Your best live action Superman?

[TwoSix]

Maybe, except the same issue is present in every other Snyder film. The guy has a point of view and it's very consistent.

Man of Steel, BvS and Justice League are Zack Snyder films before they're DC Comics films.

Well, yes, but hasn't DC character movies having stronger directorial voices been true for decades? Certainly in contrast to the much more tonally coherent MCU?

I mean, if the accusation is that he's using an established IP as a cover for a different story he wants to tell, then sure, that's probably true. But that's generally what I (as fan of comic book movies but not comic books) want to see happen.

I don't want a director to just recapitulate a famous story on the screen, I want to see something novel and different. It's why I prefer Cuarón's take on Harry Potter to Columbus's, as another example of different flavors of IP adaptation.

 

[overgeeked]

"All" is doing a lot of work here. Would he still be Superman if he was a British secret agent with no powers? Isn't there a point where, no matter what the character is named, we can agree that the character isn't the same one any more? That doesn't mean we have to agree where the line is, but surely the line does exist in theory?

For me the line is not actually behaving like a superhero. I don’t care what name is plastered across the poster or what the characters are called in the film. If they’re not acting like superheroes, they’re not superheroes. Superman is supposed to be the platonic ideal of superheroes. Standing by while Pa Kent dies? Watching as Metropolis is destroyed and thousands murdered? Nope. That’s not a superhero. Sure as hell isn’t anything recognizable as “Superman” beyond the logo and name.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Well, yes, but hasn't DC character movies having stronger directorial voices been true for decades? Certainly in contrast to the much more tonally coherent MCU?

I don't think we're talking about just directorial choices, though.

James Gunn's Suicide Squad is recognizably a Suicide Squad from the DCU, even if some of his interpretations are different than in the comics. (Peacemaker is a giant bore in the comics and Gunn has managed to make him genuinely interesting and even sympathetic in the Peacemaker TV show.)

All of the various Batmen in the movies are all recognizably Batmen, whether they're played by Adam West or Robert Pattinson. Big tonal range, but the touchstones of the character are all represented in some fashion. West is a lot less broody than Christian Bale, but they're clearly both playing spins on the same character.

For me, and I think for some of the others who also don't like these Snyder movies (and I've seen all three of them, and The Snyder Cut) don't feel like any of the things we expect to see in Superman are represented beyond the surface level.

And this isn't about Snyder or his color choices. Superman Returns was a terrible Superman movie not because of Brandon Routh (who was quite good), but because Superman as a deadbeat dad and stalking Lois Lane are so jarringly out of step with the character.

Even the early 20th century Superman who leapt tall buildings in a single bound and worked at the Daily Star, rather than the Daily Planet, wasn't the kind of guy to knock up Lois Lane, skip town and then peek through her window to see what she's up to later on.

I mean, if the accusation is that he's using an established IP as a cover for a different story he wants to tell, then sure, that's probably true. But that's generally what I (as fan of comic book movies but not comic books) want to see happen.

And that's fair and probably a lot of the basic issue. It's also why fans of the James Bond novels have historically had a lot of opinions about the movies.

It's why I prefer Cuarón's take on Harry Potter to Columbus's, as another example of different flavors of IP adaptation.

I can't imagine even Chris Columbus prefers his take to Cuarón's.

 

[TwoSix]

I feel like you're largely arguing against behavior that's not taking place on this thread. There certainly has been massive sneering about this on the internet -- and equally vociferous scoffing from Snyder's superfans that "true fans" must necessarily love Snyder's take.

Not taking place on this thread?

thats a good point, my opinion is that BS was okay as a Batman movie, but was terrible as a Superman movie. Snyder entirely missed the point of Superman being the Boy Scout - and just packaged up some blatant messiah visuals And an otherwise clueless schmuck driven by angst and a need for approval

There are times when I wonder if he'd read anything.

 

[Tonguez]

Not taking place on this thread?

And I stand by my statement too

its got nothing to do with arguments about Superman not killing (note Boy Scouts were founded as a paramilitary group), but rather about his choice to do good because its the right thing to do. Theres a line (suprisingly) in CW Super girl along the lines that “people dont fear Superman for the things he does, instead they fear the things that he could do” - Superman as Boy Scout is all about Clarks choices, in BS he isnt making choices, he’s suffering a messiah complex and a need for approval

 

[MGibster]

No, they just have a different interpretation to the one you prefer. Anybody who claims to 'know' Batman, Superman, etc. knows that they've had many interpretations over the years. Early Batman had a gun, Keaton killed people, Supes kills in the comics. Nobody has the 'onetrueway' of these characters, just their own preference. They've existed for nearly a century. No version is the 'right' version.

This might be the single healthiest thing a fan of any character should read. We've had more than 80 years of Superman comics at this point with tons of artists, writers, inkers, etc., etc. The Superman I grew up with in the 1980s wasn't the same Superman from 1955 or 1940. I can appreciate Adam West, Kevin Conroy, Deidrich Bader, Christian Bale, Robert Pattinson, and Michael Keaton's different interpretations of Batman.

I think people confuse 'colour palette' and 'cheerfulness' with 'decency'. The character in those movies is plenty decent. He's maybe not happy (he's not found his Daily Planet yet) but he's not lacking in decency.

You're right, Clark was a decent guy.

 

[Eyes of Nine]

And yes, you can do anything with Superman. You could have him wear red shorts and work on a steamship and hang out with Minnie Mouse if you wanted.

Whoah whoah whoah now just hooooold up there

Marvel characters (except for some) are with Disney. DC characters do NOT consort with the enemy (please, can we all just retcon out Amalgam and Marvel vs DC?!). Honestly, Superman committing genocide is going to happen way before you'll see him "hanging out" with any characters over at the House of Mouse!!!

[gets handed something from off-screen...]

DC and Marvel Present: The Greatest Team-Ups of All Time! | DC

For the first time in decades, DC and Marvel fans can jump back into the most sought after crossovers in comic book history.

www.dc.com

Never mind... Carry on

 

[Ryujin]

Ok there is confusion that they were killed due to the arrest scene being cut from the final print.
What we saw was them fall into the openings. We did not actually learn it was a death tumble.
It actually wasn't.

Yup, that would be Zod and company being taken off, right at the beginning of this clip.

 

[General_Tangent]

Michael Palin aka Bicycle Repair Man

 

[Bedrockgames]

Not a fan of the comics or anything but Christopher Reeves is the one for me. I haven't seen many of the others, except the the old 50s show (which was on reruns when I was a kid) and Superman Returns