This is an old non-review that I did for Man of Steel about a lifetime ago, Pretty much just a few thoughts. Enjoy
This is not a review
Ok so I really loved the film. I mean really loved it. I’ve seen it 3 times now, twice in 3D and once in 2D. Absolutely love the direction that Zach Snyder and Christopher Nolan went with it from the beginning to end, not just with the story but with costume design, CGI everything. I could actually watch it again (probably only the iMax version though lol)
I do have a few gripes with it. These do not take away from the film for me but I think they could have looked closer at these things and a few others in order to add something more to the film. So first off I feel it was way too rushed. Everything came together so quickly which I thought was strange and unusual for a Superman movie. I know they were planning a reboot so maybe this is the new direction, but it seemed that he became Superman way too quickly, he and Lois got together way too quickly, the whole thing ended with his first day at the daily planet too. Don’t get me wrong it worked and I loved it, but I think it could have worked just as well (maybe even better) if they didn’t try and shove so much in the film you know? I’m surprised Lex Luthour didn’t make an appearance but at the same time the way the film was paced I wouldn’t have been too surprised
That was the first thing. Secondly Amy Adams. I do love me some Amy Adams, but a Lois Lane she is not. Now I’ll be careful here as I haven’t researched too much in the direction they wanted to go with the reboot so it might have all been intentional. However as a fan who just went to see a Superman film, Amy Adams didn’t work as Lois Lane. Lois Lane is an army brat, a tough badass chick who could handle herself and only really needed Superman to save her from extreme situations Looking at Amy Adams, even with the way she portrayed Lois, it just seemed to soft. Or should I say softer than the Lois Lane of the mythology. If this was part of the plan, maybe to soften Lois Lane’s character up a bit, make her more likeable, relate able etc then that is cool otherwise I think that was a questionable casting decision. Smallville’s Erica Durance would have done a better job for me. I can see Amy as an awesome version of Lana Lang though. I still Love her though 🙂
Zod was cool. He was finished off a bit too quick for me but it worked. I wanted him to survive maybe until the sequel. Perhaps he hides on earth somewhere plotting his revenge on Superman and Supes uses his new reporter job at the Daily Planet to keep his ear to the ground and keep an eye out for Zod. Then maybe they could do something with Zod and Lex teaming up etc. Ending Zod in the first film also works though as the second film can be devoted solely to the new villain so fair play to them for that.
My final gripe is with two specific scenes. So first was when Superman destroyed the world engine. Not to spoil too much (but you shouldn’t be reading this if you haven’t seen the film anyway) but Superman is attempting to destroy the machine but finds himself caught in the gravity device. He then gets to his feet, summons strength and then flies up, defying the enhanced gravity and destroys the machine. Purely from a visual point of view, I wouldn’t have had it look so easy for him. Maybe have him on the ground face down, fully feeling the force of the enhanced gravity, then slowly rising to his feet (maybe just one knee?) Either way it should have been more of a struggle which they could have explained because the atmosphere was becoming more like Krypton sp he should be weaker anyway as the fight went on. I envisioned him ending up on one knee just as he did the first time he managed his fully successful flight and then looking up to the machine and then blasting off to destroy the machine. Small reference to what happened earlier in the film. I think that would have been nice
Last one. When Superman and Zod face off for the last time. The fight was great no complaints there. The ending was also very well done. I would have changed one thing though. The reason that Superman had to snap his neck was because Zod had his heat vision on and was slowly (this was questionable) bringing the heat over to some innocent civilians. My first issue here is, Zod was mad, like really mad. He had already told Superman that he would kill all of the humans just as Superman had killed all the future Kryptonians etc etc. So why go slow? Even with Superman having him in a headlock, he could have still moved his eyes and consequently the laser beams so that he could have killed them as they were directly in his eye sight. And you know what? I think he should have. They should have had Zod kill a human. Maybe put Superman in an impossible situation where he couldn’t save everyone, or have him have to choose between Lois and some randoms (too dark?) or just have Zod knock Superman away and quickly grab a hostage, spout a typical villain line and then kill them in front of Superman (off camera, as that would be a bit too graphic) I think that would have proved a better reason for Superman snapping his neck. With the current scene Superman was backed into a corner and had to make a snap decision to protect the civilians and I get it, it worked. But you have to ask if there was anything else Superman could have done there? Even with the threats from Zod, Supes had no really incentive to end him, a simple incapacitation would have done. Maybe cover his eyes with his hands to take the pain, smash his head into the ground, fly up with him in the headlock I don’t know. If however Superman had seen the death then it would have been like, “ok Zod means business, I have no choice but to end him” I think that would have been a stronger scene, especially since they seem to be going down the route of making Superman more human and relate able etc
All in all, great film. I’d see it again. I have no doubt that the next film will be just as awesome, maybe even more so
Thanks for reading
Films'n'Things 