ClasikRok

June 19, 2013 9:20 am How many years later do you think. 2, 3, 10? It took NYC until recently to complete construction of the Freedom Tower in NYC, and that's just 1 building.

June 18, 2013 5:07 pm Ok, here are my actual thoughts and feelings about Man of Steel and it's portrayal of characters in the Superman Mythos. Let me start out by saying, that no, Superman is NOT my favorite Superhero. But, he does rank up there. While I don't pretend to know all there is about the character, I would still call myself a fan, in the general sense. I have my favorite Superman stories (Superman for All Seasons and Red Son among them), Supporting Characters (Jonathan Kent is easily my favorite), and Villains (though trite no one can top Lex Luthor in Supes’ Rogue’s Gallery). The first thing I said when I walked out of the theatre that day was, “I’m not sure who that was, but it sure wasn’t Superman….And that sure as hell wasn’t Jonathan Kent” at least not the version of Superman/Clark Kent/Kal-El nor Jonathan Kent that exist in my head (I’ll get back to that in a minute). So, the things I liked: Krypton- This is something we haven’t really explored much in any of the other movies. It was a fun Sci-Fi romp, and I really enjoyed Russell Crowe’s performance as Jor-El. Almost enough to want to see more in the coming sequel (Again, I said ALMOST). Any scene with Kevin Costner- Each moment between Clark and Jonathan just tugged on your heartstrings. His performance in Man of Steel is easily my favorite in the entire film. I well up every time I hear him say, “You are my son.” Though I did not like the portrayal of Jonathan in the film (more on that later), it did not take away from Costner’s performance. The “interrogation” scene- I guess that’s what it was…The scene where Lois is questioning the Man of Steel. We saw a lot of it in the trailers (here, it’s an “S”), but I still think it is one of the better scenes in the movie. We get to actually see Lois and Clark TALK to one another. If anyone questioned the chemistry between the two, this is the best example of where it worked. The things I didn’t care for, but didn’t really bother me either: The kiss- Ok, it wasn’t that great, but it wasn’t terrible either. The “only human” line was definitely corny and not in a particularly good way. Lois knows- This is the part of the Superman mythos that made the most sense to change. Everyone jokes about, “how can the other characters not know Clark is Superman, just because he’s wearing glasses?” Her hunting down the Angel/Alien among us is definitely in character for Lois, so while I prefer the Love Triangle of Clark/Lois/Superman, I understand the decision to make the change. Zod- A perfectly fine performance from Michael Shannon. Certainly a different take on the character than Terrance Stamp. But it just doesn’t feel like Superman without the presence of a certain bald-headed rich dude, hell bent on ridding the world of Superman (though LexCorp did make a few cameos). And the answer to my Jeopardy question, “Why I Didn’t Like Man of Steel?” The literal Non-Stop Action- Hey, I like action as much of the next guy. But when it nearly a third of the movie is dedicated to it, without ANY BREAKS?? C’mon… Jonathan Kent’s indifference to loss of life- When Clark asks, “What should I have done, let them die?” the appropriate Jonathan Kent response is an immediate, “Of course not Clark! You know I’m not saying that. What I’m saying is, you need to be more careful.” Sure Jonathan doesn’t want the world to know what his son can do until it’s “ready” to accept Superman. But I can’t imagine Jonathan would want a bus full of children should die, just so Clark can continue to hide in plain sight. At least not my Jonathan Kent (John Schneider, where are you when I need you??) Superman’s indifference to loss of life- Why oh why would Superman not at least TRY to move the fight from Smallville’s Main Street to a cornfield? Why would he not at least TRY to help the people in Metropolis avoid being killed in Collateral Damage? I understand this film is akin to “Superman Begins,” but they have to show some kind of effort, even if it is ineffective, on Superman’s part to help people who are not Lois Lane. The MURDER of Zod- Yes, Superman kills in this movie. If you read Mark Waid’s review, I had a similar, though non-verbal, reaction. After action scene after action scene after action scene, and Zod’s forces are sent back to the Phantom Zone from whence they came, and it looks like everyone (who made it out alive) is safe, we see Zod is still there. “Oh no, not again!” I say, channeling John Hurt in Spaceballs. More and More Collateral Damage until Zod corners a family in a train station and Superman snaps his neck. Finally, Superman sees the faces of people who might die from this wanton destruction and NOW he cares?? To those that say, but Zod said, “Only one of us will make it out of this alive” or whatever, why couldn’t Superman PROVE HIM WRONG! It’s the opposite of what happens in Dark Knight when the Joker gives the people on the ships the chance to live if they trigger the bomb to kill the people in the other ship. Mark Waid said it best in his review, “As Superman’s having his final one-on-one battle with Zod, show me that he’s going out of his way to save people from getting caught in the middle. SHOW ME that trying to simultaneously protect humans and beat Zod is achingly, achingly costing Superman the fight. Build to that moment of the hard choice…show me, without doubt, that Superman has no other out and do a better job of convincing me that it’s a hard decision to make, and maybe I’ll give it to you. But even if I do? It’s not a victory. Not this sad, soul-darkening, utterly sans-catharsis “triumph” that doesn’t even feel like a win so much as a stop-loss.” If he really has no other choice, show me how he comes to that decision. Have him at least TRY and look for a way to end it without killing him. At the simplest, when Zod gives his only one of us is getting out of here alive, have Superman say “YOU’RE WRONG!” That would have at least been something. And we end the movie in what appears to be the very near future, not years and years later, and Metropolis is rebuilt and is no worse for wear. And Clark shows up and welcomes him to the Daily Planet. Everything’s hunk dory, eh? Sorry, not for me. That’s not my Superman.

June 18, 2013 3:50 pm For those curious that are not on, or use Twitter, iFanboy co-founder Ron Richards also agreed with Paul's review and pointed to the review by Mark Waid (who is probably the bigggest Super-Fan there is) as well: http://thrillbent.com/blog/man-of-steel-since-you-asked/ I can only assume iFanboy's own Ryan Haupt is writing something up as we speak? I can't believe we haven't heard hide nor hair of Ryan, so this is the only explanation I can think of. :)

June 18, 2013 3:27 pm And that's how you have a civil conversation between two people who disagree about their liking of a movie. The way some people have reacted to other's opinions on this thread makes you think they are debating the merits of Apartheid. Which in case you are wondering I am also against (done for comedic effect people!!)

June 18, 2013 3:07 pm That comment was done for comedic effect. I do not believe MoS was nearly as bad as Leonard Part 6, but when compared to a masterpiece like the Godfather, it certainly ends up closer to the Freddy Got Fingered end of the spectrum.

June 18, 2013 3:04 pm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonard_Part_6#Reception

June 18, 2013 2:41 pm On the "Godfather" to "Freddy Got Fingered" scale, I'd rate Man of Steel a "Leonard Part 6"

June 18, 2013 2:06 pm I had the exact opposite experience. I didn't expect much out of IM3 and ended-up liking it a lot. Whereas MoS was my most anticipated movie of the year and I was deeply disappointed and saddened that this is the version of Superman they decided to go with for a new generation.

June 17, 2013 4:40 pm Superman Part II was directed by Richard Lester, not Donner. Donner's version had a sequence showing the depowered Zod being arrested.

June 6, 2013 5:13 pm I'd agree with you, if only if it were not set in the present day. Although, I do LOVE the Josie and the Pussycats film, I feel like The Archies should be a period film (late 50's - early 60's).