MAN OF STEEL - Grading & Discussion

If Jor-El was allowed to access the Codex at all, then why did he have to swim underwater to get to it? (ETA: My point is that the chamber didn't seem intended for anyone to access it at all. Was there no way to get to it without going underwater?)

It seems the intent was that he was not allowed to either access or take it, at least at that time. However, the safeguards to prevent Jor-El from acting in unauthorized ways around the Codex were minimal to non-existent.

Now, I suppose there could have been only minimal safeguards, because Kryptonians just weren't expected to act outside the purviews of their castes. On the other hand, they did have the Phantom Zone, so crime was not a foreign concept to them. The Codex had to be among the most critical artifacts of their entire culture, so it's hard for me to assume that it wouldn't occur to them to protect the Codex.

Perhaps Jor-El nullified some of the security, but I just don't recall anything like that happening. I'll keep my eyes open on next viewing.

 

Oh I forgot, I had a huge problem with Clark standing by and watching his dad get killed. That was unacceptable to me. He could have run forward to help him out, and maybe it would have been suspicious, it's his father's life!

As for Faora not taking down the bomber ASAP, she was overconfident and playing with them. She didn't think they could do anything to actually hurt the ship I'd imagine.

 

The way the scene played I didn't have a problem with Clark's response to his father.

I really liked both of Clark's parents in this version; they seemed more believable as people than in previous movies.

 

The tornado scene was the moment I fully connected with the film on an emotional level. Not only was it touching to see dad stand by his words (to paraphrase: "don't rush to the rescue and reveal your powers") it also, for me, cemented why Clark acted to save others. He was following in pa Kent's footsteps. From that moment in the film on, he was focused on learning to follow in pa El's footsteps - and to successfully reconcile the two.

It was a pivotal scene for the film. And, for me anyway, it worked.

 

There were a number of heroes in the film. I really liked Christopher Meloni as Col. Hardy. Loved the scene where he emptied his guns on the Kryptonian villainess Faora (to no effect) and then pulled a knife on her. What guts!

 

I kinda choked up during that scene.

 

There were moments when the audience applauded and cheered when I saw the movie. One of them was on Meloni's line: "This man is not our enemy."

 

During the screening, naturally, our audience cheered at the Royals shirt and Superman proudly saying he was from Kansas.

 

Here's a logical flaw in the whole proceeding, of course - if Lois Lane could back track from a few news reports to locate Smallville and Clark Kent as the alien protector at a time when he was anonymous, it would be child's play for the government to do the same now that so much is known about him - particularly as they delve into the specifics of how Smallville, Kansas became the locus of the Kryptonian conflict.

Not that this is as ridiculous as Clark getting by with the eyeglasses.

Liking Jenny Olsen as a sub for Jimmy, BTW.

 

Really, if I hadn't of known I'd have no idea on who she was supposed to be. Lombard got more establishment than Jenny Olsen did. And, yeah, I thought the same thing about what Superman said about growing up in Kansas.

But I wonder if maybe on some level if the military *does* know who Superman really us. Superman accuses them of looking "where he hangs his cape" which could mean they're looking for whatever is passing for the Fortress of Solitude in this movie. (Which could be the damaged space ship or something.) They know it's Clark but they're not *too* concerned about that considering he's already shown his loyalties and such, it's just a matter of keeping an eye on him that Superman takes issue with. I mean what would to be gained from persecuting him when he's Clark? Considering for all they know they can't do squat to him and he's shown a willingness to work with them and even turn himself in if the situation calls for it.

How the secret identity thing is going to work in this franchise will be interesting. And part of me is glad the Lois/Clark/Superman thing isn't going to be an issue but another part of me sort of thinks it sort of matters that Lois doesn't know. The whole reason for that is Superman wanted Lois to fall in love with CLARK and not Superman. Here, she's in smitten with the hunky man who's saved her life several times, not seen through the oafishness/awkwardness of Clark to find something to love.

But, also, it seems that if Lois can string together Clark's nomadic life then a lot of reporters could. Yeah, how the secret identity is going to work in these movies is a sticky issue.

 

The military will see on their radar tracking that one stop of the Kryptonians was right at the Kent house, correct?

 

Hell it was a stop of one of their own military vehicles when Lois ran up to Superman and yelled the name "Clark!" at him before the last act.

 

That was the police cruiser she flagged down?

 

I like that Goyer and Snyder are aware of how ridiculous the dual identity is going to wind up being if they try to play it like the comics. Goyer's saying now that characters like Pete Ross and some other Smallvillers certainly know that Clark is Superman, and suggests that Perry White and others at the Planet will have to be in on the gag as well.

 

There seems to be some debate about Jenny and I found this...



Here's the full picture.

 

Awww.

 

and she pulled a bigger knife


-Chris

 

I think so, but I also think some military personnel where there. Even if it just was the police that's still and official group of people the military can go to in order to connect the dots.

Right now it certainly seems Perry White and the Planet isn't "in on it." The DP scene at the end certainly didn't play that way and, really, White and Lombard never knew the connection between Superman and Clark. Hopefully it'll remain with just Lois (and the government maybe in some capacity) knowing.

Pete Ross and other Smallville people knowing is fine and works to a degree or another, but at the same time it would have been nice if Pete didn't roll on Clark and tell a reporter about the incident with the bus, choosing to contain the truth just a bit. But then again he manages an IHOP, so...

 

[Crocodile Dundee]That ain't a knife![/Crocodile Dundee]

And it wasn't that much bigger it was just more jagged and glowier.