Poll: Man of Steel: The Good, the Bad, and the future of the DC Cinematic Universe

[Warachia]

Another thing that really bugged me about the movie is just how many people knew the Clark Kent is Superman. I mean seriously, Lois Lane finds out Superman's identity immediately, and basically the entire town of Smallville knows it, so depending on how they use that it could get really annoying in the extended DC movie universe.

That's what killed it for me. Lois finds out immediately.

The most important idea of Superman is the fact that he has those double identities. As Tarantino said, Superman is such a great story because "Superman" isn't the costume, "Clark Kent" is the costume, and both identities are a critique on the human race.

Even Smallville was closer to the lore than this film.

Sorry, Superman IS the costume, not Clark Kent, Superman is more the person Clark always wanted to be, if anything it's an escapist fantasy he can actually live out (which was shown a more in some of the more recent comics), and they stopped that image of Clark being bumbling decades ago, the identities are not some critique on the human race.

OT: I don't think it was a good entry, mostly because it didn't make much you could build on, the most it had that hinted at a bigger world was a few shots of the Lexcorp logo, and Wayne logo, and that's it.

 

[xshadowscreamx]

i really liked MAN OF STEEL
that moment where superman tackles ZOD away from his mother into the cornfield yelling 'dont threaten my mother' was an emotional moment for me.

You did notice that, when he tackled Zod away, he actually left his mother alone with a gang of Zod's soldiers?

Put me in the negative camp too, I'm afraid. The entire tone of the film was wrong - the angsty downbeat superhero thing is fine for the Batman and the X-Men, but totally inappropriate for Superman.

Christopher Reeve was Superman, that will never change for me. I don't know why anyone even bothered trying to top that first movie - there will never be a better Superman movie than that.

we can still have the chris reeve superman movies, there not going anywhere. but i can also have these ones. i can have my cake and eat it and have seconds.

zods followers dont breath without his say so, so they wont touch martha without orders.

 

[xshadowscreamx]

the reason he made that decision in the end, is becouse he had no choice.
he has been only superman for a week so his inexperienced, an older superman would not find himself in that situation and find another way.
they can build on this in the next one... and lex luther will play on humanity's fears by reminding them how much destruction superman caused.

 

[DSK-]

I think it was a good film for setting up the reboot, forming the foundations for better things to come. It wasn't amazing, but it was enjoyable.

Oh, and it was better than Iron Man 3.

 

[JimB]

You want inconsistency and plot holes?

Not as a general rule, no.

How does Superman shave and cut his hair?

Binnsyboy covered that. Laser vision, yo. His bathroom must stink the morning; have you ever smelled burning hair?

How come his hair don't burn off on reentry or in fire?

His hair is also invulnerable.

How does a non-aerodynamic shape fly so fast?

Pure thrust conquers aerodynamics.

Why would he put on a cape when it will only increase drag as he fly?

He can change the moon's orbit by pushing it with his hands. He is not concerned with drag.

That's why I never liked DC universe. You cannot enjoy it without dumbing down your own intelligence and believing in space magic.

Marvel is no better, since all super powers fall under the category of space magic. Sure, Spider-Man has genetic manipulation as an origin and that sounds more plausible than alien biology (I guess), but then he lifts a car up over his head when the distribution of weight should cause the thing to come crashing down his arms under its own weight like if you were trying to balance on the pointy end of an unbreakable toothpick. Likewise, Bruce Banner transforming into the Hulk violates the most foundational laws of physics: a thing simply cannot increase in mass without an input of mass to compensate, so his suddenly growing a foot taller, four feet wider, and a ton heavier are all on Yahweh's level when it comes to divine acts of creating something from nothing. It's no more realistic than Superman shaving.

If you're not willing to accept the underlying assumptions of the universe and suspend your disbelief, that's fine, but let's not single out DC for being ridiculous when any superhero book is going to be operating on the same principles you object to in DC books.

 

[Guilherme Zoldan]

So the general feeling is that the movie is bad because it wasn't kid friendly and lighthearted like the comics and the previous movies.
Boo fucking hoo.
It was an amazingly made movie and the criticisms are mostly just nostalgia and fanboys whining because they are impossible to please.

 

[ComicsAreWeird]

i really liked MAN OF STEEL
that moment where superman tackles ZOD away from his mother into the cornfield yelling 'dont threaten my mother' was an emotional moment for me.

Totally agree. That moment was simultaneously emotional and BADASS. Really sets up Clark as a man who values his family and the hero will do everything in his power to protect the ones he love. And we finally see the brawls from the comics come to life on the big screen. I'm surprised more people don't share the enthusiast for the film. I really enjoyed it.

And as an entry point for the DC Cinematic Universe? It's already planting the seeds for more films to come:

1- The destruction at the end of the film gives Lex the perfect platform to turn the public against Kal-El.Lexcorp logos are seen a few times during Man of Steel.
2- The terraforming process that took part of Metropolis is almost certainly the new origin for Kryptonite.
3- The empty pod on the Fortress of Solitude means there's another alien out there. Supergirl?
4- Waynecorp logo on the destroyed Satelite means Batman's out there. The newly anounced team-up film confirms it.
5- While we're at it. Man of Steel establishes Earth's first contact with alien lifeforms.Green Lantern and Martian Manhunter are now easy to introduce in this shared universe.

The one character that might be tougher to get right will be Wonder Woman, with her "exotic" background. Other than that, I'm sure Flash and Aquaman are easy to get right with the right talent on the director's chair.

 

[KeyMaster45]

So the general feeling is that the movie is bad because it wasn't kid friendly and lighthearted like the comics and the previous movies.
Boo fucking hoo.
It was an amazingly made movie and the criticisms are mostly just nostalgia and fanboys whining because they are impossible to please.

I would say the criticism being leveled isn't so much that it wasn't kid friendly as it boils down to "They didn't do it like Marvel". Which on some level I'd have to agree with as unlike the Marvel films MoS never seems to be having much fun with its source material. It instead comes off as Christopher Nolan trying to make The Dark Knight and Zack Snyder trying to make Thor. Neither is really a bad thing to be trying to aim for in a Superman movie, but the movie can almost be divided into the "Nolan half" and the "Snyder half". Lighthearted, I think, is not the element people are wanting here, but a consistent voice in the movie.

Personally I'd just like to see a change in overall color tones from gun-metal gray and faded brown, and maybe not give Nolan as much of a say in any future DC projects; let Snyder be the Joss Whedon of the DC movies.

 

[Zen Bard]

I really enjoyed this movie. For the first time, Kal-El had some depth and, for lack of a better term, humanity to him.

There were moments of angst as he tried to discover his place and role among humans. And there was a genuine struggle between following the advice of his over-protective Earth father (keep your powers hidden) and what was in his heart (use his abilities to help).

And I thought Henry Cavill did that beautifully.

I didn't feel the tone was "too dark" and in fact thought it was just right for a story about a man trying to understand his purpose.

The few issues I had with the film were more in line with the casting than anything else.

While I like Amy Adams, she didn't really click with me as "Lois Lane". She was fine, but it just felt like another version of her spunky "woman behind the man" character from "The Fighter" (only with less profanity).

And no one does slow simmering crazy like Michael Shannon. But I felt that was the wrong take on the character. Maybe I'm too influenced by the classic Terrance Stamp portrayal in "Superman II", but I felt Zod should have had more gravitas. To be honest, I thought Russell Crowe would have made a better Zod.

And yes, they drove the "Superman is Space Jesus" point home a bit to hard.

I think most people expected the movie to be the Second Coming of the 1978 "Superman". But, as the cliche goes, you can't catch lightening in a bottle. That movie was perfect for the time and era in which it was released.

"Man of Steel" gives us a Superman for the new millennium.

 

[ComicsAreWeird]

The one character that might be tougher to get right will be Wonder Woman, with her "exotic" background.

If the cartoons can get it right Hollywood has no excuse.

Don't get me wrong, I absolutely think that WW has the potential to become a great live action movie. The animated film was great. But she has a costume that is not very easy to successfully translate to the big screen (exhibit A:the failed tv show)and a mythological origin that might seem out of place in a more realistic setting. Fortunately MoS does away with the realism from the Nolan bat-films and we have a viable platform for her to be brought to life on the silver screen.

With the right director (Whedon was once attached to direct and he would've been PERFECT), script and actress it can be cool. If not, I fear for it.

 

[RedDeadFred]

Mediocre story with some standout moments with Zod. Action scenes were pretty brilliant. The ideas in the movie (and hopefully series) were great. It just lacked in execution. Here's hoping that it only gets better.

 

[Something Amyss]

Considering its reception, probably not something that should launch the DCCU

Marvel is no better, since all super powers fall under the category of space magic.

THANK YOU.

I think he was trying too hard to nitpick, but the notion that oen brand of comics is less dumbed down is ridiculous. Even if you couldn't explain those nitpicks, they apply to a lot of Marvel characters, too.

If the cartoons can get it right Hollywood has no excuse.

Being Hollywood, screwing up adaptations is one of their strengths. I'd almost call it a super power. They can screw up even with a template.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

SPOILERS: I don't care if Superman kills Zod in the movie (he did the same in Superman II, which everybody keeps saying is better but none seem to have watched)

Er, actually he didn't kill them.

The original cut implies the possibility of Zod being dead, but the extended cut clearly shows Zod and company being arrested. So I'm not sure why this is a controversy at all, it's relatively clear that they're not actually dead in most of the cuts of this film, and the original cut only implies death, it never actually shows it happening.

So....no, not at all the same thing. >_>

They're implied to have been killed in the original cut. Seeing as they never appeared again after being thrown into a fuming Arctic chasm, it's pretty safe to assume they're dead. I never watched any edits or other cuts of the movie. Not sure if there's a "truer" version either.

 

[sXeth]

The one character that might be tougher to get right will be Wonder Woman, with her "exotic" background.

If the cartoons can get it right Hollywood has no excuse.

Don't get me wrong, I absolutely think that WW has the potential to become a great live action movie. The animated film was great. But she has a costume that is not very easy to successfully translate to the big screen (exhibit A:the failed tv show)and a mythological origin that might seem out of place in a more realistic setting. Fortunately MoS does away with the realism from the Nolan bat-films and we have a viable platform for her to be brought to life on the silver screen.

With the right director (Whedon was once attached to direct and he would've been PERFECT), script and actress it can be cool. If not, I fear for it.

The TV show made Wonder Woman into a super-powered female Batman who straight up murdered people and had no secret identity. The costume really was the least of its problems. Thor managed well enough with a similar mythology background (granted, WW's "Gods" are Gods, and not aliens posing as such), and Aquaman's origin is just as much of a hurdle if you get down to it.

 

[Guilherme Zoldan]

No, it's bad because Clark wasn't all that smart, Pa Kent died in the dumbest way possible, no payoff for Zods Killing, Metropolis wasn't as well explored or a character like in the Batman movies (but i can compare MoS city others like Spider-man's New York). Lois and Clark relationship wasn't all that convincing, Bad shakey-cam (some well implemented though), Zod's death was contrived. There are more but "meh".

Pa Kent's death was really well done in my opinion, the whole point is that he sacrificed himself because he believed humanity was gona flip its shit if they found out about Clark's powers, a belief that becomes one of the major forces in his character conflict. Zod's killing had a big NOOOO scene and all but it wasnt made a super huge deal because the movie was almost over.
Lois was more charismatic then she has ever been in my opinion, in all other media she is either boring or a boring *****.

Metropolis...who gives a fuck about metropolis?

 

[MrMixelPixel]

You want inconsistancy and plot holes? How does superman shave and cut his hair? how come his hair don't burn off on reentry or in fire? How does a non-aerodynamic shape fly so fast? Why would he put oh a cape when it will only increase drag as he fly?

That's why I never like DC universe, you cannot enjoy it without dumbing down your own intelligence and believe in space magic.

Well since it seems integral to your enjoyment of the film...

 

[Guilherme Zoldan]

As if, Pa Kent died for the cheapest of reasons and the most over used manipulative emotional device to be used in films. A dog. What's worse is if he HAD let his son go there would have been enough time to save the animal without exposing himself. What a pathetic way to go and more insulting than a random heart attack which was more realistic.

A big "NOOOO" is not what i call payoff so what if he was sad for a few seconds you don't do that in a film there needs to be proper analysed consequence even the Batman films did that correctly you need to reflect of tragedy MoS did they very little of that, and no it wouldn't make the film moppy or something (not accusing there) a good writer or film direct don't need it to be. THe man killed someone, it should have been a big deal for his character (you could compare it to BB but that was Death by own Hand)

Amy Adams was fine but she was pretty uselessly involved through most of the film, she didn't need to be taken in by the Kryptonians because they got what they needed regardless and she didn't need to be on the helicopter because she did nothing anyone else could have done, if it was a matter of trust thing it's a weak excuse and really, when the world is about to end trust shouldn't be an issue.

The justification for Pa kent's sacrifice could have been done better, he should have been saving a little kid or something, but the scene is still incredibly well done and moving.
You can nitpick logic flaws in any script, things have to happen for plot reasons sometimes and not how they would in the real world. Granted the job of the scriptwriter is to hide that as best as possible and they didn't do a very good job of it.
Also I just plain disagree that they needed to have made a bigger deal of Zod's death. They established that Superman didnt like doing it and he even cried about it, had to cuddle Lois Lane FFS.
There is no ammount of payoff that would have made hardcore fans okay with Superman taking a life, I don't think snyder should have tried to please them.