Man of Steel (2013)

[Gopher]

Please. I love my comedies and funny films, but there is a time and place for that. When I go into an action film, I expect to see an action film, not a buddy comedy, or an action comedy, when it's marketed as a PURE action film.But if you love being mislead, fooled and lied to by a film's marketing campaign, then enjoy.

I'm done talking to you if you base your opinion of a movie on how it stacks up against its marketing campaign. Lots of movies blend genre. Rarely is a movie ever a 'pure' action film, whatever that means.

[RichWS]

'I am a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist!'

 

That was probably my favorite.

 

As for the entire movie, I'm pretty damn mixed. Impressive scale and effects, but lacked any kind of heart. I don't think it earned several of its emotional beats (Pa Kent's death, the first kiss). For a two-hour plus film, I wish it stopped to breathe more. Didn't feel like there was one scene where two characters really connected. Wanted that script to get tightened up a little more.

 

Cavill's fine, but he had little to work with. Shannon makes the most of what he's got, and Amy Adams gives a solid Amy Adams performance. Snyder's style is initially absorbing yet ultimately exhausting. From the battle of Smallville on, it was just relentless. By the time the big machines were all destroyed, I was tapped out. (Yes, I was constantly thinking about the massive Metropolis death-toll).

 

The potential for a better sequel is there. I'm just a little worried that Goyer's the guy doing it again.

[ACCA]

I'm done talking to you if you base your opinion of a movie on how it stacks up against its marketing campaign.Lots of movies blend genre. Rarely is a movie ever a 'pure' action film, whatever that means.

 

I don't know how to make it any more clear for you; with a superhero film, especially an IRON MAN film, I DO NOT expect nor want any buddy comedy aspects in it. You love that, great for you. For me, it ruined the film.

 

When I watch a comedy or buddy cop film, then that's great to see. Not in an Iron Man film though.

 

It's best that we simply agree to disagree since there is no mutual understanding here.

[redfirebird2008]

Worst scene in the film is probably the tornado scene. Pa Kent's death was retarded compared to the 1978 film. He chooses to run into a tornado to save a freaking dog, and then Clark lets him die because of Pa Kent's stupid logic about Clark hiding his powers from the world. I liked the heart attack in the 1978 film because there wasn't a damn thing Clark could do about it.

[dashrendar44]

Worst scene in the film is probably the tornado scene. Pa Kent's death was retarded compared to the 1978 film. He chooses to run into a tornado to save a freaking dog, and then Clark lets him die because of Pa Kent's stupid logic about Clark hiding his powers from the world. I liked the heart attack in the 1978 film because there wasn't a damn thing Clark could do about it.

 

It could have worked if Clark was busy saving other people and then at the last time he sees his father being killed while doing the same stuck in a car so you still got the death by natural cause with helpless Clark (It would have driven home the point that Clark as super-powered as he is can't help everyone all at the same time dying from natural disasters but that doesn't mean he shouldn't try to help and save the more people as he can especially his dad. I agree StM conveyed that point better, simplier and more effective. No matter what he couldn't have done anything. In MoS, he could have but he was forbidden by the man that is supposed to teach him to use his great powers to save people, that is terrible).

 

But Clark staring at him standing stiff and Pa Kent forbidding him to save him because he got to keep his powers secret. That's just plain dumb. I don't know why Pa Kent's portrayal was so muddy and borderline contradicting itself. Clark, while growing up, still saved people showing his super powers so he disobeyed to Pa Kent. (And I'm tempted to say, thanks God, Clark didn't listen to Pa Kent's "hiding powers even if it means let people die" advice)

Edited June 18, 2013 by dashrendar44

[redfirebird2008]

Yeah, your version of the tornado scene would work better IMHO.

[Deep Wang]

What were the jokes in this movie? I saw it less than 12 hours ago and I can't remember laughing once. I want to ask it the question everyone loves so much, "Why so serious?"

[Deep Wang]

It could have worked if Clark was busy saving other people and then at the last time he sees his father being killed while doing the same stuck in a car so you still got the death by natural cause with helpless Clark (It would have driven home the point that Clark as super-powered as he is can't help everyone all at the same time dying from natural disasters but that doesn't mean he shouldn't try to help and save the more people as he can especially his dad. I agree StM conveyed that point better, simplier and more effective. No matter what he couldn't have done anything. In MoS, he could have but he was forbidden by the man that is supposed to teach him to use his great powers to save people, that is terrible).But Clark staring at him standing stiff and Pa Kent forbidding him to save him because he got to keep his powers secret. That's just plain dumb. I don't know why Pa Kent's portrayal was so muddy and borderline contradicting itself. Clark, while growing up, still saved people showing his super powers so he disobeyed to Pa Kent. (And I'm tempted to say, thanks God, Clark didn't listen to Pa Kent's "hiding powers even if it means let people die" advice)

The thing that bothers me most about that scene is that Pa Kent knows Clark could go get the dog and be safe, so why did he volunteer to go instead? It felt very written. It was a great death, but at the service of the script instead of the characters.

[redfirebird2008]

What were the jokes in this movie? I saw it less than 12 hours ago and I can't remember laughing once.I want to ask it the question everyone loves so much, "Why so serious?"

 

You didn't even laugh when he trashes the a-hole's big rig outside the bar? That got a huge reaction from the crowd at my screening last night.

[dashrendar44]

I laughed from the non-stop zooms and dezooms like a youtube amateur filmographer that spends most of time adjusting the focus of the frame while handhelding his camera shakily to keep up with the stuff happening before him. Sometimes, it felt like watching a screener.

Edited June 18, 2013 by dashrendar44

[Kvikk Lunsj]

This movie suffers from a bad screenplay which imo is common theme for all summer blockbuster this summer.

[RichWS]

You didn't even laugh when he trashes the a-hole's big rig outside the bar? That got a huge reaction from the crowd at my screening last night.

 

That was the only chuckle from me. When it was over, I found myself wishing there was a little more levity. It's a very po-faced movie.

[Sam]

What were the jokes in this movie? I saw it less than 12 hours ago and I can't remember laughing once.I want to ask it the question everyone loves so much, "Why so serious?"

What do you think about the movie Rallax? 

[Captain Craig]

Grade: B+

 

I don't have time at work to read all 11 current pages, I'll read 'em later so sorry if I repeat any stated thoughts already. 

 

As a film I felt it was an enjoyable action extravaganza. As an adaptation it didn't do it for me, I'd go a full C grade if I went for adaptation. That's even considering the various "canon" rewrites of the Supes legacy/origin they've done at DC.

 

This film had the action in spades that Returns was missing. The best scene in that film was the "airplane catch", it's all filler after that. The action sequences in MoS looked as if they were done by the Warners animation department. That is to say they were awesome. 

 

I enjoyed the first hour+ the most as we flipped back and forth through Jor-El and Jonathan's wisdom as Clark would recall moments during his "exile". 

 

The last hour+ was just one long fight sequence in about 3 rounds spliced with a thin enough narrative to get us there while the contestants were in their corner. 

 

So as a film what I didn't like....it was 12-15 minutes too long easily. I envision Snyder going to Nolan with a rough cut and saying,"Now I can trim these fights down, if necessary. I just wanted you to see the initial footage". Nolan, "Hey, you got the footage, may as well use it." You can only demolish so many storefronts and topple so many buildings before you overplay your hand of telling me TWO TITANS fighting will destroy a bunch of stuff.

The fights had some of that choppy editing that is hard to follow at times.

 

How, within the world of MoS, the FEDS and everyone else isn't going to know the Kents are somehow tied into this. Zod just randomly shows up in Kansas? Maybe, except in an effort to appease the General Clark/Kal tells him "I grew up in Kansas, I'm as American as they come", so yeah, the Kents aren't just random. Plus Pete Ross and others would put all those "odd things Clark did" together with this event. How anyone would NOT know Clark Kent is Superman would amaze me. 

 

I did not buy any romance in this movie. It makes any argument against Thor & Jane Foster look pale in comparison. You saved the city, smooch. There was just not build up AT ALL. Not even longing looks or flirty stares to really say,"Hey, these two got it hot for each other."

 

After all that fighting he just "breaks his neck". I guess that's our "darker" Superman. How about you fly straight up with him. With your impervious hands you cover his eye beams up? Not sure really what the point of making Superman a killer on his first outing(to humanity in the film&us) would be. Realistically would anyone blame him, no. It's not really a Superman thing to do though. 

 

 

What purpose did Perry White serve, heck the Daily Planet? Was it just to yank the rug out from Lois' heels? Cause he could've done that over the phone, via an email. Nothing with Perry or the Planet really advanced the story. It felt as if it was there cause someone said it had to be there...it's a Superman movie. That being the case things went well sans Lex.....sooooo. 

 

The glasses look works for Cavil and I await the classic rushing out and opening his button up shirt to reveal the S shield. A bit disappointed we didn't get "Kneel before Zod". 

 

As an adaptation of the property I did not agree with Lois being so quickly shoehorned into Clark's life. Practically finding him in a manner of days. I know she is an accredited, Investigative reporter but come on now! Did anyone else think WB needs to send Lucasfilm/Disney a check for ripping off the SW prequel creature designs? Why do advanced civilizations still sling harnesses to flying creatures just to get around? We even saw a beast of burden ala a Dewback when Kal is born. Are you telling me if pterodactyls were still around we'd all fly one around when clearly air-travel as we have it is best. Thank god they got Mr.Fishburne to play Perry White for all the extra gravitas he brought to the role. They surely couldn't have found an actor that was closer to the source to deliver those deep dramatic lines. Just PC crap for the sake of doing it, sooner some of you admit Hollywoods is doing it the better. I like the man but doing it just to do it frankly is an insult to the mans time. 

 

 Still, I'll probably catch it again one more time in the theater. See how a second viewing sits.

Glad Warners got Superman off the ground again. Now give me Flash or Wonder Woman. 

[Dementeleus]

I didn't have a problem with tone at all. The dialogue is on-the-nose, which gets the job done at a basic level but stops several scenes from reaching their full potential. I do have a strong suspicion that the theoretical director's cut might end up being a better movie -- we'll have to see, but there's enough choppiness to the story, and abruptness to several scenes, that indicates an effort to pull stuff out to streamline the runtime.

 

Somewhat ironically, since I give him shit all the time, I really agree with Devin Faraci's interview: the movie has a whole slew of problems, but enough moments are great and the action spectacular enough that I do want to see it again. It's stuck with me.

[redfirebird2008]

One thing I really noticed last night more than I did during my first screening on Friday: Faora is a total badass. Love how fast she moves. Plus she's hot.

[Accursed Arachnid!™]

I didn't mind the neck-snapping thing, though it's strange that they didn't really address the fact that Metropolis was flattened and millions of people probably died as a result. Very similar to what happened in the Avengers and TDKR. All three of those films showed cities getting trashed and all three of them seemed to gloss over the seriousness of that destruction, especially as it relates to superheroes who are supposedly trying to protect those cities.

 

 

The destruction thing is getting out of hand. I'm not gonna compare it to 9/11 like some idiotic critics out there, but I found myself thinking at the end of MOS "How many buildings can get destroyed before you become desensitized to it?"

 

So many of these films going for ID4 level of destruction forget the thing that creates suspense is not seeing flat out mayhem, but having the restraint to build something up before you tear it down(something ID4 nailed). I think the films you mention do that for the most part, whereas films like TF3, Battleship do not. With CGI where it is, it's easy to make awe-inspiring sights, the trick is to make people awe at the story. And I did with MOS but the destruction of Metropolis nearly took me out of that feeling. Nearly.

[Gopher]

I don't think Avengers glossed over the NYC destruction at all. One of my favorite moments in that film is seeing the wall of TV screens with memorials for lost friends/family members and politicians saying the superheros should be held accountable for letting the city be destroyed in the first place. Not to mention that IM3 is largely about Tony Stark recovering from everything that happened in NYC (including his own near-death experience). TDKR and MOS, on the other hand, terrorized Gotham and Metropolis to the point where I couldn't calculate the collateral damage and I didn't really care, either.

Edited June 18, 2013 by Gopher

[#ED]

After my 2nd viewing.

 

Regal RPX w/ Dolby Atmos 2D

 

I really loved this movie in 2D. I got to see how amazing the action sequences were.

 

I think this movie could have been 2x better because of the cast. It leaves for the sequel to improve.

 

This is the definition of a popcorn movie and might be the best one in a long time.

 

New rating : A- 9.0/10

Edited June 18, 2013 by #ED

[redfirebird2008]

I don't think Avengers glossed over the NYC destruction at all. One of my favorite moments in that film is seeing the wall of TV screens with memorials for lost friends/family members and politicians saying the superheros should be held accountable for letting the city be destroyed in the first place. Not to mention that IM3 is largely about Tony Stark recovering from everything that happened in NYC (including his own near-death experience).TDKR and MOS, on the other hand, terrorized Gotham and Metropolis to the point where I couldn't calculate the collateral damage and I didn't really care, either.

 

 

You're right about one thing. You are about as in the bag for Marvel as ACCA has been for WB through the years.