Man of Steel (2013)

[Dasquian Belargic]

http://www.deadline.com/2011/01/henry-cavill-chosen-as-new-superman/

Henry Cavill to star as Superman in Warner Bros and Legendary Pictures' take on the Man of Steel.


The new film from Warner Bros and Legendary Pictures is being produced by Christopher Nolan and directed by Zack Snyder, who made this statement: “In the pantheon of superheroes, Superman is the most recognized and revered character of all time, and I am honored to be a part of his return to the big screen. I also join Warner Bros., Legendary and the producers in saying how excited we are about the casting of Henry. He is the perfect choice to don the cape and S shield.”

[Droo]

Well, I don't know much about him but he has the look - a strong jaw and steely eyes are a must for a would-be Superman. And as for this project, I have mixed feelings about it. It started as a casual discussion between Nolan and his trusted Batman writer, David S. Goyer, in which Goyer basically said "If I were to write Superman, I'd do it this way..." and apparently Nolan was that confident in Goyer's vision of the Man of Steel that he brought it to Warner Bros. Nolan onboard was always going to catapult this project forward and attract talent and attention. Sadly, Zack Snyder is attached to the project.

Now, I know there are loads who think Watchmen is some sort of triumph, but as a film, it is truly apalling. Dull, pompous, and long. Fingers crossed with a writer like Goyer and a producer like Nolan, Snyder's undoubted visual flair can take flight without suffocating substance, story, and character in the film.

In any case, I'm sure as we get closer to the release date, and once the trailers start to appear, I'll be as giddy as I was over Superman Returns, although I fear that, in the wake of the rather mediocre performan of Singer's slower, mature Superman, the studio will want to see this superhero dumbed down and pumped up to pander to its target audience of brainless Michael Bay fanboys.

[Jedi Master Carr]

Well, Singer's film needed more action and it just copied the first film's plot. Superman should have thought Metallo or Braniac in the previous film. I think a villain like that is what the film needs. Cavill seems like a good choice. He has done some good acting in his previous projects and has a better resume than Brandon Rouff.

[Dasquian Belargic]

Henry Cavill was in the Tudors, if you've watched that at all Droo. He has had mostly smaller parts until the last year or so, when he has finally landed a few more prominent roles. He is one of these actors who has been considered for many big parts - James Bond and Batman included - but passed over on many many occasions, so I am excited to see him finally get stuck into a real, leading role.

Additionally, it seems like he has been an internet fan favorite since before Brandon Routh donned the cape. Here's a couple of fan photo manips, which amount to little more than adding the Supes costume to existing photos of Henry:

[Rutabaga]

I spent 4 years slobbering over Henry Cavill on The Tudors. Yum yum. ;)

Picturing him as Superman is going to take some time. But he definitely has the look.

[Atreyu]

Dark Horizon reports that there will be no Lois Lane in new 'Superman'. (http://www.darkhorizons.com/news/19350/no-lois-lane-in-the-new-superman-)

[Droo]

I think this is a good thing. They're free to go where they want with the story and Superman's relationship with the female lead without being bogged down by the pressure of living up to a long convoluted comic book romance. If the film is a success then there's no reason why Lois Lane cannot appear in a sequel. And of the three, my fingers are crossed for Diane Kruger.

[Jedi Master Carr]

Kruger is a good actress, so I think she would work. I do wonder who the villain will be. I think Luthor will be in the film, but will not be the villain. I am hoping for Braniac.

[Droo]

Kruger is a good actress, so I think she would work. I do wonder who the villain will be. I think Luthor will be in the film, but will not be the villain. I am hoping for Braniac.

If Luthor does feature in it, I hope he'll be a man of power and good repute as opposed to the common criminal Lex Luthor from the films, I've always liked that format.

[Captain Untouchable]

I like the idea of this being pre-Lois. It makes it nice and clear that this isn't going to be another continuation of the original saga as per Superman Returns; it also separates it from Smallville. I happen to enjoy Smallville in spite (or perhaps because?) of it's naffness, but I'm very glad that the team has the opportunity to go back to the foundations and build something "right", rather than trying to build on top of what is already there.

What I'm most interested to see is how they modernise Clark's motivation to become a hero. Execution aside, Smallville has hit upon a few good ideas in terms of showing why a "Superman" in a brightly coloured costume is better than an in-the-shadows vigilante - harkening back to the Justice Society, using Green Arrow as a demonstration of how being a vigilante can go wrong... they even had Clark's mum designing the costume. (Wasn't that what happened in The New Adventures of Superman?)

In the Nolan movies, the Batman persona was about criminals sharing his dread; the costume meanwhile was dictated mostly by the technology that was available, with a few bits of ninja logic thrown in. In Green Lantern meanwhile, the suit is a uniform, and the name is pre-decided: Hal Jordan steps into a role that already exists.

So what makes Clark decide that the best way to stand for truth and justice is to combine blue spandex with red leather?

* * *

As for the villain, I agree with Droo about wanting Luthor to be respectable, at least to start with. One of the great things about Lex is that Superman knows he's a bad guy, but Lex is pretty much untouchable. I'd like to see him perhaps as a puppet master whose plans are thwarted by Superman, so he can begin to slowly develop a grudge... rather than being a prefab villain who Superman defeats with ease.

I would be surprised if we saw Brainiac, mainly because he represents a planet-wide threat. I don't know what DC's shared universe plans are, but I'd personally like to be able to at least pretend that the Batman trilogy and Green Lantern are going on at the same time. If they introduced a planet-wide threat like Brainiac, General Zod, or Doomsday before they've established Superman as a hero, there's going to be that niggling question of "why didn't Green Lantern show up to help?".

Not entirely sure who that leaves out of the Superman cadre of villains. Metallo is a possibility - he's the sort of villain who could defeat Superman but not pose a big enough threat to show up on other people's radar - but they'd have to be able to justify why people are experimenting with kryptonite, before being aware of it's Superman-related properties. Is he a significant enough threat to warrant Superman putting on the costume though, and the inevitable "is it a bird? is it a plane?" comment that will be cheesily worked into the script at the same time?

[Jedi Master Carr]

Kruger is a good actress, so I think she would work. I do wonder who the villain will be. I think Luthor will be in the film, but will not be the villain. I am hoping for Braniac.

If Luthor does feature in it, I hope he'll be a man of power and good repute as opposed to the common criminal Lex Luthor from the films, I've always liked that format.

I am hoping they go with the Lexcorp version of Luthor where he is more of a buisnessman and is more behind the scenes kind of a bad guy.
This rumor
http://www.slashfilm.com/mystery-superman-female-role-revealed-kryptonian-villainess/
seems to suggest the female character will be Urusa, although Snyder said Zod won't be in the film. Of course this could just be a rumor or they are going with a different version of Ursua. It also sounds like Lois will be in the film, just not a major part.

[Atreyu]

Someone on TFN reckons the film should be this (http://scans-daily.dreamwidth.org/2734941.html?#cutid1) (in movie form).

I like. :)

[Atreyu]

Amy Adams has been cast as Lois Lane. (http://herocomplex.latimes.com/2011/03/27/amy-adams-will-be-lois-lane/)

[Droo]

I haven't seen her in anything at all, but from what I hear this is positive news. Lois Lane must be confident, fiesty, and a real challenge for Clark/Superman, while at the same time being head-over-heels in love with the latter. The idea that Lois Lane has been cast is making me feel all giddy inside.

[Jedi Master Carr]

Amy Adams is a great actress and she is a good choice for Lois.

[Atreyu]

I also think she'll be great, but I must admit I was surprised at her age (36) - I thought she was still in her late 20s/early 30s at most.

[Dasquian Belargic]

Amy Adams :3 I am probably going to be the only one to say this but... I loved her in Disney's Enchanted and Night at the Museum (as Amelia Earhart)

[Anna Fernandez]

Oh man, I loved her too. Enchanted is so much fun. And her take on Amelia was perfect for the movie. :D

[Tear]

They've got a screenshot (http://ca.eonline.com/news/first_look_new_superman_movie_costume/256216)of the new superman. I like it.

[Droo]

My brain is probably finding too many implications in the image, bigger version found here (http://www.joblo.com/newsimages1/0804supes-big.jpg), but I'm not really impressed. First of all, what's with the pose? He's all bent double with a poorly superimposed background of bent and warped metal to display his POWAH! Secondly, it's all a bit grey and grim. Thirdly, the costume looks a bit too shiny and reptillian for my liking - maybe they're trying to make it look more alien, I don't know. Regardless, I don't like it, not in this image at least. Finally, where the hell is the spit curl? This matters!

Nit-picking aside, the choice of style for this picture concerns me. Following the underwhelming performance of the Superman Returns, I feared WB's next stab at the franchise would be dumbed down Michael Bay nonsense with no heart or soul. Now admittedly, SR's rehash of the Lex Luthor real estate scheme lacked originality and could've done with a graver sense of threat and action, but its heart was well and truly in the right place. The film was mature, tender, beautifully shot, and took a close look at its title character, his sense of alienation from the world he saves, and how this introspective conundrum was tackled was particularly brave and inspired on the part of the writers. Anyway, back to this:

Superman is hunkered down, poorly lit, and only takes up a fraction of the image. The rest of the picture is reserved for battered and warped metal, cracked walls, and electrical sparks, all diverting attention away from the centrepiece of the picture. Compare it to the first image of Superman from Superman Returns. That (http://www.availableimages.com/images/pictures/2006/superman-returns/aph_8.jpg) is how you give Superman his debut. It's bold, striking, and classic. It tells me that this is all about the Man of Steel. This new image, sadly, does not.

Like I said, I'm reading into a single image a lot, but I think the first image is very important and telling. But at the same time, a film can't be judged by its promo pictures - I'm looking at you X-Men: First Class.

[Dasquian Belargic]

Wow... Henry Cavill does not look like Henry Cavill in that picture. Strange.

Also, what's going on with his trunks? Is he wearing them or not? *squints at picture*

[Nikolai Odell]

Finally, where the hell is the spit curl? This matters!

Looks like Clark has it instead. (link (http://www.liveforfilms.com/2011/08/04/henry-cavill-with-the-clark-kent-spit-curl-in-new-superman-photos/))

I'm sure people won't be happy about the lack of spit curl, but I'm kind of glad they've gone for a more plausible hairstyle. Having indestructible hair is one thing. The fact that he flies faster than a speeding bullet and yet never has a hair out of place? Works for a comic book, but not so much for real world realism. At least they've kept a reference to it in there.

The suit certainly looks more durable than the normal lycra job. The S is more like some of the cartoons - a little more alien-looking, and less of a terrestrial letter. I think there probably will be some sort of trunks thing going on - I'm not sure the outfit would work without something down there to break up the blue. Looking at the boots though, I wouldn't be surprised if it was somehow part of the unitard, rather than a separate piece of clothing.

I don't dislike the costume. It certainly seems in keeping with the theme that they're going for with for Batman Begins and Green Lantern - toning down the saturation on the colours a little. It'll be interesting to see what the next few publicity stills are like, and what people come up with in terms of image manips of the "Justice League".

[Dasquian Belargic]

http://www.superherohype.com/news/articles/168314-close-up-shot-of-superman-on-the-man-of-steel-set

on set shots of Cavill in costume

[Yog]

http://www.superherohype.com/news/articles/168314-close-up-shot-of-superman-on-the-man-of-steel-set

on set shots of Cavill in costume

The costume change does not work for me. But I'm not going to prejudge a movie based on that.

[Miranda Tarkin]

Yeah I am not sure what to feel about the costume as well but won't boycott it because he doesn't have red trunks

[Dasquian Belargic]

I actually quite like the costume!

[Captain Untouchable]

I seem to remember Supes keeping an engagement ring in his pants when he proposed to Teri Hatcher. Without them, what is he going to do for pockets?!

I like it, but I think I'd be happier if there was a belt or something. You know... something to stop all those black diagonal lines forming arrows pointing directly to his crotch and ass. >_<

[Dasquian Belargic]

Are you saying you don't approve of that ass? :colbert

[Captain Untouchable]

I'm saying I can find it on my own - I don't need a big arrow (http://www.comingsoon.net/nextraimages/supermanhenrycavillsetpic4.jpg) pointing at it. :colbert

[Mu Satach]

I do.

I can't seem to find one at all without some sort of directions and user manuals.

[Tear]

Still like it. Dude is ripped. Also, the costume reminds me of the New superman redesign (http://www.badhaven.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/dcnu_superman_by_jprart-d3ipl4v-674x1024.jpg). Cept this one has a red belt.

[Miranda Tarkin]

If it had a belt, I'd like it more.

[Dasquian Belargic]

More photos from the set in Vancouver: http://www.superherohype.com/gallery/superman/man-of-steel/vancouver-set

[Droo]

Having seen a bootlegged version of the teaser trailer shipping with The Dark Knight Rises, I have to say that a lot of my apprehension about this film has evaporated. It is a slow, thoughtful, beautifully shot teaser which features shots of a hitch-hiking Clark, a grizzly fisherman Clark, and Clark as a little boy, running around the yard in a makeshift red cape. There's a voice over, Russell Crowe delivering lines as Jorel, and it is much in the spirit of the Superman Returns teaser (which I also thought was wonderful), he tells his son why he sent him to Earth and how he is to set an example to mankind, I won't relay it word for word here but it's a lovely little monologue. It finishes with a brief shot of Superman soaring upwards through the clouds, breaking the sound barrier and soaring skywards. The only thing that irked me about it was the choice of music for the trailer, it was the musical cue from Fellowship of the Ring when Gandalf falls from the bridge of Khazad-dum, but that might be more to do with the fact that I very familiar with all those LotR themes and find it difficult to separate them from the films themselves. Otherwise, it would've been a fitting piece of music.

Anyway, there wasn't a single explosion or obnoxious slow-mo to be seen, instead it was a teaser suggesting a film about a man who has a great destiny ahead of him and is looking for his place in the world. I just wish WB would hurry up and just unleash the damn thing online already.

[Jedieb]

I thought the trailer was blah.... Wow, Superman is.... fishing.... not shaving.... running in the grass as a little boy.... Can I just see him PUNCH something? I'm sure the next trailer will give us more, but this teaser just reminded me of how boring Superman Returns was.

[Droo]

I thought the trailer was blah.... Wow, Superman is.... fishing.... not shaving.... running in the grass as a little boy.... Can I just see him PUNCH something? I'm sure the next trailer will give us more, but this teaser just reminded me of how boring Superman Returns was.

Do you really need to see Superman punch stuff this early in the game? It's a teaser trailer, not a theatrical trailer, and as far as I'm concerned I think it's important for a teaser to be understated and tasteful and, frankly, in the case of such a well known character, remain true to the essence of its star attraction. It's playing on the iconography of the Man of Steel, and serves purely as an announcement to say "This film is coming out next summer, watch this space..."

Conversely, I'd have been pissed if we'd have had a dumbed down sequence of quick-cut action scenes, with explosions and super punches, and so on. We know what Superman can do so should surely have the reason to know, at least to some extent, what to expect. I'm sure it doesn't need to be spelled out for us. Secondly, the shots of the little boy, the fishing, the hitch-hiking, and then that fleeting shot of Superman taking to the sky are doing exactly what the studio wanted them to do: the audience is being informed that this is a new take on the Superman story and his origins. And, a year before its release, that's all we need to know.

[Lilaena De'Ville]

I'm just excited Jedieb has returned to us. :3:

[Dasquian Belargic]

Did I mention that Henry Cavill was on my flight to LA, when I flew out for San Diego Comic Con? :swoon: (he was a surprise guest at the con... not such a surprise for me)

<object width="560" height="315"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/6jKWJZsjm5U?version=3&amp;hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/6jKWJZsjm5U?version=3&amp;hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="560" height="315" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object>

[Droo]

Hm, there are two versions of this teaser out there, one with a voice-over from Jonathan Kent, and the other from Jorel. It's a nice idea but the Jorel one monologue is much better.

Edit: http://movies.uk.msn.com/exclusives/video.aspx?videoid=3522edb4-bf76-47b8-978f-ea62edeb4e07&src=v5:share:sharepermalink:&from=sharepermalink

There we go. The reason why I like the Jorel one so much is because his words seem much more profound and hint at a great destiny, and when juxtaposed against the shots of normal Clark doing normal things, it's awesome.

[Lilaena De'Ville]

I was so caught up in the imagery that I don't remember what the voice over was, to be honest. :ohno I loved it. I also loved the Superman Returns teaser too - that shot over the fields with the theme... it was just chills.

Although I also liked Superman Returns, the movie.

[Jedieb]

I'm just excited Jedieb has returned to us. :3:

Thanks LD, just dropping by for a bit. :)

I just feel like I've seen this mood setting before and it's not one I particularly like for Supes. Great for Batman, but not for Supes, at least not for me. I think the next trailer will show us much more, but hopefully not as much as the Spiderman trailers and commercials did. I heard someone put all of the released material together before the movie came out and it was over 20 minutes worth of footage. That's overkill.

[Dasquian Belargic]

KVu3gS7iJu4

[Rutabaga]

I have really, really good feelings about this. :)

I also really, really like the idea of seeing Henry Cavill in that skintight Superman suit. :love

[Droo]

It does look rather awesome. :3:

[Wyl Staedtler]

My kid is breathlessly excited about this film. He sounds like a tiny asthmatic when he talks about it. I have a hunch we will be watching it many, many times.

[Captain Untouchable]

It does look rather awesome. :3:

This. A million times this. :ohno

[Darth Turbogeek]

I really dislike Superman normally as I find the character bland with faaaar too many tropes attached buuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuut....... trailer caught me and it didn't need the Nolan name to do it.

Nola's name is the icing on the cake of interesting. Hmmmmm, yeah not bad. I think this is definatly on the possible to view list.

[Dasquian Belargic]

New photo of Supes: http://www.sfx.co.uk/2013/01/05/man-of-steel-new-photo/

[Droo]

While I think Cavill looks great as Superman, I can't help but think he looks a bit naked without the famous spit curl, and I don't think it helps that, at least from that angle, his hairline appears to have receded quite a bit. That said, he's sporting an epic cleft chin. :D

[Dasquian Belargic]

oyzdSoDBDt0

[Darth Turbogeek]

I'll pretend it was cool instead of RAGING OVER THE NOT AVAILABLE IN MY COUNTRY BULLSHIT!!!!!!!!!

[Vince]

Amy Adams... :swoon:

[Captain Untouchable]

Finally, they found a way to stop the costume drawing attention to Superman's crotch!

http://static03.mediaite.com/themarysue/uploads/2013/03/LoisSupermanCover-547x550.jpg

I hadn't seen Amy Adams in anything prior to last week. Having now watched Enchanted, I'm going to be disappointed if the new Superman costume isn't made out of a pair of curtains with the assistance of mice and cockroaches.

[Droo]

Lois Lane is a redhead. :swoon:

[Droo]

d6g2ZSuWyM4

:ohno

Also, there is a countdown on iwillfindhim.com (http://www.iwillfindhim.com/), which has apparently been decoded by internet cryptographers, who claim it will end tomorrow at 8pm EST. Could this be a new trailer perhaps?

[Droo]

T6DJcgm3wNY

OHMYGODOHMYGOD! THIS FILM IS GOING TO BE AMAZING!!! :eee

[Rutabaga]

T6DJcgm3wNY

OHMYGODOHMYGOD! THIS FILM IS GOING TO BE AMAZING!!! :eee

Henry Cavill :love

And I think Michael Shannon is going to kick complete ass as General Zod. He's sssoooo good in Boardwalk Empire.

[Lilaena De'Ville]

On our world... It's an S. :colbert

:D It looks great.

[Captain Untouchable]

Oh god, hurry the hell up, May. :ohno

[Dasquian Belargic]

dat soundtrack

:ohno

EDIT: for anyone else who has become obsessed with dat Hans Zimmer trailer music:

https://soundcloud.com/antovolk/hans-zimmer-man-of-steel

[Captain Untouchable]

Henry Cavill didn't answer his phone when they called to offer him the role because he was in the middle of a raid on World of Warcraft.

This news tickles me.

[Droo]

dat soundtrack

:ohno

EDIT: for anyone else who has become obsessed with dat Hans Zimmer trailer music:

https://soundcloud.com/antovolk/hans-zimmer-man-of-steel

That track has now officially been put out there for your sampling pleasure. I don't know the direct link, but here's the article I accessed it from:

http://www.denofgeek.com/movies/superman/25513/man-of-steel-new-tv-spot-sample-hans-zimmers-score-here

Edit: Direct link (https://soundcloud.com/watertowermusic/mos_poster/s-LYFjd).

It's a phenomenal sound, uplifting and powerful, very evocative of the Man of Steel himself. There are people trying to compare it to the John Williams theme, but they don't understand (just like I didn't understand when Superman Returns came out), that, while the theme is iconic, it is very much a product of its era. And I'm quite happy to see images of Superman soaring through the sky to Zimmer's music rather than being hampered by the notalgic sound of the Seventies.

Edit: Apparently, the track is called What Are You Going to Do When You Are Not Saving the World? Although I was under the impression it was called An Ideal of Hope. So who knows?

Edit 2: 60 second previews of every track on the soundtrack. If you follow the video to its destination there is also a list of the track titles, I'm not sure if they're spoilery or not, but I'm not taking a chance.

66IlpP3LIHE

[Dasquian Belargic]

I think I'm going to hold off on listening to the rest of the soundtrack until I've heard it in the context of the film itself.

[Droo]

I love this poster.

[Captain Untouchable]

Latest trailer.

NlOF03DUoWc

I'm getting really excited for this, guys. :ohno

[Droo]

I'm surprising myself with my own willpower, but I've not watched a single bit of new footage or read anything else about this film since the last trailer(music aside), and it's going to stay that way until release. I'm already sold on seeing this film - I need no more convincing! :)

Edit:

Okay, I caved. Just one more trailer! :D

mQG6F76On-M

[Droo]

The press embargo on this film drops tonight at 4am GMT, so we can expect the internet to be swamped with reviews in the morning. Anxiously waiting... :ohno

[Captain Untouchable]

Holy crap, I did not see that Minecraft trailer you snuck in there!

And I still can't listen to the music from that trailer without getting dust in my eyes. :ohno

[Droo]

It looks like the sequel is being fast-tracked into development. Warner Bros must be confident!

http://www.deadline.com/2013/06/man-of-steel-sequel-underway-with-zack-snyder-and-david-s-goyer/

Edit:

This is a poster (http://images.mondo.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/ANSIN-MANOFSTEEL-R-PRESS.jpg)!

[Droo]

If there had been a little less Super and a bit more Man, then Man of Steel would've been pretty much the perfect Superman introduction. They go big, and in the first ten minutes there's more action than in the whole of Superman Returns, which isn't always a good thing. Kryptonians punching the crap out of each other at superspeed is only so interesting, and those parts started to drag for me, but apparently it's what people wanted.

But, other than being self-indulgent, the sheer scope and scale of the action is staggering. Actually, this film isn't big, it's enormous. But it's the quiet poignant moments involving Clark/Kal and his father figures that really stand out, but the choppy chronology and relative brevity of the flashbacks to his youth rob the backstory of its impact somewhat. I'd personally have liked to have seen more screen time dedicated to those moments. Other than those minor quibbles though, I found the film thoroughly enjoyable, awesome and frequently jaw-dropping. Watching Superman fly never ever gets old. I loved the witty ending, too.

[Lilaena De'Ville]

I'm glad you got to see it BEFORE ANYONE ELSE :shakefist:

Actually we have a double date planned with friends for Sunday evening to see it if we can find a babysitter (spoiler: it's doubtful :( )

[Dasquian Belargic]

I think I'll go some time this coming week. It was all sold out on Friday night, and I didn't buy tickets in advance so v:)v

[Zereth Lancer]

I agree with everything Droo said. The character development during his childhood was incredible and helped flesh out a character I've often felt was incredibly one-sided, but then they started fighting and there is absolutely NOTHING redeeming about watching invincible aliens fighting each other. I actually got bored and began fidgeting around in my seat. My general conclusion was that Man of Steel is a good movie, but Superman is still a boring character.

[Captain Untouchable]

I can't seem to make spoiler tags work, so I'll be brief and spoiler free instead!

Liked the fact that the dads got more to do in this movie. Jor-El's scenes were really cool, and I liked that the way the flashbacks were edited in made it feel like his influence was extending throughout the movie without needing dialogue to beat us round the head. "Get to the overpass." :(

I thought it was interesting that despite them driving home the alien / scifi angle (I really liked the reimagined version of Krypton), they put a lot of effort into "humanising" Superman and making him relatable. Two moments in particular were absolutely heart-wrenching, and the moment (and the reason) that he finally lost his temper and snapped really resonated with me. I loved the stupid grin as he flew for the first time. Henry Cavill really nailed it.

I'd been forewarned about the action, and while I can see where Droo is coming from, I didn't think it was too bad. I thought it was cool to see the contrast between the clumsy and brutish way the Kryptonians used their powers versus the finesse that Clark had. Also, the fact that they've toned down Superman's powers probably bodes well for the potential of Justice League movies.

Oh, and the last thing Lois says? Probably the best line in the whole movie. :lol

[Zereth Lancer]

The aesthetic of Krypton, especially in their armor, weapon, tech, and vehicles was perhaps my favorite part of the entire movie. It was a great and really made the planet stand out as alien. It was fairly clear that the Kryton aircraft was influenced by insect designed. It was very cool. They didn't just create a drab background for plot purposes. Instead, they very much created a real world that lived and breathed. I would have loved to see more of it.

[Droo]

I saw this again today and found I enjoyed it much more than the first time. The main reason for this is, I think, the fact that I wasn't extremely uncomfortable with a bladder that was full-to-bursting this time around. Last time, I needed to go after the ten minute mark but there was no way in hell I was going to miss a moment of the film, but I was consequently very very aware of the running time of each of the action sequences and distracted from them in a way with my discomfort. This time, I was able to appreciate the details, and, for all their pace and explosive chaos, the action sequences in the film are cleverly choreographed and didn't feel repetitive at all to me - which was a big fear I had going into this film again. That I'd spent the last week with the soundtrack didn't hurt either, the familiarity I had with the musical cues provided plenty of electric hair-standing-on-end moments for me.

In assessment, I stand by what I said in that the best moments are the quiet, more reflective, moments that flesh out the relationships between Clark, his parents, and Lois, and between Kal and Jor-El. The last scene with Jonathan, looking on as his little boy runs around in the garden with the red sheet and striking that classic pose, and you can see it in his face that he sees his son is destined for greatness; coupled with the music, it is such a beautiful moment. My main criticism of the film is actually the ending. And yes, I love Lois Lane's witty line, but the scene was brought to a sudden end that didn't quite feel right and didn't pair up very well with the music when the title finally appears on the screen. It should invoke the feeling of Batman Begins, by which point, as Batman swoops past the camera and the quick cut to black, it is unmistakeable that the legend of Batman has begun. How to emulate that impression in Man of Steel? Easy. A succession of quick cuts, depicting the rush and hubbub of the Daily Planet, in the spirit of the ending of Stark Trek with all the characters all on the bridge, or, in Scotty's case, in the engine room; Jenny taking snaps, Lois typing away, and Perry giving us a "Great Caesar's ghost!" as a story breaks, some sort of crisis or emergency, and he turns to the newest arrival, Clark... Kent? Kent!? Where'd he go? Lois is wearing a knowing smile. Clark appears on the roof, or in an alley, or somewhere, and he's running straight towards the camera, he pulls at his shirt and as the first buttons pop, revealing a sliver or red, yellow, and blue, the screen cuts to black for the crescendo of music and MAN OF STEEL.

The shirt rip! That's how Clark becomes Superman, and that's what Man of Steel was all about - they missed a trick with that ending!

[Érinthe Hetetlen]

I don't think Clark is ready for that kind of ending just yet.

It all depends on what happens in the sequel, but I imagine there will be a certain amount of anti-alien sentiment, and Clark will start doing his saves/rescues as a sign of good faith, while at the same time building the kind of rapport and relationship with the Daily Planet that allows him to get away with disappearing all the time. It's worth bearing in mind that as far as the world is concerned, he isn't Superman yet: he's Kal-El, the alien who is somehow responsible for bringing an army of alien invaders to planet Earth. The kind of ending you're suggesting would imply a certain sense of "Everything is the way that you're used to it being," whereas they may actually want to not have that status quo established yet.

It's like the ending of The Dark Knight: the way that left off as if Batman's adventures were going to continue, only to suddenly find out that he just ran away and hid in his house for eight years. That was a classic case of the ending leaning one way and the sequel going in the opposite direction: while not wonderful, at least the ending they went with was fairly safe and open to the kinds of possibilities they might want to embrace. I would think that your ending might be better suited to close Man of Steel II, illustrating that Superman is established as we expect him to be in time for the Justice League movie.

[Droo]

I think you're right. By the end of the film, he's not quite become that character yet, which is an exciting thought. I'm all for them taking their time with the steady transition of Clark into Superman, and, given the events of the film, I think it's still going to take some time until Superman, or even the idea of Superman, is embraced by the world. His last conversation with the General suggests as much. And that's fine, because it would explore the broader implications of what it means to live in a world with a Man of Steel, and if they do go the Justice League route, there's plenty of time to explore the character and his place in the world.

[Satkia Beltrak]

I have little to add to what has already been said. I really enjoyed the movie, though I wasn't a Superman fan to start with, from the looks, the actors, the narrative, the music... I know I'll go see the second one for sure. Now that I've seen it 4 times on the big screen, I can't wait for the Bluray, so I can make videos!

[Droo]

There's a good reason why Zimmer's new theme works so well for Superman. Listen to how compatible it is with John Williams's original theme.

https://soundcloud.com/geekremixed/last-sons-a-man-of-steel

Love it. :)

Edit: Bloody hell, just read that there is a rumour that Zack Snyder, who is apparently a big fan of the original Superman movie, gave Christopher Reeve a very brief cameo in his film by digitally superimposing his face onto Cavill's. I've found a gif of the moment in question, it's not spoilery since it's such a close up, and it's from a moment featured in the trailer anyway. But I'll link the image rather than attach it, just in case.

http://comicbook.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/christopher-reeve-man-of-steel-cameo.gif

What do you think? Is it Reeve or just a trick of the lighting? Personally, I think there's definately a moment there in which it appears to be Christopher Reeve. If so, it's a lovely little homage.

[Captain Untouchable]

There's a good reason why Zimmer's new theme works so well for Superman. Listen to how compatible it is with John Williams's original theme.

https://soundcloud.com/geekremixed/last-sons-a-man-of-steel

Love it. :)

What I really love about the movie is that it feels like Superman music without being a carbon copy of the original, and it also brings something fresh and new to the table. It's like the Star Trek soundtracks: the composers understood what the music is meant to be about in terms of themes, instruments, and what-not, and they made something that works really well hand-in-hand with the original stuff. It's a big part of how both movies managed to create their own identity without divorcing completely from the originals.

Because of how compatible new and old Superman is though, it makes me wonder if next movie - as Clark becomes closer and closer to the Superman we know and recognise - if we'll start getting flickers of the original score being echoed in the soundtrack... similar to what that remix has done.

[Droo]

I personally would like them to stay away from the original theme to keep this new take on Superman completely independent from what came before. If the old Danny Elfman theme crept into Zimmer's Dark Knight scores, I think it would've been out of place, and the same goes for Williams's theme. The new theme works well enough on it's on, while still managing to invoke the spirit of the original, but then I've been quite ruthless when it comes to matters of film music lately. In a recent discussion with Peter, I mentioned that I'd be in favour of a whole new Star Wars theme for the new films, and I'm aware just how much that makes me sound like a heretic but yeah, new music is awesome.

[Captain Untouchable]

Don't get me wrong, I'm not suggesting they lift the whole thing or what have you. But a couple of familiar bars here and there might be nice.

[Dasquian Belargic]

Finally got around to watching this tonight - and was pleasantly surprised at how quickly it went by!

I agree with most of what's been said so far, particularly in regards to the film's strongest moments. The cast was wonderful (Cavill especially), the score gave me the sniffles and I got a real kick out of Lois's last line, like everyone else :D