The Kidd here...
I'm going to wait to reserve judgment on MAN OF STEEL until I get a chance to see it in its entirety. Am I hopeful with the creative forces involved that we won't get another disappointing Superman film? Yes, I am. I don't want bad Superman on the books. I want a MAN OF STEEL that excites fans once more... something we really haven't since Terrence Stamp's turn as Zod, which makes it all the more fitting that we'll be getting Michael Shannon's take on the character this time around. I don't get the unnecessary hatred that seems to be getting piled onto Zack Snyder these days. Oh, sure... SUCKER PUNCH may be arguably the most beautiful-looking piece of shit I've ever seen, but one film does not define his entire directorial career. I don't remember so much bitching going on when 300 was playing in theatres to our riled-up cheers.
If there is one concern about MAN OF STEEL that is warranted, it's about the tone, which, in many ways, doesn't feel like Superman at all. There is nothing superheroic about what we've seen so far, and I totally get the worry that an alien from Krypton who can fly, among his other superpowers, and is virtually unstoppable at fighting for truth, justice and the American way may not exactly fit into this more grounded universe that appears to be the foundation for this new direction of Superman. I know THE DARK KNIGHT made a shit ton of money... but so did THE AVENGERS... proving that not all superhero flicks are created equal. Some can be dark and gritty... but that doesn't mean they all should - much like some can be epic and fun, but that doesn't mean they should all follow that exact model.
I share such concerns about whether this approach to MAN OF STEEL can work. I think some of the character introspection will be rather interesting to explore... but for those hoping for a tried and true Superman comic book movie, you may not like what David S. Goyer had to say to Empire about the type of Superman film we're getting in July.
"We're approaching Superman as if it weren't a comic book movie as if it were real.... I adore the Donner films. Absolutely adore them. It just struck me that there was an idealist quality to them that may or may not work with today's audience. It just struck me that if Superman really existed in the world, first of all this story would be a story about first contact. He's an alien. You can easily imagine a scenario in which we'd be doing a film like E.T., as opposed to him running around in tights. If the world found out he existed, it would be the biggest thing that ever happened in human history."
Remember though... just because it's different doesn't automatically make it bad. I'm very curious to see a realistic Superman as it looks like they're certainly swinging for the fences with such a change. It could also fail miserably, but we won't know for sure until July.
-Billy Donnelly
"The Infamous Billy The Kidd"
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