My qualms at the movie aside, it is nice that Superman is back. Took WB what, 25 years or so to finally get that franchise successfully back on its feet?

But man for a movie that's trying its best to tell a story, emotionally it struck out for me and especially the climax ending's supposed power isn't earned. At all. (And really, why would Superman react as he does afterwards? Think within the movie's internal logic and character-development and explain why he would. Forget comic book lore.) Why would Lois Lane be in love with him? Why would he? This movie has full of good ideas it just doesn't exploit, just really drops the ball on. This feels halfbaked.

I said it elsewhere, but that moment Supes has with Meloni where fear and ignorance is defeated by simple decency made me feel more than any of the origin flashbacks (though the Krpyton Space Opera opening I did enjoy, with vibes of David Lynch's DUNE.) I really wanted more human interactivity moments.

But beyond that, that finale fight really bothers me. Nevermind the pacing issues where the movie is over when your big supposed show-stopping climax happens. How about the fact that nothing about it was really memorable and added nothing to the story and character development?* It was just punch punch smash smash, it could've been found in any other blockbuster CGI spectacle.

Contrast that with THE AVENGERS, which I loved because (among other reasons) of the memorable character moments during that 3rd act that spoke volumes about the characters. Hulk smashing Loki, Hawkeye's no-look bullseye shot, smartass Tony Stark willing to bite the bullet if push came to shove, Captain America commanding this squad and laying out a rather logical military strategy that you usually don't find in such movies. Not to mention the characters tag-teaming in kicking ass. MOS didn't have such moments for me. It was, to use my words in the other thread, "mayhem porn." MOS for me works only as a semi-engagable disaster movie.

Or hell I'll bring up another film I saw on TV the other night, which arguably is the best superhero film ever produced: THE INCREDIBLES. Not just the best action-directed (helps being a cartoon movie I suppose, since most movies' FX anymore are cartoony anyway) but it goes through a full range of pathos and emotions. That scene when Mr. Incredible really believed his family was murdered by the villain? More emotion in that moment than in all of MOS.

Of course I'll defend MOS against one criticism that it is "humorless." Nonsense, there are legit laughs in the film.


*=The filmmakers have said that ending and the massive destruction will be fundamentally dealt with in the sequel, which is quite a good idea.