So, about those Man of Steel reviews...

[Grumpy RPG Reviews]

"Some men aren't looking for anything logical, like money. They can't be bought, bullied, reasoned or negotiated with. Some men just want to watch the world burn."

I wonder how Luthor will be summed up in a single statement in Man of Steel II. It might be Lois making the statement to Superman, or possibly Perry making the statement to Clark, or it might even be by Kal-El to Luthor himself. But I expect the statement to be made and wonder how it will shake out.

 

[Everett]

Having seen Man of Steel a second time, I'm prepared to say that it's a groundbreaking film that people are just going to have to learn to appreciate. That's all there is to it.

 

[Scrivener of Doom]

Having seen Man of Steel a second time, I'm prepared to say that it's a groundbreaking film that people are just going to have to learn to appreciate. That's all there is to it.

I'm going to grab the DVD tonight and sit back and watch it tomorrow as I'm still not sure of how I feel about it. I suspect I will come to the same conclusion that you did.

One question I would like to ask, though, for those of you more familiar with the movie and the character than I am. How did Superman beat Zod? As Zod correctly says, Superman was just a farm boy whereas Zod was a soldier and trained in combat. I don't recall that question actually being answered particularly as Superman came into his powers fairly late in the piece.

Any thoughts?

 

[MarkB]

One question I would like to ask, though, for those of you more familiar with the movie and the character than I am. How did Superman beat Zod? As Zod correctly says, Superman was just a farm boy whereas Zod was a soldier and trained in combat. I don't recall that question actually being answered particularly as Superman came into his powers fairly late in the piece.

Any thoughts?

Superman spent his entire life in Earth's environment, whereas Zod had only a few hours' exposure. Either in terms of absolute power level, acclimatisation, or both, Superman would likely have an advantage.

 

[Scrivener of Doom]

Thanks, MarkB.

That does make sense as some effort was made to emphasise the need to adapt. I'll watch it again more carefully.

Cheers.

 

[Everett]

I'm going to grab the DVD tonight and sit back and watch it tomorrow as I'm still not sure of how I feel about it. I suspect I will come to the same conclusion that you did.

One constant refrain in negative views of the film has been that the action is too much/too constant/too senseless and that the film lacks depth, but the film has plenty of depth, just not in a conventionally-structured way. Something these people haven't picked up on is that the movie plays out in a way that is remarkably like a comic book; battles intercut with other material, "present-day" scenes and flashbacks (let's remember that flashbacks are a hallowed tool in comic books, since time can shift effortlessly between frames) and the battles aren't distraction -- they're filmed in a visually poetic way that one actually has to pay attention to. Particularly wonderful is the fight Superman has with the twin "snakes" made of Kryptonian metal when he's trying to destroy the World Engine, and the scenes the fight is intercut with; it's not "character/plot development" in the way we're used to thinking of such things -- it's an entirely new style for superhero movies. It is, I must say, revolutionary.

 

[Everett]

The film even provides an organic explanation for how Kryptonians would develop heat-vision, which AFAIK the comics have never done. Again, you have to watch carefully for it; it's in the latter part of the movie.

 

[Scrivener of Doom]

[MENTION=21712]Everett[/MENTION]: I actually appreciated those techniques. I enjoyed the movie but a lot of that was the sheer visual thrill but as I walked home from the cinema I started thinking about the story issues and that's where I thought it would be better to watch it again because I obviously missed some things the first time.

Anyway, one advantage of the third world is I can grab a DVD tonight and watch it at home tomorrow.

 

[Morrus]

I'm going to grab the DVD tonight and sit back and watch it tomorrow

The DVD?

 

[Morrus]

The film even provides an organic explanation for how Kryptonians would develop heat-vision, which AFAIK the comics have never done. Again, you have to watch carefully for it; it's in the latter part of the movie.

What was the explanation?