It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!
^ Back to Top
The MI6 Community is unofficial and in no way associated or linked with EON Productions, MGM, Sony Pictures, Activision or Ian Fleming Publications. Any views expressed on this website are of the individual members and do not necessarily reflect those of the Community owners. Any video or images displayed in topics on MI6 Community are embedded by users from third party sites and as such MI6 Community and its owners take no responsibility for this material.
James Bond News • James Bond Articles • James Bond Magazine
Comments
Peacemaker season 2 debuts on SKY MAX here in UK on the 22nd August.
Gunn says the show will open up the DC universe with cameos.
One wonders what budget Supergirl gets? I would imagine quite a drop from Superman? Clayface should get the Joker budget so it has a chance to get money back for the studio.
I don't know how someone can say Gunn matches Donner for getting Superman. To me Gunn struck too much comedy into the film often to the detriment of the plot. Lex showed promise even though he's clearly not the genius that he is portrayed as in the comics. I hope we get a new director for the next Superman adventure. Someone who doesn't let jokes and gags un-do the drama.
Supergirl has already been shot and is in post-production, and CLAYFACE has a reported budget of $40m. I’m guessing it’s R rated fare.
Well, Gunn has confirmed he’s doing the next Superman film, so you’re out of luck. I’m glad he’s coming back. I never felt the comedy took away from the drama where it counts. This was just the antidote I needed after Snyder’s more somber take where Superman is treated more like a god.
Glad to hear about Clayface being a smaller budget it might have a chance at making money. Supergirl already shot? Well that is going to be interesting then. Again she was introduced as a joke at the end of the movie.
Which one disqualifies him more @MSL49 ? American, or tied to another tent pole movie franchise? I would say likely because of his tie in to Superman.
A1, B2, C3 is some of the lamest writing ever,
Superman isn't perfect; it's not a film which will stay with me for very long. There's not a lot of emotional resonance and it doesn't really get the juices flowing like a really superior adventure film. But it is like a big colourful cartoon, has its heart in the right place, and it does say some good things about the character and has a good central story at its heart about Superman himself choosing to just be a good man and not be what others tell him he is- actually, it's about him trying to be a good man, which is a nice new approach for Superman on screen. Usually he's a messiah in blue tights, but here he's an actual human being who's just trying to be good, and that's really refreshing.
Somehow I avoided all the spoilers- about Nuclear, sorry Ultra Man ( ;) ) and the really great revelation about Kal El's parents (loved that!) which leads up to that really satisfying final scene. I did hear complaints it was too messy and all over the place and packed with characters, and other than a few pointless one in the Daily Planet (why was the sports guy there?) I didn't feel that at all. It had lots going on, that's great.
So yeah, I liked it a lot, albeit with reservations that you never get terribly emotional involved with it. A big part of the positive was that it felt like a Superman movie for kids today; it shouldn't be the old Superman I'm used to seeing, it should be a new one for them, and that's great. It's not perfect, but it feels fresh, and most importantly it got all of the characters right as far as I can tell. Lois is great, Superman is a big boy scout again, not a moody teen moping in the sky as he has been in his last couple of movie incarnations. Likewise Lex's whole plan came out of his hatred for Superman and was based entirely around that aspect of his character, not just wanting to make a giant island or something; that was great. And the gags land too- the dog was a genius idea, and somehow you never once question that he's got a cape on! :D
One minus: I never need to see another superpowered fight scene done all in one shot whilst an incongruous pop song plays in the background. That's just really tired now.
I was disappointed by it too, but I think it was a film with its heart in the right place. In isolation I really like specific scenes and can appreciate the ideas in there. It's just the overall experience of watching it didn't really do it for me (again, I think it simply throws us too far into the story and moves a bit too quickly, so there's this uneven quality when watching it, and I don't think that's an uncommon complaint).
It just tonally isn't the most gripping treatment and I didn't feel a hugely strong emotional connection with what's going on, but it is lots of fun, and that's not nothing.
But yes, I think for a lot of people it just doesn't engage them in quite the right way. I think a lot of it comes down to how the story is told, pacing etc. For whatever reason there's this odd sense it's just not quite right for many. I can appreciate that. But I can also appreciate this film has its fans.
To be honest I can't think how it isn't focussed on Superman; everything is about him, there aren't any side plots which aren't about him. Jimmy's plot with Eve is about rescuing Superman, Lex is obsessed with Superman, the Justice Gang don't really have any scenes without Superman, or when they do they're talking about him. No character has a story without Superman.
And I do like that he is Superman for about 95% of the film. If I'm a kid I want Superman in my Superman movie, and he's almost never out of the costume so you're getting pretty good Superman value.
One thing I was a bit surprised at was that he only uses his heat vision about once? And it's in the stadium fight with Ultraman, so I was kind of not sure if this Superman even had that power by then. His superbreath is much more of the Chekhov's gun, much like Krypto's love of eating floating toys!
Yeah my high point for superhero films is still Spider Man 2, where I feel a lot of emotional investment in the story and the drama, and that creates a lot of tension. For whatever reason this film doesn't get there and I'd prefer it if it had, but it's still good fun.
And let's not forget, we're always talking on this site about Bond films having emotional investment and drama, and an awful lot of people say they don't want that. They call it 'soap opera' etc. and say they just want James Bond to turn up, shoot people, and not get involved. So I hope none of those names are complaining about this film not being dramatic or emotionally involving enough! :D
I think it's the fact that nothing truly has time to sink in with this film. We're plopped right into the middle of the story with Superman being defeated for the first time (a great idea for a first act, but it's not a fight we see, we learn it's happened through onscreen text, and there's absolutely no build up to it. We don't really get a sense of who this Superman is or what his larger reputation is beforehand, which is quite emotionally disconnecting when you see his downfall/what should be one his lowest points in the story, if that makes sense).
It left me quite cold anyway. Again, there are scenes I can watch in isolation and find impactful (I actually like the talk Pa Kent gives to Clarke). But in the actual film it feels like we've not quite built up to that properly. I don't think it's just a case of this story being set three years into Superman's career either, it's just that the storytelling's a bit off. I can definitely see what they were going for with the idea that you're opening a comic book that's been running a while for the first time, but I think telling a story via film and building that emotional connection you're talking about is its own experience.
The first two Raimi Spiderman films are awesome, and I agree the second one in particular is really effective at making you feel for the characters and story. It's not live action, but I think the Batman film Mask of The Phantasm is another superhero film that's very effective in that area (the narrative's unusual with several flashbacks, but it knows what it's doing with character and story/getting the audience invested emotionally, and it works).
Not everything will work in terms of character conflicts/dramatic stakes, and it's not a science but an art. But ultimately I agree, any film is an emotional experience. I think people notice when they feel alienated or disengaged from a movie or its characters (even if what's going on in the film is flashy, fast, or 'exciting').
The 90th anniversary of Superman is in 2028. Also, the 50th anniversary of the original 1978 film. I think we will get a Superman movie of some kind. Maybe the Superman/Supergirl team up movie. Fingers crossed for Brainiac and another new comic villain, not Lex and Zod again.
Here are some recommendations for Superman stories to read, just to show Superman's uniqueness.
Books/Novels Non-Graphic:
The Last Days of Krypton and Batman and Superman: Enemies & Allies by Kevin J Anderson. A loose two part story.
Man of Steel Novelization by Greg Cox. Some character decisions make more sense.
Graphic Novels:
Superman/Wonder Woman: Power Couple by Charles Soule.
Superman: Birthright by Mark Waid.
All-Star Superman by Grant Morrison.
Superman: Brainiac by Geoff Johns.
Superman: Secret Origin by Geoff Johns.
Superman: Unchained by Scott Snyder.
Superman: Red Son by Mark Millar.
Superman/Batman: Public Enemies/Supergirl by Jeph Loeb.
Lex Luthor: Man of Steel by Brian Azzarello.
Batman/Superman/Wonder Woman: Trinity by Matt Wagner.
Superman: Lois and Clark by Dan Jurgens.
Just a few recommendations, Superman is still a great character!
The scene with the Lois and Superman while the Justice Gang fight an alien behind them is another missed chance. Why can't we let the scene breath and focus on them instead of being distracted by the fight and it's cheap sight gags. It stole an emotional moment in the film. Here they are having a heart to heart and the audience is laughing at what is going on behind them. Never mind Superman saying "nah I am going to sit this one out." That is not his character.
If they use Luthor again as the primary villain...oh my goodness. Superman has some real interesting villains why are we always going back to Luthor. It would be like Batman movies always featuring Joker. At some point we need some new ones to explore different sides of the character.
Seems like they're teaming up, in part anyway, so there's another villain or threat.
It'll be interesting to see if they make this release date as it seems quite tight.
I agree with you @Risico007 100% on Metallo. In my Superman/Supergirl screenplay, he is the main villain. I would demand that he would be a villain if I was in charge.
If they use Luthor again as the primary villain...oh my goodness. Superman has some real interesting villains why are we always going back to Luthor. It would be like Batman movies always featuring Joker. At some point we need some new ones to explore different sides of the character. [/quote]
I feel your pain, @thedove on Lex. I just hope that Zod isn't going to be the villain! Or someone made up, or another hero's villain(s). It's beyond time for Superman's villains to get screen time!
Yes, Lex should have a form of presence in most Superman stories. As @mtm said, it seems like they're teaming up (at least for a while). I just hope that James Gunn has a cowriter this time.
Kinda intrigued by the idea that these two will team up. Luthor may be clouded by his hatred, but every now and then he has to look at Supes and think to himself “the enemy of my enemy is my friend”.