ever seen before. That, to me, was another point against The highly over-rated Avengers. Let's have a fight where highly advanced space aliens are on the ground in NYC. How can they be stopped? Well, Captain America can throw a shield and Black Widow can do some martial arts..that'll take care of their ground forces. But compared to Zod, Loki was a total wimp, so maybe in some way, it made sense that his army would be wimpy also. As for Supes luring him (Zod) away, to fight in a less populated locale, that's maybe a legit complaint, but I think Zod was dictating the terms of the fight. After all Superman is new at this, (in the film.) and is still unsure of what his place on earth is. Zod was programmed from DAY ONE to protect/fight for Krypton. He KNEW exactly what he wanted to do. Therefore: He should have dictated the terms of the fight, and he did. Yes, we can surmise there was a lot of collateral damage. As there would be if beings with immense power and a huge technological advantage attacked us, and we had ONE Person that could fight back. Not to totally rag on The Avengers (well, okay, to rag on it..I liked it, but it was so overrated IMHO.) NYC had so little damage done to it. And that doesn't ring true for me. I don't care how much "Hulk Smash" what Moljinir can do, or how good CA can throw his shield. Victories in fights like this should also come with a price. Side note: Estimated cost to rebuild Metropolis...$1 Trillion :)

Were there any hints of Flash and Wonder Woman? I seen the Batman, Aquaman, Green Lantern, and possibly Cyborg references but I didn't catch a Flash or Wonder Woman.

***SPOILERS*** ?

Aquaman = When the General says "Word of the day" the word is Trident.

Batman = Wayne Industries satellite in fight scene.

Cyborg(I may be wrong about this.) = The scientist helping Superman and the government the entire time may be from Argus.

Green Lantern = Carrol Farris his girlfriend is next to the general when he questions Superman alliance.

If I missed any I would like to know.

If I were doing this movie I would honestly make the next villain Lex Luthor and make him expose Supermans weakness too Kryptonite. & like the Avengers which had Nick Fury to bring them all together. I would have the Phantom Stranger.

Most of the post here are pathetic and funny.

Well,ok its good..not amazing imo,not really sure on carvil as superman. Being a brit I love the fact a brit made it,,,,,but to me hes just not super superman..Routh with the right director ie synder would of been awesome. He got a bumrap on that weak film he did. Plus he really pulled off a great clark too which a lot forget about!! Routh + synder + zod + a sneaky darkseid taster after the credits ended would off destroyed any other film this year imo.

@azura_thena: If I call you a fascist will you flag me for that too?

@rezn0ir: I thought you said you were done and I could have the last word...like, two comments ago? Talk about contradictions. So we're done, we have nothing more to discuss, are you sure this time? And I only skimmed this last one too, but you seem to just be re-iterating the same points; maybe you should have quit while you were ahead...or at least still a little fresh.

I would flag you for any name-calling. No one should feel unsafe to be on this site and I believe at least some of the mods will agree with that sentiment.

@azura_thena: So...you're a fascist. You don't agree with the language I use or the way I talk to others, so you want to forcibly prevent it. Do I need to point out the hypocrisy in that?

There is no hypocrisy. You are insulting others. That is not allowed on the site and I find it offensive. I will attempt to utilize the system available to aid in preventing abuse.

Exactly. I was going to say the same thing but you beat me to it. The audience are, and always will be, less critical than critics. Lol, seems like common sense when you hear it put in those terms doesn't it? But that doesn't necessarily mean they're facts. At the end of the day, they're still just opinions. But it is still undeniable that critic reviews are held to a higher value than audiences. Simply because that's what they do for a living, critique movies. This is evident in all facets of life. It's one thing to say that some people disagree with them. Its another entirely to claim one side right, and the other wrong. Majority of people liked Transformers as you said, but I think that movie is horrible. So is the audience wrong with this opinion, in my opinion? Definitely. And the same goes for the way I feel about MoS. But at the end of the day, none of these claims are facts, and will differ with every individual.

@azura_thena: Lol, abuse, that's a bit of a strong word, isn't it? Let's call it what it is, I'm being blunt on a message board, and it's hurting your feewings.

But yours is the path of hypocrisy, let's not have any allusions or pretenses about that. All I've done is say words, that you don't like. If you choose, you can not read it, same goes for everyone else that you claim I'm making feel "unsafe". You're the only one I see taking the path of force.

And, honestly, I do think someone's stupid if they like this movie, why should I pretend other wise? And why am I less free to air this opinion then all the other asinine arguments that fly around this site?I'd rather be a prick then be disingenuous. Or would you prefer we all just sit around the campfire, hold hands, and sing kumbaya?

It's not a strong word. You have called people names. That is verbal abuse. There is a marked difference between being blunt and being downright rude. Yours is the latter. And while I would never ask you to consider the feelings of others, as it seems something you are incapable of, I would ask that you respect the rules of the site so that it remains a friendly and enjoyable place to spend time on.

Flagging is not taking any forceful action against you. It is the expected response to behavior such as yours. If you don't like being flagged, I recommend adhering to the rules. Everyone wants to be here and enjoy themselves, is it really that hard to let that happen?

You can state your feelings about the movie. I see no problem with that. I am not a mod, but I do believe you do not have the right to personally attack others. But that is for the mods to decide. So I will just flag your posts when I feel you are insulting others and hope that someone eventually takes notice and halts your action.

My comment was about the use of the word in the context of the discussion, not "strong" in terms of personal insult. I really have to spell everything out for you people don't I? The implication was that you're being melodramatic.

This is an ultimatum; adhere to the rules or be flagged. An ultimatum is a measure of force; so, yes, by definition, you are taking forceful actions. Man, talk about having to spell things out. And, I'm enjoying myself plenty, I don't know what's preventing anyone else from doing the same, it's certainly not me, since, like I said, if I offend your delicate sensibilities you can, simply, not reply to me, and not read my comments.

So you presume to tell me what my rights are? Wow, I totally called it when I said you were a fascist.

Let's try to stay on topic. I sense a thread lock coming if this continues.

This movie was freaking awesome! I haven't had this much fun with a movie since the Avengers because this was just great!

And **** it, I'm not an apologist! If you can't deal with people liking a movie you didn't like too bad for you!

Sheesh people. Go take it up in the PMs.

@rezn0ir: @azura_thena: @docluthorvondoom: When you sign up, you agree to follow the site's rules. Name calling and personal insults are against the rules previously agreed upon. So yeah, calling someone an "idiot" or cursing just because you disagree with them goes against that. Besides, if you believe the person is making such an irrational statement, shouldn't be easy to point out why without reducing yourself to petty personal insults? Name calling only makes your post look like the invalid one. No one is saying everyone needs to smile, get along and agree... we just ask everyone leaves personal insults and name calling out of it. There's simply no arguing or debating that cursing or calling someone an idiot isn't against the rules. So please, feel free to carry on, but without breaking the rules this time.