Today I watched Man of Steel, and let me just say it's perhaps one of the best superhero movies I've seen. Now although its one of my favourites, I can't deny there are plenty of flaws but the stylization definitely makes up for it.
I think this is taking too long so I'll just jump back to Man of Steel
Cons: The action was just pointless action at many points in my opinion Fighting in Smallville, then fighting in Metropolis. During the Smallville fight I noticed there was just sooooo much product placement: Sears, 7Eleven, Nokia, Nikon, Trident, Ihop (though the last was funny just because of Pete Ross).
Pros: The beginning, I loved the cinematic scope of the last days of Krypton. I enjoyed Russell Crowe's heroic Jor-El. Jor-El is really such an important part of the story. Him and Jonathan: they both sacrificed themselves for their son. Jor-El, my goodness every scene he had brought my heart a flutter. He perhaps is the greater hero in this film. Some may say why didn't he just go and save Pa Kent from the tornado. Because that would have been too easy. Maybe he didn't have superspeed, I actually never saw him use it. Because he trusted in his father and despite the pain for both him and his mother, Jonathan knew what he was doing... Isn't that what any parent would do and continue to do everyday? Sacrifice for their children so they can live in a better world. If Clark did show his powers, he would have been ostracized by society. People do tend to fear the unknown.
I loved how it didn't progress linearly (ie how Krypton didn't quickly go to Clark Kent growing up but rather we were able to see him growing up through memories across the movie's span. It was heart wrenching to watch Jonathan die in the Tornado, so heroic. I loved the nods to things like Pete, Lana, Chloe from Smallville (Sullivan Company in that one flashback when that football player tried to make Clark Fight) and Lexcorp signage, Lois finding out from the ghetgo that clark is Superman (and the first one to in fact!), Martha and Lara as the loving mothers, how even though its a serious movie there are many sly gags (Pete Ross moments for one lol, The scene where the two kryptonians battle it out on top of construction turning 106 days without an accident back to 0) and Clark's charm peaking through when it can.
Ultimately the story isn't just about fighting the villain and saving the day, but a struggle from being an alien on earth, being naturally born so he is free to choose, growing up in Kansas trying to find out what it means to be Superman. You see that struggle all the way through. You see him wanting to fit in though cant. You see him trying to live up to what his fathers taught him. You see hope.
At the climax of the film Clark kills Zod, that actually shocked me but it was good.
I'm tired will finish this later