Considering how much Jenkins likes both the first two Superman movies and the 1970’s Lynda Carter Wonder Woman television series, I wasn’t that surprised to see this 80’s-set follow-up go full Secret of the Ooze or Superman III). and AT&T’s “put all of our 2021 movies in theaters and on HBO Max” plan, and kneecapped critically by the spree of hate-watching and out-of-context excerpts, this was still admittedly not the movie most folks were expecting as Patty Jenkins’ Wonder Woman follow-up. Kneecapped commercially by being the sacrificial lamb in Warner Bros. Gal Gadot in 'Wonder Woman 1984' Warner Bros. At the very least, Man of Steel goes for a reverse Exodus, whereby “Moses” defends his adopted people against the wrath of “God.” Like Avengers: Age of Ultron, the lead superhero endangers the entire planet and brings about horrible carnage and saves the consequences for the sequel. Honestly, this whole “Twilight of the Gods meets Godzilla meets The Day The Earth Stood Still’ approach would better with almost any hero other than Superman, especially when it still tries to sell the whole “Superman represents our ideal” theme and mostly ignores the horrific third act body count. The acting is fine, the movie looks gorgeous and Hans Zimmer’s theme is every bit as iconic as John Williams’ Superman music.

Having Clark be the one to push the button that brings Zod to Earth essentially puts the blood spilled in the city-destroying climax on his hands. But at no point does the film ever actually present Clark Kent (a game Henry Cavill) as explicitly choosing to be Superman and hoping that the world will accept him. And even while that second hour devolves into video game action (not in a good, John Wick way), the third act offers a truly awesome mix of comic book superhero movie action and kaiju-level carnage.

There’s so much that goes right in Zack Snyder’s swing-for-the-fences Superman origin story that it’s a heartbreaker when it buckles under its own weight in the second half. Henry Cavill in Man of Steel Warner Bros.

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