Saw it today and really enjoyed it. I like how James Gunn leans into the weird cosmic shit.
I will try not to spoil anything that the trailers haven’t.
It feels like they cut a half hour from the beginning and it didn’t work very well, like they were leaning on the audience already knowing everything about a new version of Superman in a different universe framing. Even giving us 10 minutes more would have made it feel more natural like we were seeing a whole day instead of starting at noon.
Reconcile Superman’s lack of emotional control that was a departure from other iterations of the character. At times he was acting like teenage Clark and not Superman once he has his mantle.
Krypto is just there and totally uncontrolled and we don’t find out why he is there until the end and it doesn’t agree with the established lore. He feels like comedic relief that doesn’t really fit well.
Why is Superman so weak?
I felt that Lois wasn’t nearly as strong of a character. They got her smarts and journalistic prowess, but I don’t feel she was as strong willed and independent. I guess they didn’t want to do the same Lois gets in over her head and Superman has to be a male savior trope, but they backed her off a bit to far in avoiding that pitfall.
I was relieved that the negative hype was largely unfounded, the immigrant stuff wasn’t really a thing but Luthor trying to capitalize on the fear of a being from another planet had respectable correlation to modern times that in no way comes off as an overbearing social justice message like was being complained about.
I feel they did a decent job of rebuilding the DC cinematic universe and didn’t try to build their Superman in a vacuum, it feels like it is an introductory part of the DCCU in a good way. I am excited to see what Gunn has in store with the more comic and less grounded style. 6/10 on this one, but 7/10 when you stand back and look at what they are trying to build.
I watched it and I really disagree with almost everything you said. I don’t feel like going one by one but for example, you say he has lack of emotional control and that this is a bad thing. I would say that he has emotion and that he actually cares and empathizes and that it’s a good thing. It is like the glue that holds him together. Showing emotion or being emotional isn’t a lack of emotional control.
I’m sure you could show an example where he became emotional and his emotions didn’t drive him in the optimal direction, but I don’t think that’s a negative point for the movie. It’s part of his character.
The most emotion I saw was frustration.
I think Krypto was one of the best parts of the movie.
I could go through your whole list line by line with my opinions on your opinions.
I don’t think the beginning was missing anything, but I’m a DC fan. My Marvel friend had no complaints or comments about that either, and he knows almost nothing about DC.
Superman’s naivete was missing from Snyder and Donner versions (although Donner had the boy scout side nailed). It’s maybe unfamiliar to Superman movie watchers, but it’s a necessary adjustment. He’s not Batman.
I won’t go into Krypto, but I thought he was great, VERY important, and fulfilling.
Superman was not comic Superman, who is God-like, but he wasn’t weak. I won’t mention the scene, but you know he kicked some seriously tough ass. Watching the movie you understand why he was back on his heels. Again, naive.
Lois was the best, I gotta HEARTILY disagree with you there! That was a fantastic role, and acted perfectly. Very strong character, big part - I seriously don’t know what you’re talking about.
Me too about the immigrant thing.
Mr Terrific was… Terrific!
I really think that this is our best Superman yet. No cap.
I do somewhat agree with what you say about the opening. So much of the movie is about how Supes fucked things up in Boravia, but we don’t get to see ANY of that. Not even news footage. Everyone talks about what he did but we don’t get to see it.
I get not necessarily showing the first fight with the Boravian Hammer, because we do get the fights after that. I think the only thing that would be missing is seeing a fight without the cuts back to Lex directing the whole thing, so it would be kind of a surprise at how easily Supes gets manhandled there by a no-name entity.
A 6/10 is harsh, I don’t see any technical or performance failures that merits a “D” score. The acting is solid, the writing is solid, the visual effects are solid. Easy 8/10.
Saw it in XD, going to try Fake IMax this weekend.
I have yet to see a spoiler free review that makes me want to believe
Caught it last night… Tonally, Gunn absolutely nails it. The main characters are perfectly done, the B-list characters like Mister Terriffic and Metamorpho are perfectly done.
There are issues with some of the C-list / background characters.
Hawkgirl didn’t really have much to do and I don’t think Gunn knew what to do with her, which is a shame. Giving her a hawk shriek instead of actual dialog was… a choice. She needed more speaking lines.
Similarly, the background characters at the Planet, Cat Grant, Steve Lombard, were just kind of “there”. Nobody, not even Perry White, has a “Hey, where’s Clark?” moment. I think Gunn was just working from a checklist of who to include.
Ma Kent… I don’t know where she’s from, but it aint Kansas… Loved the Kents interactions with Clark, but… OK, I’m biased, I married a woman from Kansas, I’ve been to both Oklahoma and Kansas… I don’t know what that accent is.
All of those are minor quibbles. It was a great way to do Superman.
Hawkgirl was introduced, and I believe Adam Strange is rumored to be in the Green Lantern series, and since Rann and Thanagarians fought, that may be in the future.
As to the c-list characters, I don’t want a three hour movie so I can get to know them better.
A Rann/Thanagarian war would be an interesting place to go with the Lanterns as peace keepers, but they’d have to set that up well in advance like Babylon 5.
I saw them too, and I was scared when I went.
Don’t believe it. It’s Snyder fans or something. I believe some people think it’s just cool to be hating, but I went with a hard-core Marvel fan and he loved it too. Fun movie, delivered on all fronts.
It’s a big win, no question.
It’s Snyder fans or something.
spoiler
Angry monkey internet trolls bashing away at keyboards?
Thank you for the hope, I was worried, here goes nothing.
