Man Of Steel (2013)

[You might be thinking that I’m waiting for Batman vs. Superman so that I can do a double feature, but no. Since it’s been a long while (two years!), my recollection of the film's plot in some parts mightn’t be accurate.]

(Probably) in line with the Nolan Batman movies, Zack Snyder gives us a more logical approach to the mythology, in that Lois actually finds out who Superman is first (and without any fanfare), so when Clark finally goes to work for the Daily Planet at the end of the film, it’s like nudgenudgewinkwink.

[Which makes far more sense, really, because how can you not recognize someone just because he took off his glasses.]

The first hour or so of the movie is surprisingly subdued, focusing more on Clark finding about his heritage, and flashbacks to when he was growing up. Far from the rosy childhood that we all thought he had (as rather implied from the Christopher Reeves’ films), I was stunned when Jonathan Kent chooses to die in a tornado rather than to let Clark reveal his powers to save him.

[I teared up at that scene.]

I was also surprised to see Jor-El have more direct involvement (having grown up with Marlon Brando’s disembodied head) with things, especially in the scenes where Zod has taken over Supes’ Kryptonian ship and was using it as a base of operations

It’s a bit of a frenetic mess in the last hour, with full-blown CGI and a slightly short-lived death match between Supes and Zod, but in Zack Snyder’s hands, well, I can still see what’s what, who’s who and where’s where.

I also don’t get why everyone got worked up about Supes killing Zod. Yes, Supes doesn’t kill people (he doesn’t even lobotomise), but in this instance, Supes didn’t have a choice – Zod was going to obliterate those people with his heat vision. And I understand Supes’ pain/agony about his decision, because Zod is the last of his kind (that he knows about) and by killing him, Supes will be the last of the Kryptonians.

Man of Steel is certainly a step-up from the really boring Superman Returns, but tries to over-compensate the lack of action in the latter with far too much destruction and city-levelling in the final hour. I mean, there’s barely any city left at the end.