Man of Steel (Zack Snyder's Superman)

[King Postwhore]

I've seen way worse carnage in movies before.  The Man Of Steel was not as violent as people portray here.

[TioJorge]

Oh I completely agree on that front. Me, personally, I think the most carnage I've ever seen in any movie is in I Saw The Devil, a Korean flick that is basically a culmination of torture scenes based around a really great story of self-sacrifice and revenge, along with the stupidity of human nature. But in relation to superhero movies, I mean. Specifically the showing of these 'superhuman' beings (or straight up aliens...) that have invaded our normal, everyday lives. Marvel and DC are the top contenders, but even a movie like Chronicle has showcased carnage in a way that is more satisfying to me than Avengers. Eh, I really don't know how to explain it better but it's useless because opinions. So fuck. I'm sorry, King. I'm sorry I'm a doody. *opens the red wine*

[Accelerando]

I think the stakes were bigger in this film than in The Avengers. Those terraforming machines was going to wipe out the entire human race in minutes. I think the bigger picture is that Superman was forced to do something in the end that impeded on his code. The destruction was perfect scenario where Superman either is going to see the world end or he's gotta do what he's gotta do.

[tapsmiled]

Totally agree about I Saw the Devil. One of the most brutal movies I have ever seen.

[Dream Team]

I can completely see that point of view. But I love a good show of realistic (as realistic as showing aliens and superheros can be...) carnage, and for me this just hit the spot. Granted, my usual dose of carnage in the form of my bi-weekly/monthly manga called Gantz just ended so I am really starved for some serious gore and destruction. Too bad coliseums aren't still active and accepted; that'd be really good for both my entertainment (I AM) and population control; cause fuck humans.  /kyptonian

All of these movies totally failed in that the "heroes" all showed 0% regret or sadness over the thousands of civilian casualties, you know, the very ones they are sworn to protect.

[Jaq]

If people think Man of Steel had "carnage" in it, then moviegoers are getting pretty weak kneed. 

Want a movie filled with carnage? Independence Day. The death toll in that movie was probably in the BILLIONS. No one gives that the time of day though. Destruction in a Superman movie? OH NO THE HORROR.

People who read the comics can tell you that Superman has spent far more time punching the hell out of things over the past 30 years than using his wits.  Occasionally, you see him do things like say "oh, was just making sure that building was empty", and then KABLAM, he punches his enemy through a building. All Man of Steel didn't do was have that one line.

[Kotowboy]

Want a movie filled with carnage? Independence Day. The death toll in that movie was probably in the BILLIONS. No one gives that the time of day though. Destruction in a Superman movie? OH NO THE HORROR.

But it got it all out of the way in one go. It wasn't building after building after crashed helicopter after crashed helicopter and then a train through a building and explosions after explosions.

There's a lot of destruction in Independence Day but it's all pretty much in that one scene where the saucers finally attack.

In Man Of Steel it's one thing after another for a long time.

[Rhayader]

I loved Watchmen, but Man of Steel was HORRIBLE, TERRIBLE. Can't believe it has 8.0 on IMDB.

[Lucien]

I loved Watchmen, but Man of Steel was HORRIBLE, TERRIBLE. Can't believe it has 8.0 on IMDB.

Because you're the minority absolutely hating it?

[TioJorge]

Wait...that was your first post? lawlz damn you must have really hated it. Shi' cray, dem 'pinions.

[Kotowboy]

Wait...that was your first post? lawlz damn you must have really hated it. Shi' cray, dem 'pinions.

FO REAL DAWG

[Accelerando]

Did anybody catch the Aquaman easter egg? Im not talking about the whales, which is very well part of it, I think. The oil rig on fire was from a company called Marrivale Oil, which is owned by one of Aquaman's adversaries, Jordan Wylie. I noticed the other night when I saw the movie again. I pretty much did a happy dance in my seat 

[tapsmiled]

Nice catch. I had not heard of this one before.

[Destiny Of Chaos]

Man of Steel - 5 out of 5. Finally got the Superman movie that we deserve.

[wasteland]

Watched this yesterday. I was a bit sceptical when approaching the movie, due to the low critics score on Rottentomatoes, but the movie grabbed me well. Not being a fan of Superman at all, the movie impressed and captivated me. 4+ out of 5 

[Kotowboy]

Man of Steel - 5 out of 5. Finally got the Superman movie that we deserve.

Just not the Superman that we need right now.

[MetalJunkie]

Man of Steel - 5 out of 5. Finally got the Superman movie that we deserve.

Just not the Superman that we need right now.

[Kotowboy]

Man of Steel - 5 out of 5. Finally got the Superman movie that we deserve.

Just not the Superman that we need right now.

[Tick]

I saw it yesterday and while I did enjoy it I kept thinking it was a Roland Emmerich film. Light on a legitimate story line and heavy on action.

I found myself a bit bored during the heavy action sequences. I don't know how many times you have have Superman and the evil emperor collide into each other at full speed while fighting in mid air?

but all in all it entertained. Certainly not the best film this genre has to offer but worthwhile to see.

[King Postwhore]

Man of Steel - 5 out of 5. Finally got the Superman movie that we deserve.

Just not the Superman that we need right now.

Why has society gone off the rails because of this Superman?  We talking real life here or comic-con life?

[Zantera]

I really liked this movie a lot. And after seeing it, a lot of the criticism just doesn't make much sense to me. The whole "it's superpowerful characters fighting each other" - yeah, but that's every superhero movie out there. Even with a hero like Batman who is vulnerable, there's still gonna be that over-dramatic fight with beating nobody should be able to take, and then a big conclusion. "Superman not being heroic" - well he can't really be in 3-4 places in the same time can he? A lot of people died, but he did save earth as a whole.

Yeah, I really liked this one.

[Tick]

I really liked this movie a lot. And after seeing it, a lot of the criticism just doesn't make much sense to me. The whole "it's superpowerful characters fighting each other" - yeah, but that's every superhero movie out there. Even with a hero like Batman who is vulnerable, there's still gonna be that over-dramatic fight with beating nobody should be able to take, and then a big conclusion. "Superman not being heroic" - well he can't really be in 3-4 places in the same time can he? A lot of people died, but he did save earth as a whole.

Yeah, I really liked this one.

Yeah he saved the earth, but he is also the reason it got greatly destroyed.

[King Postwhore]

Which makes for an interesting storyline.  Do people and governments trust him and how do they react?  I hope that's one of a few threads into the next storyline which will make Lois's character more important because she can be his voice to the people through her articles.

[Marion Crane]

I really liked this movie a lot. And after seeing it, a lot of the criticism just doesn't make much sense to me. The whole "it's superpowerful characters fighting each other" - yeah, but that's every superhero movie out there. Even with a hero like Batman who is vulnerable, there's still gonna be that over-dramatic fight with beating nobody should be able to take, and then a big conclusion. "Superman not being heroic" - well he can't really be in 3-4 places in the same time can he? A lot of people died, but he did save earth as a whole.

Yeah, I really liked this one.

Yeah he saved the earth, but he is also the reason it got greatly destroyed.

Read ANY Superman comic.  Watch ANY Justice League cartoon.  Superman is always the reason Earth almost gets destroyed because he lives on Earth and this is where his villains come to defeat him.  No one ever complained in JLU when Braniac came and he and Superman literally leveled Metropolis in their battle.  No one complained in The Death of Superman when he and Doomsday did the same.  Or how about NO ONE playing Injustice: Gods Among Us on their 360 is worried about the people in buildings when they're destroying Metropolis.  So why now all the hate?

[Zantera]

I really liked this movie a lot. And after seeing it, a lot of the criticism just doesn't make much sense to me. The whole "it's superpowerful characters fighting each other" - yeah, but that's every superhero movie out there. Even with a hero like Batman who is vulnerable, there's still gonna be that over-dramatic fight with beating nobody should be able to take, and then a big conclusion. "Superman not being heroic" - well he can't really be in 3-4 places in the same time can he? A lot of people died, but he did save earth as a whole.

Yeah, I really liked this one.

Yeah he saved the earth, but he is also the reason it got greatly destroyed.

Welcome to every superhero-movie that has a villain. 

[Tick]

I really liked this movie a lot. And after seeing it, a lot of the criticism just doesn't make much sense to me. The whole "it's superpowerful characters fighting each other" - yeah, but that's every superhero movie out there. Even with a hero like Batman who is vulnerable, there's still gonna be that over-dramatic fight with beating nobody should be able to take, and then a big conclusion. "Superman not being heroic" - well he can't really be in 3-4 places in the same time can he? A lot of people died, but he did save earth as a whole.

Yeah, I really liked this one.

Yeah he saved the earth, but he is also the reason it got greatly destroyed.

Read ANY Superman comic.  Watch ANY Justice League cartoon.  Superman is always the reason Earth almost gets destroyed because he lives on Earth and this is where his villains come to defeat him.  No one ever complained in JLU when Braniac came and he and Superman literally leveled Metropolis in their battle.  No one complained in The Death of Superman when he and Doomsday did the same.  Or how about NO ONE playing Injustice: Gods Among Us on their 360 is worried about the people in buildings when they're destroying Metropolis.  So why now all the hate?

I ain't hatin? I'm just sayin. Sayin and hatin is two different things. Now if I was sayin I was hatin that would be another story.

[Destiny Of Chaos]

Yeah he saved the earth, but he is also the reason it got greatly destroyed.

Mild spoiler ahead.











In this version of the story, the Kryptons already knew all about Earth, as evidenced by that scout ship buried in the ice. So I believe that Earth would have eventually been threatened, converted to a new Krypton or even destroyed by Zod even if Superman was never sent there, as Krypton would have been destroyed either way, and once released, Zod started checking the scout ships on various planets anyway.

[Tick]

By the way, I gave my honest summary of the film a few posts up this page. I am a HUGE fan of the superhero genre so I offered up my assessment as a fan.

[CrimsonSunrise]

When I say no sense of wonder, I mean that it doesn't inspire people. The 1978 film made every kid want to tie a towel around his neck and go jumping off the roof. It gave kids that feeling of amazement, and like its tag line, it made you believe that a man could fly. This didn't have that.  Except for the school bus scene, for which he was chastised by Pa, there were few scenes that made you sit back and say, "what a nice man" (like the old lady in the Superman II).  It wouldn't take a master stroke to accomplish what I'm saying.

And the score was shit. Dull. Boring. I couldn't even him a single bar of it.

Gee...I wouldn't agree with that statement, I was 15 when it came out and thought it was good, but not great.  Especially when we had Star Wars around the same time.  I thought this one was VERY entertaining.  I really liked the Krypton segments and Kryptonian psyche.  The ONLY moment I thought "CHEESY!" was at the end, when after bouncing around the whole city with Zod, they end up right back where Louis was.  Loved the world engine and whole idea of Kryptoforming

In this day and age, where we get comic/superhero movies by the bushel load, they did a real good job with this one.  The fight scenes were awesome, especially the Krypton battle segments.  Off all the recent superhero movies, this one is hands down the best for me.  It had grit, and very little "Cheese".  I really liked the idea of the Kryptonian genetics, how you were pre-determined to be a warrior, or scientist.  How Zod says that he has no control over what he is doing, how he was bred to do whatever it took to ensure the survival of Krypton, no matter the cost.  The whole genetic aspect was well thought out I think.  Being a HUGE sci-fi reader, I also liked the overall picture presented of Kryptonian society.  Once stellar travelers, having spanned eons, just to go back home and pretty much go into societal decay or at least stagnation.    Also, the lack of "Morality" was interesting.  Like they had lost their ability for compassion, love or feeling, again indicative to me of a society in emotional decline.

Already I can't wait for the DVD, so I can dissect more and catch what I'm sure I missed.

[Kotowboy]

I knew this film would suffer from the virus of shaky close up fight scenes.

It's just all too common these days.

[Cyclopssss]

Saw it yesterday and I must say, I expected it to be al lot worse. Any superhero movie that manages to grab me, however unbelievable at times, is worth its merits.

[Zantera]

I know a lot of people love the Marvel-movies, and I like them myself, but I feel like that appreciation is mostly towards the Iron-Man movies and Avengers. (I guess we're talking about the movies tied together, and not Spider-Man, X-Men and so on) I don't see how Man of Steel is worse than Thor, Captain America or The Incredible Hulk. Those movies were enjoyable, but I don't have any interest in rewatching them. Man of Steel however, excited to see it again when it comes out on DVD/BluRay.

[Kotowboy]

I saw The Avengers again last night for the first time since It came out and I still think it's great and far superior to Man Of Steel.

[Zantera]

Avengers is one of the better Marvel-movies though. I think it's great, mostly probably because they actually pulled it off (having that many heroes in one movie), but the whole endbattle is pretty underwhelming for me. Doesn't really help that they stole it out of Transformers 3 either.

[tapsmiled]

I know a lot of people love the Marvel-movies, and I like them myself, but I feel like that appreciation is mostly towards the Iron-Man movies and Avengers. (I guess we're talking about the movies tied together, and not Spider-Man, X-Men and so on) I don't see how Man of Steel is worse than Thor, Captain America or The Incredible Hulk. Those movies were enjoyable, but I don't have any interest in rewatching them. Man of Steel however, excited to see it again when it comes out on DVD/BluRay.

I would say the difference between MoS and Thor, Capt America, etc is that, to me, Superman and his core values are so distinct.  If this exact movie was about another superhero, I don't think there was be this type of backlash and controversy.  The fact that it is Superman and this version differs so much from previous versions is why so many people can't agree.  Personally, I feel it lacked nearly all of the things that make Superman great, primarily heart.