It is the day after I was able to take my two boys and niece ( ages 6, 6 and 3) to witness MAN OF STEEL (MOS) in all it’s glory on the big screen. Zack Snyder has accomplished something that many people, myself included, thought could not be done. He brought this iconic super hero legend back from the “cinematic dead zone” and put him back on the throne! We caught the Walmart pre-screening last night among a crowd that showed appreciation and excitement by wearing a wide range of Superman clothing and apparel! By the end, people were on their feet clapping and cheering. Today, the energy was still there as I woke up at 6:53 AM with the kids running around the house with their Superman capes on and my niece switching between her portrayal of Lois Lane and Supergirl! Climbing out of bed, I proceeded to begin the morning ritual of brewing coffee for my wife and I, when I was brought out of my half asleep grogginess with a question that hit me harder than Faora with PMS! “HOLD UP! WHAT THE F*&^ IS WRONG WITH THESE CRITICS!?” My peaceful mindset switched over to intense curiosity and confusion. I avoided many reviews up to last night as not to completely “spoil” my experience. But this morning I realized that what most if not all of these critics have is a sickness. It is known to most as “Refusing To Let Go Of The Past”! Add that to THE FACT that I would bet none of these people have ever once picked up a comic book or kept up with Superman’s evolution shows me that they have no dedication to their craft, are tired of the comic book movie genre and again went in expecting a Donner/Reeve revamp dedication film! That being said, not only will I express my opinionated review of MAN OF STEEL, but I will also show why many of the negative reviews are ridiculous and futile attempts to hold on too that which no longer relates to world we live in! So let us get into the review and see if you agree or not with my “Anti-Fanboy Critic” stance!
Snyder and Goyer have delivered brilliantly by placing SUPERMAN back on the “Throne of Comic Book Movies”! That is right! THE KING IS BACK! Make no mistake though, if you expect to see an appreciation film dedicated to Christopher Reeve and Richard Donner, STOP NOW! Sit down, breathe deep and re-wire your thinking! This is by far a darker toned, more realistic and real world vision of Superman! There is (OMG!) death and (OMFG!) punches thrown by Superman! I know some crapped themselves when Zod was having his ass handed to him with a fury of fists beating the BeJesus out of him! Cries of “The Superman I know wouldn’t punch people like that” have popped up across the internet from egotistical and uneducated morons that have not kept up with how Superman / Clark Kent has evolved, especially in DC Comic’s The New 52. Pathetic complaining of no “joy”, “romance” and “relationship building” has become rampant in these individuals looking for a frigging harlequin romance novel instead of a movie that has been completely rebooted and is based on a Super Hero that for most of his life was confused on who and where he is from and his journey to become the greatest hero the world has ever known! What is sad is that the art of reviewing movies has become a lost art for many of these so-called “critics”. I guarantee the late and great Roger Ebert would have read up on Superman before seeing this movie! Not relying on his past experiences of Brandon Routh on down, he would of read Birthright (Mark Waid) , Man of Steel (John Byrne) and Last Son (Geoff Johns). Now I will say that it is no surprise that Mark Waid was happy he saw parts of Birthright in MOS, but he really didn’t like the rest. Primarily because he has been open with his dislike of the Man Of Steel by Byrne that was a main influence in this film.
MAN OF STEEL dives right into the action with vast turmoil on the planet Krypton. This sets the tone for the movie and shows what Jor-El (Russel Crowe) and Lara Lor-Van (Ayelet Zurer) must do to ensure the survival of their son and eventually Earth’s greatest hero, Kal-El. We get our introduction of General Zod (Michael Shannon) and his first in command Faora (Antje Traue). They are ruthless and have no qualms about killing. What Snyder was able to do was not only show this world that is torn apart and doomed, but establishes a feel of how divided and careless Kryptonians were with their planet. What I found intriguing is that Jor-El risked his life to grab a skull-like object that was encoded with Krypton’s “DNA”, broke it down to the molecular level and infused it into his son’s blood cells before the well known rocket escape. Some “critics” complained about this and said no one would just send their child off in a spaceship. Child abandonment as a few idiots put it! The best was those that actually stated that they should have “skipped” Krypton completely since everyone has seen it before! Um yeah, BACK IN 1978 in Superman I! This is one of many examples why people should ignore this stupidity in some of the negative reviews out there!
Michael Shannon was born to play Zod and was amazing to watch. This is one point that seems to be what everyone agrees on! Regardless, he kills Jor-El and before he is imprisoned in the Phantom Zone with his crew, the line that has made his character famous had a much more enriching build up and you actually felt his anger and passion when he screams, “I WILL FIND HIM!” I have been suffering with a sore throat every week since they introduced this line because my kids make me play Zod and get a kick out of Daddy acting like a nutjob!
If Shannon doesn’t at least a get nomination for Villain Of The Year, I will be shocked! Actually, this is the point I should give praise to one of the nastiest, meanest and vicious bad-girls ever to grace the big screen! Faora, the new “wet-dream” of comic book movie fans world wide! She is so damn evil that it is actually sexy in some sort of sick way.
If you collect action figures, then you are in for a treat! Unlike Hasbro that never gave collectors a 6″ Black Widow figure in their The Avengers Movie Line, Mattel Movie Masters delivers their 6″ Faora figure armored up and ready to kick some ass!
A big pain for many fanboys and fangirls is how Clark was portrayed. Much of the scenes after Krypton’s demise was present and flashback scenes that showed how an alien that grew up in our world, had to hide who he was for fear of being discovered. Jonathan and Martha Kent (Kevin Costner and Diane Lane) were the loving and protecting parents you would expect. I loved how Costner portrayed Mr Kent as a pragmatic hard-nose father, who knew he was being tough on young Clark, yet he would do anything to protect his adopted son. This was never displayed better then when he eventually died from being caught in a monstrous tornado knowing his son could save him. Pa Kent instead raised his hand to stop Clark who was ready to run and save him. Giving him a “I love you and this is for the best” smile, he stood there bravely as the whirling reaper of death took him away. A parent’s devotion to their child was shown in a way that it made his famous line “You are my son” that much deeper! As for Clark, enter Henry Cavill, this is where the whining and bitching started to catch wind! People think just because he is or will be Superman, that life is all happy go lucky for this guy! Imagine their surprise when right after he saved the men’s lives on the burning oil rig, he arrives in a town almost naked with only shredded and burned pants on. So here he is wearing nothing but a shred of clothing and he actually goes in the back of a car and “steals” clothing to wear! *GASP* Whatever! Those same fools would have done the same damn thing if it was them! HOLD UP! I know what they were probably saying to themselves, “Reeve’s Superman would have been able to find a phone booth, enter, spin around and come out fully clothed”! WRONG! The reality of this is he was not Superman yet and even so there are a couple other points to highlight: 1. When was the last time anyone saw a phone booth in a small coastal town and most importantly 2. It would have come off completely corny, unrealistic and dumb! Keep that crap back in the 80’s! That was one screwed up time to grow up in! They went for realism and when a individual is destitute and alone, they will do whatever they have to. This was one of the scenes that truly sold me on this new vision that a DC Cinematic Universe could thrive in, being it was so damn “grounded’! Looking at the picture above, Cavill truly dedicated himself to this role and as a result we ended up with ………….
HOT DAMN is the best way I can describe this pic! Look at this guy! He is pumped to the max and has embodied what I have always wanted to see in Superman! I will say this in a purely “metro-sexual” way, but the guy is a good looking blue eyed beefcake that sells it visually! NO other Superman has been the total package compared to Henry Cavill! What I love about him is that he didn’t study the past Superman movies! He actually READ Superman comics and graphic novels! He molded his character around the COMICS and NOT THE MOVIES! Sorry for the caps, but the “negative” reviews have not been based on the FACT they NEVER read ANYTHING to enrich their understanding of this character! That right there should convince you that you should NEVER believe anything these morons post! You actually have one of the indie film critics who bashed MOS, but gave Universal Soldier: The Reckoning an A-!?!? WTF?! Seriously?!?! I won’t name names since I don’t want my editor jumping up my ass, but I will add that this same person called the inhabitants of Krypton -> Kryptonites AND stated that “Louis Lane blah blah blah”! When did Lois become a freaking She-Male!!?? Yeah, I know I am stretching that last one, but it just goes to show these individuals hate comics book movies and how the general public loves them. Goons I tell ya! Back to Cavill’s Superman!
The CGI and special effect were beyond amazing! From when Clark first put the new updated suit on and tried to fly, all the way to the very end of this movie! I LOVED watching the DC Die-Hards throwing hissy fits when they removed the “Red Underoos” from the suit! Hah! Talk about whack jobs! Underwear belong on the “inside” of your clothing! Seeing Superman again on the big screen doing what he does best, was one that gave me a childlike giddiness that was lost to me many years ago. The ear to ear grin on his face alone when he finally mastered his flight had me right there with the character! It was so refreshing to see him struggle to use his powers for the first time, that it proved the attention to detail they pushed for in this film! He lived for what, 33 years on this planet? Anyone would have issues with new abilities if that was the case!
Amy Adams! Amy Adams! Amy Adams! Yum! She played a hard-nose in your face Lois Lane and was able to show a range of attitude and emotion! “No character development” is what many of the negative reviews have stated. To that I say, “Get a life! You HATE that CBM’s are killing it in the movie industry!” She was perfect and she is powerful enough of an actress that the time she is in the film worked! This film WAS NOT about a relationship between these two, but a Superman Origin Story! All this crap about she was not developed enough is by far stretching it! I have seen several fan reviews, who seem to plagiarize whatever comments they find amusing, just to piss people off! Sad really, because they all say the same damn thing! Trolls truly do suck! AGAIN, these humanoids fail to realize that MAN OF STEEL 2 is pretty much written in stone which can explore their relationship in a deeper capacity! Sequels have a trend of doing that.
What much of the temper tantrums going on today are about is the end of the movie and the destruction that is portrayed. They all want Superman, but did they forget the super powered part? Or the fact this movie is called MAN OF STEEL! The Destruction in Metropolis was E.P.I.C.!!!!! You had Zod’s spacecraft pummeling the ground and the Superman/Zod fight ripping through concrete and steel like a bat through tissue paper! Some blowhards are claiming this was “boring”! They should wear a gimp ball in their mouth for the next 365 days for that ridiculous release of craptastic blasphemy! Yet, they attempt their “icing on the cake” when Superman is forced to snap Zod’s neck to save a family of four! That right there was a “Holy Shitballs Batman” moment for me! I totally did not expect it, but was flabbergasted to the point that after a minute I finally realized that Snyder, Goyer and Nolan had done it! They truly did what they set out to do and begin the next leg of the journey to The Justice League! Of course the bitching and cries of “My Superman doesn’t kill!” and “Superman never would have done that!” or even “Where is the Joy! For the love of all things holy, why Lord? Why??!!”. WAKE UP CALL! Superman has not always been a Boy Scout! They just refuse to acknowledge that there is a dark side to this iconic legend! Below is a starting point and you can go explore from there!
You know what? I know some may be using some few choice words for me right now for calling them out, but then allow me to spoil their day even farther with a little pic of their hero from yesteryear!
I remember seeing this scene when I was a kid and saying WTH? (I wasn’t allowed to say WTF yet around my Sicilian father!) It totally did not sit right seeing him drunk, dirty, rude and being a womanizing pig. Was I upset? Of course. Did it ruin the movie for me? Hell No! It MADE the movie! This was big stuff back in the 80’s! I embraced that part of the movie! Of course people will defend their opinons as the day is long! So then, let me ask those who choose to this final question? ……………………
Did you really want this as your SUPERMAN??!! Makes MAN OF STEEL that much better after seeing this abomination doesn’t it? Of course those jackhole “Indie” critics would be praising this mess and proclaiming it the second coming of Christ! The Movie Gods were kind when this regurgitated cud failed! Blah!
I will finish with this: Go see the MAN OF STEEL yourself and form your own opinion! Don’t follow the sheep like so many have! You may agree or disagree with my views in this article but that is what makes the world so unique! What is not is when ignorant no-talent hacks spew their views grounded in HATE for ALL COMIC BOOK MOVIES! At the time I am finishing up this article, MAN OF STEEL has made a very impressive $56.1 Million at the box office for opening night! The Rotten Tomatoes Score is currently holding at 57% (The Chief Editor of RT says she is confused and this IS the movie to see), BUT the Cinemascore Fan Rating is a SOLID A-!! Go see the damn movie with an open mind knowing that with the success of Snyder and Goyer’s work, we will finally see the one film that will send the critics to the hospital with heart failure and a guaranteed record breaking megalith called THE JUSTICE LEAGUE!
As for my rating for MAN OF STEEL: 4.95/5 What? You thought I was going to give it a 5/5? HELLS NO! I didn’t get my G-Damn end and/or post credit scene! Now THAT was a flipping travesty!
I’m just saying ……………………………………………………………………………………..! ;-)
Joey
Brian Isaacs - Executive Editor / Publisher 
Dan Kleiner
Spot on, Joey. I found it interesting when you noted Mark Waid’s Birthright as source material as he was one on the people getting worked up over “superman woul never kill!” I loved the movie (as my review clearly states) and wouldn’t really change anything! Glad we are on the same page here…unlike Green Lantern. Lol! Well done!
Thx Warner! Of course, like a lone zombie walking North, when others see him, they all fall in line with no clue where they are going eventually becoming a herd. Hell with being a follower! Once I saw that the disbelievers were using the Waid review as a crutch, I did what everyone should do. Find out why! Byrne was the answer as I see it! Thanks again for your compliments! :-)
Question is WTF are you smoking? Forget the fact that this was supposed to be a Superman movie – no matter what the subject, it was over-the-top, overly complicated, tedious, drawn-out, soul-less and as much fun as changing a flat tire in a thunderstorm . Wtff is Lois Lane doin on a goddamn spaceship ten minutes after she meets Superman.? Yes, Zod asked for her to cone aboard, but its never stated why, just an obvious plot device to have Amy Adams on the ship, and then dramatically blast her way out with the hologram of JorEl talking her through it, then sent on a Hellride back to earth in a pod so Clark can rescue her. Or wtf is.she doin on the AirForce bomber? How many hundreds of times can you watch people thrown through buildings and fly out the other side ? Everyone in the theater I was in was squirming around in their seats with an agonized expression like they had IBS. That movie was a disgrace. WTFRU, an idiot?
There you go people! Mr bagadonuts is a perfect example of an individual with “Fanboyitis”! This is just another example of why I wrote this article. Sad that people just cannot accept change or understand that this Superman movie was needed to bring us a DC Cinematic Universe.
As for you Mr bagadonuts, grats on being part of a very small group still stuck in the past! Of course the “General Audience” loved it, proven with a Cinemascore of A- and it has broken several records even with the craptastic critics. I am extremely happy with your response and asking me if I am an idiot! LOL your sir, made my day! You Rock!
Joey
Not fanboyitis, could care less if they had him injecting supersteroids and in civil-union with Louis Lane if the movie worked – but it was horribly bad, noisy beyond belief and a missed opportunity- watching a crackhead drink a case of red bull and push all the tv remote’s buttons for 2 hrs wouldve been less mind-gougingly unpleasant and incomprehensible.. There’s a huge difference between what they were trying to do and what was actually accomplished …
I just know a steaming pile of shit when I step in it, I don’t go into denial and convince myself its caviar
Well Mr bagadonuts, first I would say that if you are comparing stepping in a pile of shit and convincing yourself that you are “eating” caviar, then you sir need to get to an psychiatrist ASAP! That or see your family doctor, because your taste buds are F’ed up! I am now concerned for your mental health!
Now, if you are actually trying to compare MOS to the above, then your argument holds absolutely no weight! I am still astounded that you could see everyone in the theater “squirming” in their seats! With comments like that and the fact you cannot even use your real name like I do, just goes to show that you are a blowhard and you must do what you can to cheer up! Come back with an intellectual rebuttal and then we can debate. Before you do that though, go get a “Pooper-Scooper” and clean your yard up! I don’t want you getting sick on me before your next comment!
LOL, I am becoming a fan of your delusional world that you live in! Sounds fun! Until then! :-)
Joey
Yeah, sorry, but Superman does not kill.
That storyline, The Supergirl Saga takes place in a Pocket universe, so it isn’t the originals he kills. Also, Superman is forced to choose between killing them or having them carry out mass genocide and kills them reluctantly with Kryptonite exposure.
It’s a bit different situation than one Kryptonian possibly killing a family . . . not to mention if he was able to kill him in time to save the family, he could have moved the family out of the way, fly Zod far away by charging him or simply incapacitating Zod. Instead he snaps his neck which is a completely primal way to kill, Superman is not that kind of person.
If he decides to kill, it is extremely thought out and because there is ABSOLUTELY no alternative.
And by the way, Cavill said in interviews he specifically didn’t read the comics for his preparation.
Oh, I forgot to mention, it technically wasn’t killing either it was execution for the crime of genocide of an entire PLANET. Not an in the moment split decision.
Also for your reference, this is a review by the writer of Superman: Birthright.
I don’t think you can accuse him of “Fanboyism”
;)
Sorry, forgot the link, second article on the page http://thrillbent.com/blog/author/mark/
Thanks for a great response Dave! :-) If I may, I do want to add a few examples that you are free to look up for yourself! Before I list these, I do want to say that I do not feel I called Waid a Fanboy. If I made it seem that way, then apologies! I can hardly call a writer of Superman that, who wrote one of the best story lines ever. He did whine a bit and I believe he is writing for Marvel Comics now. Hmmm, ;-)! (Conspiracy Theory!!) But, YES, Superman has killed and has had the intent to kill. The following examples are from the Silver Age through The New 52.
1.) Superman 21-22 “The Supergirl Saga” & Superman #444: He does indeed kill Zod, Faora and Quex-Ul. He used Gold Kryptonite and then, like you said, when Zod threatened to kill everyone on Earth if he escaped that pocket Universe, Superman pulled the Green Kryptonite out.
2.) Doomsday The Death of Superman – A LOT of debate on this one. But he does kill him in Superman: Doomsday the Animated Movie. The comic as well as I see it.
3.) Action Comics #278 – He kills an “intelligent” host plant
4.) Superman: Unbound Animated Movie – he kills Brainiac
5.) Superman II “Non-Donner” Cut – He kills Zod and Faora (Non the goon, kills himself when he tries to fly). Just because Donner brought out his version doesn’t count. Plus Superman “smirked” about it if you remember.
6.) The New 52 Justice League – Kills Parademons left and right
7.) The New 52 Injustice: Gods Amoung Us – Kills The Joker for what he made him do to Lois
8.) Smallville Series 6: He kills a Titan (He felt bad about it. Yet people still cannot accept Cavill’s version?!)
9.) Action Comics #583 – Kills Mxyzptlk when he tears his body in half with a Phantom Zone Projector
10.) Action Comics #2 (Going waaaaaaay back with this one) He killed a pilot and an soldier when he was fighting in South America
11.) Our Worlds At War – Killed Imperiex (I am not 100% sure on this)
12.) Absolute Power – Killed Green Arrow and Wonder Woman
13.) Speeding Bullets – Kills Joe Chill
14.) The New 52 Superman: He ALL INTENT on killing Heather Kelly when she was possessed by ! Just because she didn’t die, does not make it excusable. If he is making a conscious decision knowing this will/could kill her, then he knows he must do what he has too!
Now, “retcons” do not count, because if it was written that way, then someone who disagrees later cannot come back and alter what they do not like and then say forget what you have read.
Point is, “General Zod” is an Alien and most of the examples are of Superman killing “Aliens”. Using Pocket Universe or “That was a different Earth or reality” again does not fly.
Now as for your comment on Henry Cavill – I am sorry but I have to correct you again! ;-)
He did not “WATCH” previous Superman movies. He DID read the Superman comics for the role to understand the “soul” of Superman. Hell, let me just show you some examples, which again you can check for yourself!
LOS ANGELES TIMES – Cavill read every Superman comic he could get his hands on, trying to understand “the soul of Superman,” a man Cavill calls, “a freak, someone who has no idea where he comes from and no one can ever empathize with him. He’s the loneliest soul on the planet.”
COLLIDER – Pulled from his interview:
COLLIDER: I understand that you’ve been reading some Superman comic books lately. I’m wondering what’s some of your favorites, and possibly even what some of your least favorites?
CAVILL: Least favorites is a new one. Favorites — I’ll start with that. Recently, my most recent favorites, the New Krypton saga and otherwise, Death of Superman, Return and I quite like Red Son, very different and that was great for character study because it gave me an entirely different perspective on the character, and therefore, gave me a couple of nuances on that. I won’t tell you what they are. [Laughs] Least favorite? I don’t really know. I haven’t thought about that one.
Seriously Dave! Thanks for responding and the way you did! Just remember that Man Of Steel is a whole NEW origin story placed in today’s world. The old line of Superman Mythology is extremely important, but in order to make a DC Cinematic Universe and allow it to be successful with the “General Audience”, they needed to re-create him on the Big Screen! Have a great weekend and take note that when I write, I won’t go in blindly. As you can see from above that, even though valid in some way and others not, I gave you plenty to research yourself and hopefully it will open your eyes a bit more! I’m just saying ……………………….! ;-)
Joey
Correction: I meant to say that “your points are valid in a way and also are not”. Sorry for the mistype :-)
Joey
At work just having a quick smoke break so, not much time, I’ll write up a decent response later. But here are another couple of reviews that get to the point of why I have issues with the film.
http://m.cinemablend.com/new/Why-One-Would-Ever-Trust-Man-Steel-Superman-38110.html
http://badassdigest.com/2013/06/15/why-the-destruction-in-man-of-steel-matters/
Oh and a quick note on the Smallville example, Clark doesn’t actually kill him, it’s more like Titan falls on his own weapon during the course of them knocking the stuffing out of each other. Smallville’s Clark is a real bad example to use I you are pro him killing, Clark’s refusal to kill in that show is one of the largest issues that causes conflict with his friends. His stubborn way if dealing with Doomsday is the most obvious one here, pretty much
everyone tells him to kill Davis Bloome but he goes ahead with his own plans anyway.
More later
Cool, looking forward to it! :-)