Man of Steel really divided lots of fans. Lots of people loved it, and a number of people hated it. I was somewhere in between. I thought that Man of Steel was a good movie, but there was a truly great movie hidden in there if they could just fix a couple of missteps. So today, let's talk about what it would be like if the DC cinematic universe was just as good or better than the Marvel Cinematic universe. If you haven't seen it already be sure to check out Part 1 where we talk about Green Lantern.
But now lets take a look at Man of Steel and how it could be done better. Whether you love or hate the film you must realize that it alienated long time fans of the character. Let's see if we can take this new take on Superman and not piss off people who have been fans of his for years.
While some choices may have been mistakes, they still got so much about that movie right. So first we should look at all the things Man of Steel did great.
But now lets take a look at Man of Steel and how it could be done better. Whether you love or hate the film you must realize that it alienated long time fans of the character. Let's see if we can take this new take on Superman and not piss off people who have been fans of his for years.
While some choices may have been mistakes, they still got so much about that movie right. So first we should look at all the things Man of Steel did great.
Krypton: Everything on Krypton was awesome. It really reminds you that Superman is in fact from an alien planet.... And alien planet where they speak english... but that's just how comic books work. I really liked the way Zod was introduced. You get to see just how deadly he is from the beginning, and I like that they hint that he and Zor-El were friends. I think that seeing the technology of the land of the Kryptonians really reminds us of why Superman's nickname was "The Man of Tomorrow" in the golden era.
Not so Secret Identity: The fact that just about everyone knows that Superman is Clark actually works pretty well in the movie. The fact is, Superman was created in a different era. One where you could get away with a character disguising his identity with glasses. I know that seems silly but let's not forget that many characters still disguise their identity with a domino mask.
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| What, How did you know it was me? I kept my cheekbones hidden. |
Today we have facial recognition technology and camera phones in the hands of literally over 90% of the adult population. But putting Supes into a realistic world gave the writers limited options. They could have given Superman a Mask. But most people would agree that hiding Superman behind a mask defeats the purpose of Superman. He needs to be seen and to smile. That's why he's the Superhero that most people trust. Superman doesn't wear a mask because he's one of the only heros powerful enough to not need one. The other option is to disguise Clark Kent. Possibly giving him a fake goatee or something to hide his face. They've already said in the comics that Clark padds his suits so he looks more portly than buff. Instead they went with option 3 where anyone close to him, including pretty much the entire town of smallville, knows that Superman and Clark Kent are one in the same.
Zod and Faora were phenomenal villains. They were an unstoppable force and through the movie the Audience really worried about how in the hell Superman could actually stop these guys. Sure he's been on earth longer, but he really has no advantages. They outnumber him, they're trained fighters while he isn't, they have technology and access to ships and weapons, and lastly they don't care how much collateral damage they do to the planet.
Lastly I loved the tiny easter eggs of the larger universe. Having a Wayne Tech Satellite and a Lex Corp building were great ways to show that there's so much more happening in this universe.
While the movie did so much good there were a few missteps. However while there were relatively few, they were some pretty fucking BIG missteps.
Pa Kent - You never once get the loving side of Pa Kent in this film. Superman always said he got his values from his family and farm living. Yet in this movie Clark gets yelled at for saving a school bus full of kids. Let me repeat that He saves a busload of school children and Pa Kent get's mad! When he asks, what was I supposed to do, let them die, Pa replies "maybe". What the fuck! Look, I love the idea that Pa warns him not to let his powers become public because people aren't ready. But that line of dialogue was unforgivable. There's no way our here's mentor should have told him to let a bus load of kids drown in a river. So they can keep some of those elements, but they also needed a scene of Pa showing compassion or trying to help people. The way he's portrayed in the movie, he seems to only care about his own kid and doesn't give to shits about saving anyone else. Pretty much the same values as ....
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| Those guys are saps, cuz they fight for people that ain't family. - Sonny Corleone |
Then there's the issue of the his death. Where his dad tells him not to save him because no one can know his secret. And Superman listens. No, no NOPE. Tell me this if your Mom or Dad said no son, don't try and save me, protect yourself would you listen??? No, no you wouldn't you'd save them anyway. I always loved the way Pa Kent dies in the comics, of the heart attack. Superboy, with all his strength and powers, can't do anything to save him. A huge lesson on his limitations and he learns that he can't save everyone.
Then there's the fact that Superman has almost no charm in this movie. Henry Cavil is a charming guy, but in this movie he never has a funny moment with Lois or his Mom. He's just somber, through the whole film. I get that this is a broody Superman, but he acts more like Batman than anything else for most of this film. I hate to say it but I really missed that Christopher Reeves smile
The last problem is the overblown fight at the loss of human life. Yes the fight has really cool moments, but there seemed to be a lack of stakes on the side of the Kryptonians. They never showed signs of being hurt, so it just looked like a wrestling match in a china shop. The two guys are just having fun while everything around them topples over and breaks.
Now I personally understand why superman couldn't save more people in Metropolis. He was getting his ass kicked. But they could have made an effort to show that Superman was avoiding killing anyone. Or even tried to draw Zod away from places where people where.
So I think that Man of Steel could be a great movie with just a few changes to circumvent the missteps and biggest complaints that lots of DC fans had with the movie.
Let Pa Kent show some compassion for people outside of his family. Two of the best moments of young Superman's story was where his Dat tells him that "you are my son" when Clark finds out that he's an alien. And the scene where Superman is freaking out at school and his mother helps him find a center. They just need to cut the line where Pa considers that his son should have let a busload of kids die.
Cut the Pa Kent death scene. This was something they really should have gone back to the comics for. Having Pa's heart just give out one day. Maybe because of something Clark did, maybe not but Clark has to pick him up and run him to the hospital. The Doctor or Nurse comes out to tell him theres nothing that can be done. And clark won't accept it, he says "I can do things, Tell me what we need, I have to save him" The doctor has to tell him, " I know you can Clark, we all do.. but you can't save everyone, sometimes it's just someone's time." I think this is a huge message about Superman and what sort of Man he wants to become. Also since he's a teenager here, this would be a great moment for them to introduce a young Lana Lang. Maybe Superman just has a thing for women with the initials LL.
Have the Kryptonians released by humans, instead of them finding earth on their own. While I really liked how smart and powerful the Kryptonians escaping on their own was, it undercut the seriousness of the Phantom Zone. They never really explained it in this version but somehow Zod and the rest of his crew escapes on their own. Now either they can be released, or we need to find some way to explain how while they were able to escape once, they were never able to do it again. Once they get out they escape into space in their ship, but return when they realize that Kal-El, the last hope for rebuilding Krypton is still on the earth. Also they need to change their plan. Turning the Earth into Krypton is a stupid, stupid, STUPID plan. Seriously you find a planet that basically makes you invincible and your response is "boy I hate being an unstoppable machine that can fly, let's make ourselves weak and vulnerable again." To make Zod and his plans a larger threat he should hae said he was going to create a Kryptonian Army. Once they have control over all of Earth, they'll move on to planet to planet naming them all in the name of Zod's empire and the new Krypton. Imagine an entire race of Supermen, all of them that strong. They'd be unstoppable.
Another thing we need is blood. Now don't get me wrong I'm not looking for Mortal Kombat levels of gore or anything but Superman needs to bleed. While it makes sense that his skin is harder than diamonds and can't be penetrated by bullets, the Kryptonians are at his level of strength. Faora may event taunt Clark, telling him that he's never known true pain because nothing has been strong enough to hurt him. "I am well versed in pain. Any real solider is." She can tell him as she breaks his arm or a few ribs. Then tells him if she can break his bones, then surely she can sever his spine, this is his final offer to submit to the rule of Zod. This ups the stakes because now we know that as powerful as Supes is, these things could possibly beat him to death. In the current film, with no blood I found myself wondering if any of this even hurt. It just looks like kids popping through lego buildings. We need to show that Superman is in real danger. Of course there can be a scene with him above the clouds in the sunlight where he heals his broken arm and ribs. This scene would also be important because it drives one of the themes of the movie. Superman feeling like he doesn't belong. Faora telling him that he should join them because he's one of them, of the same blood, and reminding him that he's not human and will always be an outsider. That humankind isn't his kind and that he needs to join the Kryptonians. That makes his choices at the end of the movie that much more impactful.
In the battle for Metropolis since this is a crossover movie I honestly think they should consider having the Green Lantern's show up. Since it's already established that they live in the universe, and that John Stewart and Hal Jordan are in charge of alien related crimes it would be pretty strange if they don't show up to an alien invasion. You could even have a great moment when they're batting at Zod, with 3 story tall baseball bats and Superman says the line "I'm really glad those two are on my side." A repeat of the line the Green Lanterns said about him when he appeared in their film.
The climax get's pivotal and it's the place I would like to make the most changes.
Zod is going to take Metropolis because he sees it as Earth's greatest city. He wants to make it the capital of New Krypton. Plus he's pissed at Superman for not joining him. He's got a machine that's destroying the city so he can build that creepy baby making thing they had back on Krypton.
Superman, who Zod thought was taken out by his minions, slams into his ship landing in the middle. Zod says, "How did you..." "I had a little help." Superman replies, referencing the Green Lanterns who are fighting off Zod's crew. Superman gets ready to heat vision the whole ship but Zod says "Wait! If you destroy this ship you destroy Krypton." and just like in the original film Superman stops to think. Then Zod turns on the hologram of Zor-El. Then Zod continues " You father's memory is on this ship. You have so much to learn from him. If you destroy it, you kill your father... again." Superman looks, concerned possibly with tears in his eyes.
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| He shouldn't go this big with it but that look in his eyes just before he screams is great. |
Superman looks back up and says "Krypton had it's chance. Earth is my home now." Then he lazers the shit out of the ship before Zod can get to him. Effectively killing his second father again. He blamed himself for his earth fathers death and now he's lost his Kryptonian father as well, and this time it's by his own hand.
This scene is pivotal and in the movie, and the way it appears in Man of Steel now it's just a throw away line. But it really should have so much meaning and impact, it deserves a better reading. Superman spent his whole life wondering who or what he was. He's just found out who his parents are and what his history is, but in this moment, even though he's finally found people who are just like him, he chooses Earth and his adopted family over Krypton.
This scene is pivotal and in the movie, and the way it appears in Man of Steel now it's just a throw away line. But it really should have so much meaning and impact, it deserves a better reading. Superman spent his whole life wondering who or what he was. He's just found out who his parents are and what his history is, but in this moment, even though he's finally found people who are just like him, he chooses Earth and his adopted family over Krypton.
In the movie when this happens the ship crashes into multiple skyscrapers, which is a cool shot but a wasteful one. We need to show that Superman still sees' saving lives as his top priority. He uses X-ray vision and telescope vision to see that there are still innocents in that building that the ship is about to crash into. He zooms forward to the front of the burning crashing ship and begins pushing. The ship is big and powerful, it looks like theres now way he'll stop it in time. He turns around and puts his back up against the ship and pushes with all his might and he is able to divert it just enough to crash it into the ocean. This shows not only that he's trying to save people in the chaos, but also having spaceships land in the deep of the Atlantic ocean is a great way to lead into the future Aquaman movie, as Aquaman's primary gripe with humans is that we keep polluting his oceans.
After that we cut to the Government who still distrusts superman but they are trying to get the machine that creates portals to the phantom zone to turn back on work. They have a team of the best minds in the US working on it led by Dr. Emil Hamilton, one of the workers being John Henry Irons. During the climax they radio in that they've finally gotten the phantom zone machine to work. General Swanwick tells them to get it ready to use on the Kryptonians. He clarifies by adding "All of them".
Zod is pissed and want's revenge. Superman and Zod have their fight. Through the fight they show that Superman tries to lure Zod away from innocent people. Zod using this to his advantage putting people in danger when he needs to get the upper hand in the fight.
The Green Lanterns are able to work with the humans to get the other Kryptonians into the Phantom Zone. Then they try to fly the phantom zone machine over to to Zod and Superman in the helicopter as the Lanterns begin helping people in the crumbling buildings.
We come to the same climactic moment from the film. Superman, Zod, land in a train station and Lois is on her way. Zod rants that he is going to kill each and every human with his bare hands and he vows to make Superman watch.
Just then the helicopter shows up with the phantom zone device. They want to point it at Zod but they'll trap Superman too. The General tells them to do it. Dr Hamilton has second thoughts, and doesn't want to. The General yells at him over the radio, to do it, if not for himself for the safety of his planet and that it's the only way. He fires the weapon but at the last second Zod sees it, he pulls himself and Superman out of the way.
Both look at the wormhole they created. Zod tells him, "You see! They never trusted you. You will always be an outsider to them, they just tried to send us both into that hell. For everything you've done for them, they could give just get rid of you like that. " Superman is shaken and looks directly at Hamilton who looks down and won't make eye contact ashamed.
Zod enraged shouts, "Now they'll all pay" He says. He tries to laser a helpless family but Superman shouts no and grabs his head, putting him into the same headlock that he did in the movie. This (the only slow motion shot in the movie) Superman looks at Zod, full of rage, he looks at the army guys and Hamilton, all afraid, He sees the family cowering in the corner. Then at that moment Lois has arrived. He looks at her, and in his eyes you can see he remembers how much cares about her and then he knows what he has to do. He looks at Lois and smiles slightly in that "everything is going to be okay" manner, she realizes what he's thinking and shouts "NO!", Superman hits Zod in the head temporarily stunning him. He wraps his arms around him, then he leaps backward into the portal into the Phantom Zone dragging Zod with him. On General Swanwick's order they close the portal trapping both Zod and Superman in the portal.
The General says they'll be there in a few minutes, they need to see about destroying that machine so none of them have any way of getting out of the Phantom Zone.
While he's on his way Lois talks to them telling them they have to let Superman out. Hamilton replies that he has his orders. She gives an impassioned speech about everything Superman has done for them. How he's sacrificed himself to save the world. How the world needs him, it needs people like him, what he stands for. He tells them that if we can't even trust him then we don't deserve to have him. They reply that we can't, I can't. And she adds what would he be willing to risk if the roles were reversed. All the time we see that General Swanwick is getting closer and closer. His helicopter lands. Hamilton is thinking. He gets out and begins to run in, Hamilton is looking at the machine and hitting buttons, He gets to the door and just as he opens it a bring flash of light and Superman appears. Dizzy and drained. Lois runs up and holds him. " I never thought I was going to see you again." "Neither did I." He replies.
The General comes in, looks pissed and when he turns to Hamilton he sees that he's already smashed the machine.
Lois leans in to kiss Superman and just as their lips touch his senses come back and he jerks back. His eyes searching like he can hear something. He says "Lois, there's people, in the rubble... I ..." Lois nods, Superman jests away to help trapped people. Lois is looking up in the sky and whispers "Go get 'em Superman." Fades to white. This again shows that saving lives is more important than making out with your girlfriend, and it also displays one of the central problems their relationship is going to have. Lois has to share Superman to the world and never really has him to herself because he constantly has to save people.
If the aftermath scenes, with the same voiceover from the original movie, you see that Superman helped not only pull folks out of the rubble but he helped rebuild the city. Hamilton talking to an angry General, it's clear from the motions that he's telling him that he cannot fix the Phantom Zone machine (until Lex Luthor get's his hands on it but thats a story for a much later movie). Clark getting ready for his new job at the Daily Plant. And the movie should end on that absolutely perfect final line of Lois Lane going "So, Mr. Kent, Welcome to the Planet"
Since everyone wants stingers in these post credits or mid the credits scenes. I would personally cut to a shot of deep space and a portal opening up and large spaceship comes through. The space ship begins sending radio signals: "Reporting disturbances from sector ------- of space. Local activity suggests a 96.3927% probability we have found subject -------. Then a voice replies through the radio " Subject --------. You've found the last Kryptonian! At what location!" "Planet ------- Locals refer to it as earth." There's a pause. Then the other voice says "Transmit coordinates and return to base." That really large ship rockets forward into the port for a massive death star sized ship. The ship seems to me made of shifting metal. On the sides of the ship the metal shifts to form this symbol
The Symbol of Brainiac.
Why all the changes.
The reason I made all of those changes to the ending is because of all of the criticisms that Man of Steel has gotten. Having Superman make saving folks his top priority can be shown by just a few minor alterations to a few scenes. And there's no way in hell Superman would be making out with his girlfriend while people suffocate under the rubble of the buildings.
Also having Superman not kill Zod has multiple advantages. One he doesn't kill a dude, a line that Superman is way too powerful to cross. Two he again shows that he's ready to sacrifice himself in order save human lives. Three having Lois and other humans save him shows that people do have faith in what he's doing. That there are people who believe in him even if it means risking their career. It resolves the question that he and his Dad asked earlier in the film, will people love him or hate him, and the film would answer: BOTH. Some loved him enough to support him and save him from the phantom zone, and others still don't trust him like the General.
At the end of the day, Man Of Steel did so much right. I have always hated that all of it's good is overshadowed by the missteps that the movie made.
Anyhow that's Part 2. Next I guess would be Part 3: Batman v. Superman...... But, I'm gonna need a drink first.
