“Man of Steel” Eight Years On

Man of Steel

On this day (June 14) in 2013, “Man of Steel” made its public theatrical release to great fanfare.

Warner Bros. Pictures recently posted the 4K trailer to their YouTube channel:

Looking back at some of our reviews published on this website at the time and soon after, it’s interesting to note some of the similarities and differences between what people had to say and what people are still saying 8 years later.

Michael J. Petty wrote:

“Over-all, Man of Steel is everything we could ever ask for when it comes to Superman on the big screen. We see Superman fight, Superman in love, Superman as Superman, Clark Kent, and Kal-El, and we have evidence that there is a whole universe of possibilities out there for future films (Justice League?…). I was very pleased with Man of Steel.”

Scotty V wrote:

“Worry not about the critics who currently can’t wrap their heads around the new Superman. Man of Steel is, no holds barred, the best comic book film I have ever seen. When the film ended, I sat silently for several minutes, before announcing that it may be the best film I have ever seen. Granted, this is from a standpoint of being the huge Superman fan that I am and my having waited my whole life to see a Superman film where the character, and the world around him is taken completely seriously. While there are humorous moments… moments of comedic relief, Man of Steel is a complete tour de force of super-powered action that hasn’t been seen on film for any character, Superman or otherwise. The jaw-dropping action scenes are nothing short of awe-inspiring at every turn. The character depth in even characters with the shortest arcs keeps the viewer feeling interested in every scene from start to finish. I was on the edge of my seat, feeling intense emotion from the moment the opening began. Man of Steel grabs you from it’s first fade-in and doesn’t let go until the credits roll.”

T.A. Ewart didn’t have as glowing a review:

“When I sat in that theatre while others applauded, I became Superman, as did others like me. Those who refused to accept that this was the way. Those who want to aspire to something greater, and wanted to see Superman do that too. I don’t hate the film, as I don’t believe in hate, but I cannot love it because I don’t believe in it.”

Shawn Morrissey had a different opinion though:

“Suffice it to say right now that “Man of Steel” is the best on screen rendition of Superman since 1978. Dare I say it…? Yes. It’s even better.”

Marc Pritchard wrote:

“I do not think Man of Steel is perfect. In my “first impressions” review, written during opening weekend, I gave it an 8 out of 10. Today, after repeated viewings and lots of time to think and think, I’d give it a 7. My main beef is that the editing (as already suggested) sometimes works against the timeline – especially into the dénouement where it seems life has returned impossibly to normal – while, at other times, it seems perfunctory. There are also the sour or clumsy notes of Lois calling out “Clark!” to a suited Superman in clear earshot of that police officer, of having the villain defend evolution, of “mad scientist” Jax-Ur speaking in a German accent, of Clark stealing those clothes (though his destroying that truck didn’t bother me so much). But so is there the most precise visualization and effects we’ve ever seen; a score that, much though I love the classic John Williams’, straight-up delivers on atmosphere and mood; a story that challenges our ethics and our expectations; and a lead who will, if given a chance to round him out with the inclusion of some mild-mannered reporter Clark Kent, probably go on to redefine the character for a generation.”

On June 11, 2013, after having watched the world premiere of “Man of Steel” in New York, I wrote:

“Is it the best Superman movie ever? Maybe. I’m still a massive fan of “Superman: The Movie”, but then I have seen it a hundred times and it was part of the fabric of my life for thirty years. But there’s no doubt that “Man of Steel” is fantastic. It is a great Superman movie. It’s a great movie… period.”

“Superman fans will pull it apart, examining it from every angle. We’ll argue over it for months and years. Some will call it the best thing since sliced bread. Others will complain about the costume, Lois’ role, what happened to Zod, the amount of destruction, Clark Kent’s actions, the secret identity, etc… But that’s par for the course amongst Superman fans.”

I wasn’t wrong…

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afriend
afriend
June 14, 2021 7:27 pm

Hmmm… At around the same time in its existence, I really started to mellow on Superman Returns. Not that I started to think it was *good*, but I can at least cut it some slack for what it was trying to do, even if I think it fell short of the mark. Also, while I still have strong opinions on matters of pop culture, I don’t really have the inclination to rage all the time anymore (I miss being 21, and I miss the hair I had at the time). I honestly still give Man of Steel no such quarter.… Read more »

cpm72586
cpm72586
June 14, 2021 8:23 pm

It’s a good looking movie with a pretty good score, and I think Michael Shannon was fantastic as Zod, but other then that I don’t think the movie had a whole lot going for it. Cavill I think was mediocre at the best in the role, and just had no chemistry with anyone in the cast. Especially Amy Adams. It’s just a big bowl of meh all around with few exceptions and not even close to the kind of movie Superman deserves.

Superman2878
June 14, 2021 11:24 pm

I wasn’t impressed with this film. There were just a lot of things that I didn’t like. The story and plot to name a couple of things. I get why Cavill has a fan base for his version of Superman. He physically has the look, but for me, I just never had that “Wow! It’s Superman!” moment. I don’t know why, maybe it’s the writing. I just haven’t had that moment where I was able to believe that Henry was Superman. Others may see him as Superman and that’s fine, everyone is different and everyone has their own preference when… Read more »

Last edited 2 years ago by Superman2878
lcmcbain
lcmcbain
June 15, 2021 11:56 am

I still basically think what I thought then. Not a good Superman movie overall outside of some good ideas and visuals. Some terrible dialogue; nonsensical logic and reason and a Jonathan Kent who might condone letting kids die to protect his son’s secret. Save the retort: A good parent teaches their kids to protect themselves and to hone their gifts. And when one is Super, while not letting people die. One simple add on would have saved that scene: Clark: “what should I do, let them die?” Jonathan: “I don’t know, maybe…No, of course not, but you have to try… Read more »

NeoRanger
NeoRanger
June 15, 2021 2:52 pm
Reply to  lcmcbain

That’s clunky and it would only exist for fanservice reasons that would’ve actively undone the intentional ambiguity of the film. What would’ve made the scene easier to digest for people that had a problem with this would’ve been changing the “maybe” to “I don’t know”.

lcmcbain
lcmcbain
June 15, 2021 4:43 pm
Reply to  NeoRanger

You are correct, it is clunky and yet still better than “maybe”. And “I don’t know” is as bad. Lives matter. Period. There’s nothing “fanservice” about that.

NeoRanger
NeoRanger
June 15, 2021 11:35 pm
Reply to  lcmcbain

We are not having a moral argument. It’s a film, not a course in ethics. “Maybe” irks me because it reeks of trailer dialogue, but, with respect, what you suggested is not better in terms of flow or consistency within the context of this film.

lcmcbain
lcmcbain
June 16, 2021 1:18 pm
Reply to  NeoRanger

It’s supposed to be a film about Superman, who is supposed to the moral arbiter. I think he is who he is innately, while also have the amazing good fortune of having ethical and morally good parents who reinforced and taught him right from wrong. Which should give him an incredible foundation with which to build off of. That does not make him boring. One can have moral clarity and still be extremely complex. They’re not mutually exclusive. Nor does he need to have some tragic backstory to make him “cool” and “relevant” and to give him a reason to… Read more »

redcape
redcape
June 15, 2021 1:20 pm

I just watched this last week for the first time in a while. Yes,…there are, like in ALL movies a couple of questionable scenes, but for the most part it never relaxes for too long. The idea of MoS was NOT to be a continuation of past versions. And it wasn’t! That’s what Snyder was hired for in the first place. Mission accomplished as well. IMO, people that have negative opinions are STILL looking for yesteryear’s Superman and they continue to grade MoS as such. I’ve got no doubt that Snyder didn’t sit down and watch all previous Superman movies… Read more »

andramus
andramus
June 15, 2021 1:51 pm

I suppose a question I’d like to ask any Superman fan who didn’t like this movie is if it wasn’t a Superman movie but rather a similar type of character called let’s say NotSuperman could you have enjoyed the movie for what it was? I don’t have strong feelings about how I think Superman should be portrayed/characterised so I’m generally open to different interpretations. Is the real Superman/Clark Kent a nerd or a jock? If I understood him correctly Neal Bailey thinks he is more of a nerd and wouldn’t be the type to drink a beer and watch a… Read more »

Superman2878
June 15, 2021 2:54 pm
Reply to  andramus

I can’t speak for others in answering your question about if it wasn’t a Superman movie but rather a similar type of character, but I really can’t think of any other superhero. Maybe Thor? The closest I could think of is probably Thor the Dark world film. But even then I’m not sure. In my opinion I think it works better as a alien sci-fi invasion film rather than a superhero film. I mean if it’s a superhero team up film then I think it works better. A movie where it’s only one hero vs an army of alien invaders… Read more »

Last edited 2 years ago by Superman2878
andramus
andramus
June 15, 2021 3:10 pm
Reply to  Superman2878

Your answer about it working better as an alien sci-fi invasion film sort of lines up with what I liked about the movie. Before I was even a Superman/superhero fan I was a fan of science fiction and fantasy. I read a lot of sci-fi and fantasy as a kid and lot of characters had special magical or sci-fi powers. As a science fiction fan I always saw Superman as a bit of a sci-fi character. He’s an alien from another planet whose alien biology gives him superpowers on Earth. Man of Steel was the first live action Superman property… Read more »

Superman2878
June 15, 2021 3:28 pm
Reply to  andramus

For it being a made up superhero with the same or similar superpowers in a story like Man of Steel, to tell the truth I don’t know. I guess it’s something that I would have to really think more on. As for if Luke or Harry are heroes or superheroes I guess it depends on the viewer. While I don’t consider them as superheroes in the traditional sense with super suits,capes and a superhero name, they do heroic things with powers as well. So I guess it’s depends on the viewer.

andramus
andramus
June 15, 2021 3:46 pm
Reply to  Superman2878

Let’s go a step further and say he’s not even a superhero. He doesn’t have the costume or the superhero name. He’s just an alien with superpowers who grew up on Earth. People from his home planet invade and he joins forces with the US Military to fend off the invasion. It’s the same story as Man of Steel but it’s free from the baggage of expectations that come with the label of being a Superman/superhero story. It’s therefore not required to adhere to the usual conventions of a superhero or Superman story. I suppose my point is for me… Read more »

Last edited 2 years ago by andramus
Superman2878
June 15, 2021 5:37 pm
Reply to  andramus

If it’s a story done with an original charature with no connection to Superman or his history than yeah, I would even be interested in seeing such a film. You do bring up an interesting question about it. I am also now wondering how movie goers would receive such a film.

Last edited 2 years ago by Superman2878
NeoRanger
NeoRanger
June 15, 2021 3:01 pm
Reply to  andramus

Eight years on, it’s about the hard(er) questions. Should Superman kill Zod in that scenario? Should Pa say “maybe” when asked if Clark should’ve let the bus go under? The consensus seems to be that Superman either should not be written in these situations outright or the answers should be easy regardless of context. It’s interesting that you brought up that scene in L&C, because the framework is similar, but Pa isn’t challenged to actually take a clear position in that example. It seems to me that many fans prefer this. I… understand that perspective, but I don’t care for… Read more »

afriend
afriend
June 15, 2021 6:23 pm
Reply to  andramus

In a world chock-full of “deconstructed” Superman analogs; I probably would have ignored it. The best “Not Really Superman” is Thermoman from the BBC series My Hero (well, until they changed Georges in the last season), and it can’t be improved upon, so why bother /mostly sarcasm (but I do enjoy the show). But for the sake of argument, I do think I would have liked it a *little* better without the Superman baggage. A lot of my stylistic and character issues wouldn’t immediately vanish. Seriously, why do people tolerate ShakyCam?! I only speak for myself, but ideally Clark Kent… Read more »

Superman2878
June 15, 2021 7:45 pm
Reply to  afriend

I remember Thermoman from BBC’s my hero! 😀
I loved that show! I only wish that I was able to see the final season. At the time I had a lot going on for me and I missed the final season. Do they play reruns on BBC?

afriend
afriend
June 15, 2021 8:29 pm
Reply to  Superman2878

It was run by our local PBS affiliate in the mid-2000s, but I haven’t seen it in a while.
The first two seasons got a US DVD release though.
Also, seriously, you’re better off NOT seeing the final season. They tried to pull a Doctor Who when Ardal O’Hanlon left, with George “losing his body in a card game”. It just didn’t work. James Dreyfus tried, but his personality didn’t fit with the cast. And it upset the dynamic with Janet.

Last edited 2 years ago by afriend
Superman2878
June 15, 2021 10:25 pm
Reply to  afriend

I don’t remember which season it was, but the last episode that I remember was when George and his wife had a baby but that kid was rapidly growing up. Whatever happened to the kid?

Last edited 2 years ago by Superman2878
GodzillaofSteel
GodzillaofSteel
June 16, 2021 2:07 am
Reply to  andramus

– Well said. I completely agree with you.

NeoRanger
NeoRanger
June 15, 2021 2:55 pm

Man of Steel wasn’t what I wanted from a Superman movie, but it was what I didn’t know I wanted from this franchise; the potential for an engaging arc across the entirety of the DCU on cinema, with films both connected and distinct in their approach to these characters and their mythology. It’s my least favorite of the Snyder trilogy, I have a fair amount of very specific problems with (all of them purely from a film-making standpoint, with Goyer’s script at the top of the list), but what it set up has kept me entertained and engaged (both in… Read more »

Last edited 2 years ago by NeoRanger
redcape
redcape
June 15, 2021 6:35 pm
Reply to  NeoRanger

I don’t think anything has the staying power in comparing what came from the past to now a day. At least Snyder took Superman and the rest of the characters with a serious tone. I never found he went lame or cheapened them within his story lines. I suppose for me at least,… that’s one of the main reasons I appreciated what he’d done. And I do wish, aside from the JL I’ll be seeing shortly, there was another Snyder Superman feature in the works with Henry. Just look at the crap-o-la we’re in for.

GodzillaofSteel
GodzillaofSteel
June 16, 2021 1:52 am

I still love “Man Of Steel”. I remember watching it 6 times in the theater. I took my friend to see it. He’s an easygoing guy who thought Superman is alright but a little cheesy. Then we watched “Man Of Steel” in the theater and he loved it. As for me, I’ll always love the classic 1978 “Superman: The Movie” with dear Christopher Reeves.” In fact, I’ve always “liked” Superman since I watch all 4 Reeves movies as a child. However, the film “Man Of Steel” is what “reignited” my interest in the character and got me to “love and… Read more »

Last edited 2 years ago by GodzillaofSteel
redcape
redcape
June 16, 2021 12:40 pm

I agree with your MoS, STM appraisal. I’m sure Zack watched STM as well. I noticed several similar scenes where they paralleled in a distant way, BUT with the same end results. Take his father for one. In STM, he dies and Clark having a conversation with his mother says, “all these powers and I couldn’t save him”. In MoS, Clark with all his powers basically stands there, COULD have saved him, but allows him to die! It was an ironic scene because if you go back in MoS to when his father was having that conversation with young Clark… Read more »

Last edited 2 years ago by redcape
redcape
redcape
June 16, 2021 12:50 pm

One other item…….Since MoS came out, there hasn’t been ONE decent movie theater sized poster(27×40) of Henry in the suit. I’ve looked all over and there isn’t anything available aside from him being handcuffed by the military.

LarGand
LarGand
June 18, 2021 2:53 pm

Loved ‘Man of Steel’ when it first came out, still love it now. I’ve rewatched it twice over the past few months (spurred by the release of ‘Zack Snyder’s Justice League’) and it’s still great. Still looks amazing, still exciting, still thought-provoking. The only thing it lacks is a proper sequel that would’ve filled in the 18-month gap between the finale of the movie and the start of ‘Batman v Superman’. I still hope we’ll see Henry wearing the cape again in his own movie.

redcape
redcape
June 20, 2021 1:41 pm
Reply to  LarGand

Excellent !! Totally agree. I initially wasn’t sure if a new origin story could be pulled off…… but Snyder did about as best as one could have hoped for.

lex_luthors_syrup
lex_luthors_syrup
June 20, 2021 9:24 am

I enjoyed Man of Steel but like so many of Zack Snyder’s films, he doesn’t quite pull off the complete execution but at the same time it was enjoyable and we got to finally see a Superman fighting with the visual effects to do it justice. If anything there was too much action and by the third act, I was getting bored with the fighting despite the epic scale and its inevitability to the plot. I thought Henry Cavill did a pretty good job as the modern-day Clark Kent/Superman. His scenes as he discovers himself and with Lois (particularly at… Read more »

redcape
redcape
June 20, 2021 1:47 pm

All great! I would give it a point or two higher just based off the visuals. I still can’t find anything that looks like it was “fake” or phonied up from CGI. But you’re right, a sequel would have gone a long way as well.