r/moviecritic • u/Anita-MaxWynn • 1d ago
Now Watching: Man of Steel (2013)
An alien child is evacuated from his dying world and sent to Earth to live among humans. His peace is threatened when other survivors of his home planet invade Earth.
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u/NudieBarVIP 1d ago
It annoys me when people criticize the movie for civies dying. As if battles with superpowered beings wouldn't leave collateral damage. They blame Supes for not taking the fight to some desert or corn field. They ignore the fact that this is literally his first fight ever, and it's with similar powered beings who were bred for war. It's ridiculous.
And how boring would the movie be if they just fought in the Artic or some shit?
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u/oceanoftreea 14h ago
Look at the destruction caused in the first Avengers film and no one batted an eyelid.
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u/Cotton_Uniforms 1d ago
This superhero franchise seems like it's the only one that can't be successfully rebooted. Nobody will ever come close to Richard Donner's Superman: The Movie or Richard Lester's part 2 (watch the international cut. I really don't have high hopes for this upcoming one
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u/unclejedsiron 1d ago
Superman Returns was a pretty solid movie.
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u/Cotton_Uniforms 1d ago
I found it quite cold and boring, with the exception of the airplane scene. I liked Brandon Routh as Superman and enjoyed the fact it was the next installment after Quest for Peace. Thought Kevin Spacey was completely miscast as Luthor.
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u/Civil-Resolution3662 1d ago edited 1d ago
Superman Returns creates a visceral deep feeling of betrayal and anger in me. Like, I heard something cool by the director of The Usual Suspects, X-Men and X2 was coming. I saw the promo pics with his horrible suit and hair parted on the wrong side, and 14 year old Lois Lane...and the feelings began. I saw the movie and I thought it was terrible, plane rescue aside. I also had a big issue with the story. It's supposed to be a loose sequel to Superman 2. At the end of that movie he says, "I'm sorry I've been away for so long. I won't let you down again." And so...he promptly flies off to look for Krypton and is gone for 5 years.
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u/jazzmans69 1d ago
Agree, Man of Steel was fucking Terrible! I tried to rewatch it last year and was amazed at HOW BAD the entire film was. Krypton at war, cgi suckfest. kevin costner just letting the cyclone eat him after mouthing platitudes. suck. the ultra-violence of the fight with zod, suck, not to mention the cgi blew donkey seals.
and don't get me started on superman vs batman... FFS, that should have been three different movies, instead all those plotlines were ruined.
the best superman movies are still Richard Donners Superman, and his Superman II.
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u/Cotton_Uniforms 13h ago
I actually like Richard Lester's version of 2. But the international cut is basically both versions combined.
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u/NotSoAsianPanda 1d ago
I don't love this movie but I do love Henry Cavill as Superman and Michael shannon as Zod. Amy Adam's was great as well, great casting.
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u/WillandWillStudios 22h ago
I'd say the only decision I really liked was making Zod a blatant Vegeta type and Shanon pulled it off perfectly.
Other than that, I'm not so hot on it. Really looking forward to Gunn's version but I have nothing against Snyder.
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u/NoImplement2856 18h ago
This is one of the best superhero movies of all time. Idk how it came from Snyder of all people.
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u/Leading_Wafer9552 1d ago
Great movie. Action packed right from the start with the war and demise of krypton. I like that it shows the struggle of Clark becoming superman and shows what it's like for his character to mentally have to learn to deal with these super powers that would be disturbing to experience, like seeing through people's skin, and hearing every whisper. I also like that it shows the struggle of him having to conceal his powers and control his emotions exercising patience in tough circumstances where he has to endure people's petty bullying, despite the fact he could have ended them if he chose to.
People criticize this movie for how many people die from the attack of Zod, but the criticism is so short-sighted and unrealistic. You're watching a movie about a man becoming superman, not a movie about an experienced superman that already knows what to do. Clark has never dealt with multiple enemies as strong as him before, and these are trained military fighters with combat experience. It's not realistic to think an inexperienced Clark can always prevent every building from falling and every single person from dying. Sure many people died in one city, but the bigger picture is that he saved the entire planet from getting terraformed. People that think in a circumstance like this that no one would die is just absurd. I also like that it depicts the struggle of Clark having to kill in order to protect people. He didn't want to kill Zod, but Zod left him no choice. I think this superman is an overall great and realistic depiction of the character. I think Man of Steel and shows like Invincible are a more realistic depiction of what a superpowered being/world would look like. Even Brightburn is an interesting take on what a psychotic superman could look like, and how terrifying that would be.
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u/oceanoftreea 14h ago
100% agree with your take, the way I saw it Zod would rather die in battle like a warrior, than be caught and locked up again, also he’d lost, his allies were gone and so was his home world. So he put Superman in a position where he had no other option than to kill him, he also didn’t give Clark enough time to come up with another solution.
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u/killacallycal 1d ago
Ha it’s terrible
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u/Leading_Wafer9552 1d ago
Ha, great argument, very well explained. Now I understand I was wrong. Thanks!
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u/DonBandolini 1d ago
at the end of the day, quality isn’t something that can be explained. you either intuitively understand why it’s bad or you don’t.
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u/Leading_Wafer9552 1d ago
I can explain what I thought the movie did right that I liked, but no one can or has explained why that's wrong? ...okay, that's not going to add anything to the conversation or change anyone's mind. If you guys can't enjoy it then I feel sorry for you. It's your loss, not mine.
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u/killacallycal 1d ago
You’re welcome. Keep creating the narrative in your own head that it’s a great movie. I mean that’s why it is so well reviewed 👌
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u/Leading_Wafer9552 1d ago
Thanks for confirming you have no argument to make and nothing to add to the conversation.
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u/Wade989 1d ago
The movie has some serious flaws and while I like Cavill as Superman, Snyder's version of the character is way too dark and gritty for a character that should inspire hope (I'll always be a great fan of Reeve's Superman). Still, Michael Shannon as Zod is an amazing choice, just that made the movie enjoyable for me.
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u/IamNICE124 1d ago
Michael Shannon was great as Zod.
I want to like the movie so bad, but it’s just missing something.
Also, tornado scene was fucking awful.. 🤦♂️
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u/ZaMelonZonFire 1d ago
I appreciate this film more as I’ve gotten older. It’s a gritty origin story that I prefer. Not the red white and blue Americana that James Gunn is going to force on everyone.
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u/notoriouschad 20h ago
This movie was ahead of its time. I watched it in cinema back in the day, loved it and again watched it before JL Snyder Cut again. Loved it even more.
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u/missing_Palantir 1d ago
Don’t listen to the hate. Krypton scenes go hard. Movie is great until CGI looks like video game cut scenes. Then the movie dips a little
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u/epdug 1d ago
A masterpiece that’s truly understands Superman. You can tell how much Snyder and Cavill love the character. Gunns Superman isn’t gonna have a patch on this.
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u/Civil-Resolution3662 1d ago
You mean aside from how he doesn't crack a smile when he tells him mom he knows who he is, mumbles through telling the people to get inside, keeps the fight in the heavily populated areas, dad tells him to let people die, yeah...totally gets it. Look, I really really like MoS. I like the shaky cam. I love Henry's look in this suit over the sequels. But as Superman...that's all Snyder and his nihilism. This is the same director who said that he would love to make a movie where Batman goes to prison and gets gang raped.
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u/Unplaceable_Accent 1d ago
My favorite part is when they fought above the IHOP. My second favorite was when they fought inside the IHOP. Third favorite? When someone mentioned working at an IHOP.
Seriously though I thought this had potential but was let down by a disjointed structure and pacing, which made everything but the IHOP feel rushed and jumbled together. I'm not a purist demanding that Supes wrap himself in the flag and promise to defend the American way of life, but as a result of the rush this dude saves maybe 3 people tops before leveling a major metropolis of millions. Not um exactly... inspiring.
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u/Fancy-Category 1d ago
I thought Man of Steel was a great Superman film loved Zod, and loved Henry as Kal