MAN OF STEEL - Grading & Discussion

Discussion in 'Science Fiction & Fantasy' started by Agent Richard07, Jun 11, 2013.

?

Grade the movie...

  1. A+

    10.9%
  2. A

    20.8%
  3. A-

    18.1%
  4. B+

    9.8%
  5. B

    11.3%
  6. B-

    4.2%
  7. C+

    4.9%
  8. C

    4.9%
  9. C-

    3.8%
  10. D+

    3.4%
  11. D

    3.8%
  12. D-

    2.6%
  13. F

    1.5%
  1. Trekker4747

    Trekker4747 Boldly going... Premium Member

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    It's an odd choice, and honestly, I don't think it works.

    We all know the bit from the trailer where Jonathon tells young Clark he maybe should have let the children on the bus die in order to prevent exposing himself. The context of the movie doesn't change this much. It's also pretty different from any iteration of Jonathon I can think of, int he movie Jonathon seems more worried over Clark exposing himself and the implications it would have. Not that, you know, children would have died if Clark didn't act. And, for what it is worth, the child Clark saved whose mother is a bit pissed off about it (?!) is Pete Ross.

    But the other thing I suspect the review is speaking of is how Jonathon dies. After a "you're not my real father!" fight on the highway Jonathon pulls over as there's a tornado nearby. He and Clark help the people on the highway to make it to an underpass for "safety" (in actuality this is not a good idea, but people have done it including in a notable event in Andover, Kansas in 1991.) After everyone is "safely" in the underpass Jonathon heads back to the family truck to get the dog (?!!) but doesn't have enough time to make it back. Clark moves like he's going to run and get Jonathon but he holds up his arm, gives Clark an "it's okay" look and allows himself to be killed by the tornado rather than Clark exposing himself. Which, really, felt dumb because, frankly, it's over a dog and one thing you're told when it comes to these disasters, any disaster, is not to risk yourself to save a pet.

    Now, sure, it wasn't a situation where Clark could have easily made it over to Jonathon and back without exposing himself but it would have meant a bit more if Jonathon was trapped. Say Jonathon and Clark were working together to save a trapped child, in the process of freeing the child Jonathon himself trips and stalled for a moment. He sends Clark back to the underpass with the child saying he'll be right behind Clark, but when Clark makes it back and turns to his father is trapped as a gust of wind has moved a car/some debris in a way to pin Jonathon. He moves like he's going to rush in to rush in and lift the car out of the way but NOW Jonathon makes his "don't" gesture and Clark nods in a bit of understanding and stands down, beginning to weep.

    That would have made some more sense than what happened.

     
  2. davejames

    davejames Vice Admiral Admiral

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  3. Gojira

    Gojira Commodore Commodore

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    I get the impression that some reviewers just don't like superhero movies in general.
     
  4. Christopher

    Christopher Writer Admiral

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    Mar 15, 2001
    Why wouldn't the culture be different from Donner's version? It's not like Richard Donner invented Superman or Krypton. His movie's version of Kryptonian civilization was a radical reinvention. For the previous four decades, Krypton had developed more along the lines of your standard Flash Gordon-style futuristic society with colorful costumes and flying cars and whatnot (in the premiere of the '50s TV series, they even wore reused costumes from Flash Gordon serials). And the versions of Krypton seen in subsequent adaptations like the syndicated Superboy, Lois and Clark, and Superman: The Animated Series were all distinct from the Donner version too, as was the version glimpsed in the early seasons of Smallville (as reflected in things like the technology design of Clark's ship).

    It wasn't until Superman Returns came out that the Donner-style sterile-white-crystals Krypton made a comeback -- specifically because it was meant to be in the same universe as the Donner films, allowing for a sliding timescale -- and then Smallville and the comics began following suit in order to ride the movie's coattails.
     
  5. Nick Ryder

    Nick Ryder Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    Well I'm just hoping that whatever they DO set up for Krypton stays the norm for a little while - I'm kinda tired with all these 'reinventions' of Krypton every time some writer goes "y'know we should make it look like this... again."

    I mean Byrne sorta rode the Donner train back in 86 (And really it was only like less than 10 years since Superman 1 and there were still Reeves movies being made and hell his Superman looked like a much bulkier Christopher Reeve) Then sometime in the past decade or so they started to Silver Age Krypton, dumping all or most of the established comics Krypton stuff.

    I'm kinda interested in seeing more of this style of Krypton and Kryptonians in the future - it looks pretty distinct and far more original than the recycled Flash Gordon designs of the 50s-70s or the crystal sterility of the Donner era.

    The new suit is starting to grow on me too - I'm kinda digging the quasi-armor look actually. looks better than the "New 52" suit which IS far more armor. This looks more like chainmail/underarmor - which is kinda pointless for a man who's skin can bounce bullets - but it looks a lot better than spandex or that goofy spandex with the overly complex textures.

    Granted this is an overly complex suit too - but for some reason all the texture and "high def" detail works better than the 'Returns' suit.
     
  6. Christopher

    Christopher Writer Admiral

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    I never saw Byrne's Kryptonian designs as being that much like those in the Donner movies. There was a similar sterility to the culture, but Byrne designed a distinctly different way of conveying that impression, rather than just slavishly copying like Returns and Smallville did.
     
  7. The Old Mixer

    The Old Mixer Mih ssim, mih ssim, nam, daed si Xim. Moderator

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    Byrne's Krypton reminded me of the Shi'ar.
     
  8. Procutus

    Procutus Admiral Admiral

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    That would've been a nice touch indeed, especially if they could've found a 17 year old actress who bore a close resemblance to Allison. As you say, hopefully next time.

    Really looking forward to seeing this, hopefully on Saturday depending on my work schedule.
     
  9. Dream

    Dream Admiral Admiral

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    Where is Brandon Routh? Even Cain got on the cover! :lol:

    [​IMG]
     
  10. Samurai8472

    Samurai8472 Vice Admiral Admiral

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    They also left out Kirk Alyn and the two Superboy actors but yeah it's sad they left out Routh.

    [​IMG]
     
  11. Harvey

    Harvey Admiral Admiral

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    The reviews haven't been kind to this movie, which is surprising. I thought all the pre-release buzz was very good?
     
  12. Dick Whitman

    Dick Whitman Commodore Commodore

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    Re: MAN OF STEEL - Grading & Disas probwcussion

    Dean Cain was Superman in a series which was on one of the major networks for 4 years. At its height it was almost certainly had higher ratings than Smallville. Which was an lower tier networks WB and CW. Why the hell should he not be included?????!!! :rolleyes:
     
  13. Christopher

    Christopher Writer Admiral

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    Okay, so presumably the two comics versions of Superman on the bottom of the EW cover are Joe Shuster's art on the left and Jim Lee's on the right (or at least that's Lee's costume design), but is that a John Byrne drawing up above? It looks somewhat like his style, but I'm not certain.

    Of course, they also left out all the animated versions of Superman, such as the Fleischer and Timm designs.
     
  14. Allyn Gibson

    Allyn Gibson Vice Admiral Admiral

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    No, that's not Byrne. It looks like Alan Davis to me.

    And yes, it's Jim Lee on the right.
     
  15. davejames

    davejames Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Jeez, now at 60% on RT. Something tells me Warners was not expecting this to score worse than SR.

    Still though, from all the fan reviews and twitter reactions I've seen, the general audience will still enjoy the heck out of it.
     
  16. Admiral Buzzkill

    Admiral Buzzkill Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    It's interesting, how little correlation there is between Rotten Tomatoes review aggregation and box office. STID was better reviewed, by their measure, than Iron Man 3 and Man Of Steel, and both movies have or will far surpass it in their grosses.

    Maybe reviewers set a lower bar for Star Trek.
     
  17. Dick Whitman

    Dick Whitman Commodore Commodore

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    No that image is a lot older than. Its from the 1970s. I believe its early Neal Adams.
     
  18. Harvey

    Harvey Admiral Admiral

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    The Transformers sequels were trashed by the critics, too (20% and 36%), but that didn't change their fate at the box office. In the age of mass-marketing pushes and screen saturation (not to mention the decline of newspapers, which have taken a lot of film critics down with them) the time when a bad review could have an effect on a movie's box office is probably over.

    This is perhaps less true for art house movies, but they are released on a much smaller scale.
     
  19. Admiral Buzzkill

    Admiral Buzzkill Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    What's interesting is that in the big image on the EW cover they manage to go with the "traditional" costume while hiding the Speedo.

    EW is owned by Time Warner. That in itself (along with crowding) may explain leaving Routh out.

    Has any live-action version of Superman ever used the trademarked version of Supes' shield? Oddly, it looks like the Lois & Clark version may be closest.
     
  20. RAMA

    RAMA Admiral Admiral

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    Shocking: Man of Steel: 59% fresh. STID: 87% fresh. RT has the wrong symbol up.

    The consensus: Superman...why so serious??