I've seen similar reactions to what you describe. Low to middling critical reviews but the users over on rpg.net who've seen it (and that board is heavy on comic book geeks) have generally been positive. I'm not a huge Superman fan so it's not high on my "to see" list. Let us know what you think.

In terms of movies going into general release this week, I'd rather see Joss Whedon's new take on "Much Ado About Nothing". Low budget black and white movie shot in 12 days at his house based on the Shakespeare comedy. IOW, the polar opposite of Avengers, his big success from last year.

Mendalla

I went yesterday afternoon with my son and oldest daughter.

Superman is not my favourite superhero.  Man of Steel is my favourite Superman movie and Henry Cavill played a very human man of steel.

The plot is mind-bogginly simple.  Kal-el is different, that difference is by design and Jor-el's desire for his son is that he figures out for himself who and what he is supposed to be.

Alas, Jor-el's time is short and the fathering role is left to Jonathan Kent who recognizes Kal-el is different, wonders about why, and insists on protecting that difference, even with his life, until the boy he calls Clark figures out what it is that he is supposed to be doing.

We get to see both father's hopes and dreams, as well as their fears, in flashbacks which are interspersed with Clark/Kal-el being put into places where he is forced to make a decision.

When lives are at stake Clark/Kal-el always puts others first, be it workers on a burning oil rig, a school-yard bully or some tool Trucker lipping off in a bar.  (Although, I quite liked Clark's/Kal-el's solution to the Trucker confrontation).

Then trouble comes.  Trouble in the name of Zod.  Zod wants an artifact from Krypton and he believes that Clark/Kal-el has that artifact.  He wants the artifact so badly that he is prepared to destroy all life on earth to get it.  He also believes that Clark/Kal-el will freely turn the artifact over just because another Kryptonian asks politely (as threats of genocide are polite discourse for Kryptonian warriors).

Clark/Kal-el doesn't trust Zod, then again, he doesn't really trust humanity either.  Still, in the end, Earth can just make Clark/Kal-el miserable.  Zod can make good on his promise.

Clark/Kal-el surrenders to Zod and then the film accelerates to a break-neck speed and only slows when the threat to earth is eliminated.

The flashback scenes of the fathers addressing their hopes for the son they share are well done.  Russel Crowe does a good job as Jor-el.  He has high-hopes for his son and yet he doesn't appear to wrestle much with the decisions his son will be forced to make.  I guess living with the imminent extinction of your world and putting your son aboard a rocket for another planet is weight enough to deal with.  Kevin Kostner does a good job as Jonathan Kent.  He also has high-hopes for his son but before those hopes will be realized he struggles with Clark being discovered.  He is repeatedly shown counselling Clark not to act in ways that will blow his cover, maybe, that busload of school children should have drowned, maybe Clark should have been the only survivor, maybe that bully Pete Ross at the very least should have drowned rather than Clark going back into the river for him.

Ultimately it was Jonathan Kent going back after the family dog as a tornado approached which teaches Clark/Kal-el about the courage of sacrifice and Clark/Kal-el obeying the command from Jonathan not to save him which ultimately showed Clark/Kal-el's commitment and trust in his fathers.  It was an emotionally painful scene.

Then comes the command from Zod.  And Clark's/Kale-el's passion.  Where would such a super man turn to find guidance in such a dilemma?

Why to Church naturally.  So Clark/Kal-el hops into a Church and has a very brief chat with the clergy who is on hand.  Sitting in a pew, earnestly asking questions about sacrifice with a stained glass picture of Christ in Gethsemene as a backdrop at the very least is foreboding.

The clergy asks about trust and it is there that we see Clark/Kal-el's dilemma.  He doesn't trust his fellow Kryptonians to leave Earth in peace nor does he trust the citizens of Earth to welcome him when they find out he is a stranger in their midst.  For the first time, though the movie has been pointing us in this direction, we see just how incredibly alone the man of steel is.

And there, in the Church, he comes to the conclusion that he did not come to Earth to be a threat to it nor will he allow the world of his birth to be a threat to his adopted home.  He will do what he believes is the right thing to do even if both worlds revile him for it.

And after a surrender scene we move to fight on.

And what a fight it was.  Fast, furious and appropriately huge in scale.  The effects team should easily take home an Oscar.  Visually stunning cinematography.

Which ends with Zod and Kal-el facing off one on one.  Kryptons most infamous warrior, designed by birth to protect Krypton from every threat to its existence throwing down with the only other Krypton in the universe who has just driven a stake through the heart of Krypton's future.

Kal-el's only advantage is a lifetime growing on his adopted home and not having to adapt to the environmental difference between what Krypton was and what Earth is.  Zod, is a quick learner and with every tick of the clock he is able to mimic  every ability that Kal-el has.  So advantages are fleeting.

Eventually we find ourselves in what is some kind of subway terminal, Kal-el has a rear naked choke applied to Zod and zod is helpless to do anything but use his heat vision to put earthlings at risk.  He is going to try to expose Kal-els weakness by threatening those Kal-el has sworn to protect.

This too is an emotionally painful moment.

Superman begging his enemy to stop, desperately not wanting to take further action.

Zod will not compromise and, in what purists will find as the most objectionable part of the whole film, Kal-el breaks the neck of Zod to save the humans cowering in the corner.

Superman kills.  What is so super about that?

He grieves killing Zod immediately and he did beg Zod to stop.  Maybe there is a deeper message being communicated here.  One that isn't necessarily about Superman, maybe it is the way Superpowers don't appear to be hesitant about throwing their weight around nor do they seem very remorseful afterwards.

A fine start to a franchise.

Grace and peace to you.

John

I really enjoyed the movie.  I liked the whole different by design idea, I never read the comic books so I don't know if the  'Krypton's first natural birth in centuries' thing was even remotely within the canon of the comics.

I liked the way they covered bits of his childhood in flashbacks. It was very effective. And I though that Cavill's Superman was more human than pervious versions - the man who never quite fit in but wanted to. 

I actually thought two of the most powerful scenes in the movie were the one where he watches as Jonathan gets killed by the tornado and the one where he breaks Zod's neck. 

i'm going to try to see it at the cheap seats tomorrow

i was hooked right at the get-go

(superman votes NDP)

W O W

what a hilarious, extremely violent, poingnant, nationalistic, pro-'freedom' movie

such absurdity here -- from the pilot being grabbed by one of Team Zod & shaken into mist to the people being magically and suddenly flattened (that scene reminded me soooo much of the remake of the War of the Worlds, where they did such a good job with the trumpeting war machines...)

the last fight scene wasn't necessary for me -- and every time i saw King Zod I thought 'Ceaser'

so much delightful costuming & set design -- the Barsoom-alien like Krypton was a delight -- i felt wonder and felt that Kal-El was an elf/fay

such beautiful flashbacks -- well done cinematography & editing

nice to see Mt Seymour & some Canadian talent

so many easter eggs for the fans (LexCorp for the win!)

there's enough meat in this movie for many, many review theory excursions

if this is the new franchise, i'm looking forward to it

*  my favourite scene was in the Church -- I bet that Father never expected that to happen when he first signed up ;3  he handled hisself quite well -- as well as revjohn** would?

** movie reviews from him i'd look forward to:

Ender's Game

Damnation Alley

Space Oddesy 2001

The Tree of Life

Millions (the danny boyle movie)

Revolver

The City of Lost Children

Hi InannaWhimsey,

I know!

Yeah, it continues to be a truly ugly wart for me.  They could have paralleled the Superman/Doomsday fight, as it was nary a bruise on the hero and he was getting hit by a guy who in theory hits just as hard as, well, Superman.

Of course, what do you do with Zod then?  No phantom zone projector to send him away with.

Did you catch the Waynetec logo on the satellite?

Nicely packed on the bone though more hint at substance than exploration of substance.  Because it is a summer blockbuster you had to have the carnage.  Still, a very good job of setting the tone for who Superman is and who Zod was and how everybody fits in between.

I guess, if things continue, you need somebody to play Lex Luthor.

I thought that was particularly well done.  Great use of imagery, great explanation of this son of two world's real dilemma.  The clergy is really just a Pa Kent substitute, a sounding board.  Kal-el seems to know the answers before he asks the questions.

Not that such is a bad thing.

The trailer was sweet.  I should probably pick up the books as I have never read them.

Been a very long time since I have seen either.  Mutant cockroaches I remember from Damnation Alley. 

I'll keep these in mind for rainy days back on the Rock.

Grace and peace to you.

John

Oh, and another Superman comic-changed-to-movie y'all might want to check out is All Star Superman :3

Wonderfully mythic stuff

I still really want to see it. I think I missed it in the theater. : (  Mom and I were going to go but it didn't happen.  Been waiting many months!! Well, gotta find out where the theaters are and how to find out what's playing and for how much money.

Love Henry Cavill, yum yum... though prefer him with smaller muscles. Loved the christopher reeve superman movies as a kid. One of my girlie flying things. I mean what could be better... handsome, gentlemanly hero who also happens to be able to make you fly!?!  Definately my favourite superhero.

My first Superman was actually the old TV series starring George Reeves (no relation to Christopher Reeves, the 70s movie Superman) which was still kicking around in syndication when I was a kid (as was the somewhat later Adam West Batman). He did the square-jawed, crime-fighting Silver Age do-gooder Superman very, very well. Don't know that he'd fare as well in the more ambiguous modern era of superheroes.

In the end, I'm more into Batman than Superman. The idea of a superhero who is self-made rather than a "magical being" (which, let's face it, is what Supes is regardless of how you justify his powers in story) appeals to me. My essential humanism showing through or something. I could say the same for Marvel, where Tony Stark/Iron Man (who is basically Marvel's Bruce Wayne/Batman) is a favorite of mine.

Mendalla

Mendalla,

which Batman do you like?

Bob Kane?

The tv series?

Frank Miller?

Grant Morrison's Arkham Asylum or RIP?

my brother-and-law and i were yakking one time (he's a comic book grognard) aboot Batman and he said that, to him, Batman didn't have any powers, or was even superintelligent.  He's insane in that he's super obsessed.  He did what needed to be done to the exclusion of all else.

My wife prefers the tv series Batman.

(yer right aboot Supes; he's like a lost fae prince...)

Hi InannaWhimsey,

Picked up a copy ages ago.  I was distraught that the Flashpoint movie was released while I was on the rock, apparently there are still copies lying about to be purchased.  Whew.

Grace and peace to you.

John

OOo, I'm gonna check out that Flashpoint now :3

(which reminds me, if Newfoundland & Labrador had a super, what powers d'ythink they would have?)

There are some neet Grant Morrison anecdotes with regards to All-Star Superman

It's neet how coincidences/synchronicities/g_d events happen :3

Hi InannaWhimsey,

Hmmmmmm.  Most are somewhat MacGuyverian though it is pretty much self-taught and can occasionally result in disaster.  So utility belt would be something of a necessity.  In temperment most are somewhat Captain Marvelish in the young boy in a virtual God's body sense and the sense of humour amplifies that somewhat.

So some kind of good natured Batman type . . . .like an uber naive Dick Grayson without the acrobatics.

Rumour out of the fan expos this summer is that Justic League Canada launches in 2014 so perhaps some new characters will hit the DC Universe?  Another rumour is that Adam Strange the champion of Rann will be re-imagined as a Canadian perhaps an homage to Commander Hadfield?

Grace and peace to you.

John

Adam West is my favourite Batman, but I haven't seen them all.

Cat Woman was way cooler in that movie... Michelle Pfeiffer. 

Most of them, but some more than others. The following must be take with one proviso: I have not seen Christopher Nolan's trilogy starring Christian Bale yet. That may change.

Miller's approach in Dark Knight Returns was an interesting take and I love that graphic novel dearly, but the grimdark, violence-heavy approach wore it's welcome out quickly for me. I rather like the idea of Batman as the "Caped Crusader", motivated by his parents' deaths to fight for some kind of justice than the more violent "Dark Knight" out to get revenge on the world for what happened. I never read the comics faithfully, just picked up the graphic novels of storylines that particularly caught my attention (eg. Dark Knight Returns, Arkham Asylum, Death in the Family, Killing Joke).

The silliness of the Adam West TV series made it very entertaining, even if it isn't really a good fit for Batman as I conceive of him today. It went too far down the Caped Crusader road, to point of almost completely ignoring the rather dark back story behind Bruce Wayne's decision to become a superhero. I do love some of the villains. Burgess Meredith's Penguin and Frank Gorshin's Riddler still rank as my favorite portrayals of those characters.

I did like Burton's first Batman but found the second floundered in having too many antagonists. If I did it, I'd ditch Max Schreck and the overwrought Penguin origin story and just go with Penguin vs. Batman with Catwoman caught in the middle. I would, however, keep Danny DeVito and Michelle Pfeiffer as Penguin and Catwoman (esp. the latter). The less said about Schumacher's half-assed Batman movies, the better.

These days, if pressed, I'd say that my favorite Batman is Batman : The Animated Series, which ran on Fox from 1992-1995. Hit a good balance between Caped Crusader and Dark Knight in the character of Batman; the look of the show was fantastic; had some of the best writing on American TV at the time (this was before the current wave of cinema-quality cable shows started). The origin stories they did for Two Face and Mr. Freeze pretty much rewrote those characters for future versions and at least of the new characters they created for the show, The Joker's sidekick Harley Quinn, is now part of the Batman "canon". It also established Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill as the voices of Bruce Wayne/Batman and The Joker respectively, roles both continue to play in animated shows and videogames to this day.

Mendalla

Since we've veered off on to Batman here, a quick comment on the proposed "Man of Steel" sequel featuring a showdown between Batman and Supes.

Unlike a lot of fandom, I have no issue with Affleck as Bruce. I think he can pull it off, though it will likely be a different Batman than Bale.

I do have an issue with the concept. While they've been mooting a Batman/Superman movie for years (I remember Wolfgang Peterson was working on a "World's Finest" movie in the nineties), I think they should have got in at least one more straight Superman movie (with Lex Luther or Brainiac as the antagonist) before going this route. Puts more distance between them and the Nolan Batman and also lets them develop the Man of Steel universe a bit more before shaking it up by bringing Batman in.

Mendalla

Hi Mendala,

Daredevil was on TV again.  Just reading that in the listings was enough to make waves of nausea roll with respect to Affleck in the batsuit.

The plans are eventually to have a justice league movie.  To do that you need to introduce some relationships.  Quite frankly Warner Brothers should follow the lead of DC Animated who not only manage to put out compelling stories they also manage to include more than one character.

This winter DC Animated will release Justice League:  War.  It is essentially the first seven issues of Justice League since the New 52 reboot and in it the whole gang comes together:  Bats, Supes, GL, WW, Aquaman and in a bit of a twist Cyborg who did debut in Hanna Barbara's New Superfriends but mostly in the Teen Titans titles.

Since Warner Bros decided to skip right to the Shumakerian devastation with the GL franchise I'm hoping for a reboot.  Wouldn't mind seeing Rynolds back as Hal provided everyone agrees not to play Jordan for cheap laughs.

You need at least a Wonder Woman movie before you can get to a Justice League movie.  As one of DC's leading Trinity of characters she needs to be more than afterthought.  Aquaman wouldn't suffer in that regard and Cyborg would flourish.

I agree, Supes needs more time establishing himself before any super team up happens.

Grace and peace to you.

John

I finaly got to see Man of Steel, and really enjoyed it. I'd say I loved it, except I would have liked a little less action and fighting scenes, that whole American fight for what's right, militant good against evil mentality thing, and instead have had more drama.

When asked, I still prefer the CHristopher Reeve version for the drama, the flying scene with Lois, and that I loved that movie as a kid, but I also really liked the new one. I thought Henry Cavill was great and perfect for the role and even looked just like Reeve in one shot. Loved the rich, flowing, red cape, and the scenes on Krypton were great. Russell Crowe was great as Jor El, (funny I always thought it was Durrell), and chicky who played Lois was perfect, very Lois-like. I'm glad they had her falling and screaming a lot like the character is supposed to do, being saved by Mr handsome. ; )   Sigh~~~

Hi Elanorgold,

That was kind of a longish part that could have been shorter.  I had to chuckle when Supes dropped the drone in front of the General's car.  My first thought was, "enough already."

While it does come across as flag-waving that really is part and parcel of the character (truth, justice and the American way).  What I thought was really well done was the juxtaposition of the American Military/Kryptonian Military and the Man of Steel.  I wonder how an American audience reacts when it sees its own military completely overwhelmed by a superior force which agrees that might makes right.

I mean Zod and others are clearly the baddies but how were they different than the American military in terms of aim and intent.

Zod is going to take Kal-el from Earth by force.

The American military takes Superman into custody at gunpoint.

Meanwhile the last Son of Krypton is trying to figure out a resolution in which nobody gets killed (I'm still not happy that he failed in that I think that was a serious misstep in the plot).

As far as drama.  I think that the Lois/Clark relationship from Man of Steel easily outshines the collected bulk of the Reeve/Kidder match-ups.  "I can help you but it is going to hurt" what an amazing departure from "you've got me?  Whose got you!"

And Lois is onto Clark's trail long before he dons the cape and tights.  Thankfully we won't have to deal with repeated scenes of Clark taking off his glasses while Lois is distracted and then putting them back on before she notices.  This Man of Steel has no secrets from this Lois.

I'd love to see this relationship fleshed out further.

Grace and peace to you.

John

That's a good point about the Kryptonian military, and the arrest of SUperman. Two sides of the coin. We see both aspects of the American military. Perhaps the film will make Americans look more closely at their military, and realign themselves. Straighten out their ideas.

The scene where SUperman mourns Zod's death was good. Dr Who did the same thing over the body of the Master. 

I loved the I can help you but it's going to hurt scene. Awesome. and oh yes, so true. I hope somebody uploads it to Youtube, just that one scene. I really clicked with that scene. 

I definately like that he has no secrets from Lois. I liked Lois a lot. Very much look forward to Man of Steel two. 

Folks, I've just discovered some nifty historical background on comic books (and then found connexions with other forms of art, like 'Magical Realism'...)

Alan Moore is one of these artists who I swear has OCD attention to detail.  Apparently he is known in the comic world as doing a ridiculous amount of research for his projects, massive flow charts with character histories, details, etc.

Well, he's also looked into the history of comic books.

and found its genesis in criminality*

Click here to go to the article.

So again we have something that has evolved past its original conception, people taking something criminal and expanding it and making it different.  Just like the magical realism genre of literature ('invented' in Latin America in protest of certain political and economic realities...)

And, perhaps, Judaism & it's daughter, Christianity & it's sibling Islam.

We are powerful creatures.

i wonder what other parts of our lives started out 'originally' differently intended?

They avoided a standard comic book trope; the villain 'disappears'.  In this case, into the black hole with Zod...no problem then with Superman having to murder.

(tho I also recall a plot in a past superman -- no, i don't remember what title or issue-- where Lois Lane is kidnapped and Superman was put in a situation where he had to choose between Lois' life & the life of the kidnapper and Superman chose not to take any life...Lois survived and was furious at Superman for not choosing her life...it was an intense little plot)

* so i guess it makes sense that both DC & Marvel companies act like thugs towards their content creators...