MAN OF STEEL - Grading & Discussion

I imagine the budget had something to do with that. The computer battle later in the movie really was a huge let down after we got the mirror match.

We did get sort of a flying around the Earth fight in Superman IV between Superman and Nuclear Man, but no one gives a crap about that fight due to how lame it was.

 

Despite the film's obvious flaws, I actually enjoy the smaller-scale drama in Supes III - the junkyard battle, the chemical plant ... made his efforts seem more ... personal.

 

Dammit... you people are making me want to watch Superman III. What are you bringing me to?!

 

Don't forget the robot lady. That was awesome!

http://youtu.be/YuSsSwg9MXs

 

It is more personal. When you can see the actor doing the scene and see his face, his emotions, and his body going through the motions as opposed to CGI figures flying past so fast you can barely discern them, you connect with the character in a more complete manner, IMHO. Plus, Reeve was a skilled actor so it was easy to connect with the character's inner turmoil during that scene.

 

Y'know, this criticism is getting a bit ... tired.

 

Greg is still right though. The X-men didn't really "catch on" till after the Claremont-Byrne era.

 

^ The same John Byrne who took over Superman from 1986-1988. His comics titled Superman: The Man Of Steel in the compilations. Also the same man responsible from Superman killing Zod, Zaora and Quex-Ul in Superman #22.

 

The point of the scene wasn't Superman throwing tires at himself, Old Mixer Come on, guy. Inner turmoil, angst, despair. All that good super hero suffering stuff.

I imagine starring on Broadway with Katharine Hepburn was the pinnacle for Reeve. When the Broadway critics and Katharine Hepburn think you're good, you know you're having a good year. To think he was actually doing a soap opera the year before. Talk about coming up in the world. Love of Life. There's actually youtube clips of him from it.

 

If Richard Pryor and the "comedy" had been removed from Superman III, it would have been a much better movie. I really liked the Clark returns to Smallville aspect and his relationship with Lana and the smaller scale of the script. If the comedy had come strictly from a Prankster style character and left out the silly slapstick, it would have come across a little better.

This was also the first Superman I saw in the theater and I remember some of the special effects really wowing me as a teenager.

 

For 1978, the effects were pretty good.

 

It received a Special Achievement Academy Award for its visual effects.

 

The awful 70s costumes are FAR more dated than the visual effects in those movies.

 

Actually, I'd say the police cars are what's most dated.

 

Besides the story problems, I just didn't believe that Henry Cavill was Superman.

 

Funny. He's the only actor to play the part that I COULD believe was Superman.

 

Don't get me wrong, Cavill was good. The effects were great. I just didn't believe all the primal screams and angst and stuff. He was playing Superman, but I didn't think he owned it. I didn't believe that he was Superman.

The story was ... not right. I just didn't get it. The movie left me empty.

In contrast, back in 1978 Christopher Reeve owned that role. He made me believe a man could fly.