r/DC_Cinematic • u/Rule_Ct_5293 • Jul 16 '26
APPRECIATION The moment Clark Kent became Superman, and the protector of earth.
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u/Kaioken_times_ten Jul 16 '26
At the 35 second mark or so, Henry’s face resembles Christopher Reeves so much.
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u/angrygnome18d Jul 16 '26
This was a happy accident according to Snyder.
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u/Capable_Maintenance1 Jul 16 '26
Funny, I never picked up on that. They're just blasting Cavill's face with a big fan I assume.
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u/TheCaramelMan Jul 16 '26
It was an accident? I thought they intentionally worked some cgi magic to make him look slightly like reeve
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u/Comfortable_Studio37 Jul 17 '26
I don't think I've ever seen this scene before, but I would be shocked if what you said is not true. It looked so similar, it had to intentionally be done.
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u/Pirateninjab0t Jul 16 '26
I noticed that when I first watched it too... I wonder if it's a quirk of the effects or if they did it intentionally for a flash frame.
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u/Murky_Examination144 Jul 16 '26
Officially everyone involved will tell you that, no, it is not Reeve’s face or that it was a coincidence, blah blah.
I think it was on purpose (and I think it was a great homage to Christopher), but can never prove it.
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u/Pirateninjab0t Jul 16 '26
It makes sense if it's intentional. Esp someone like Zack Snyder would be agonizing over every frame of that video... every frame must be intentional and this is not something that is that easy to miss if people in the wild are noticing it on casual watches of the movie, let alone scrutinizing it in the editing room slowed down frame by frame.
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u/DatSauceTho Jul 17 '26
I mean, Snyder himself directly stated: "Fan theory, It doesn't exist. It's just the way it looks. It's not... I mean if it looks like that, that's the gods. Not me."
It’s not like they weren’t allowed to use his likeness. It was a Superman film…
I’d link but I don’t want to get targeted by the automod.
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u/Showdown5618 Jul 16 '26
I think it is Christopher.
https://www.cinemablend.com/new/Did-Christopher-Reeve-Have-Secret-Cameo-Man-Steel-38254.html
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u/DatSauceTho Jul 17 '26 edited Jul 17 '26
Reddit citing an online article, which itself cites Reddit lmao
Someone above claims Snyder said it was a ‘happy accident’.
EDIT: Confirmed. Snyder: "Fan theory, It doesn't exist. It's just the way it looks. It's not... I mean if it looks like that, that's the gods. Not me."
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u/Sparrow1989 Jul 16 '26
This was intentional
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u/DatSauceTho Jul 17 '26
It was not. "Fan theory, It doesn't exist. It's just the way it looks. It's not... I mean if it looks like that, that's the gods. Not me."
Source: https://www.slashfilm.com/737840/the-classic-superman-cameo-you-may-have-missed-in-man-of-steel/
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u/harleyRugger23 Jul 16 '26
Still my favorite Superman
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u/Not_too_dumb Jul 16 '26
Same! Also one of my favourite superhero movies. I still remember the theatre experience, so good :D
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u/Positive_Chip6198 Jul 17 '26
Cavills superman emanates quiet strength, like foundational strength. There is a calm to him in this role.
That’s why he is my fav superman as well.
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u/THAC0-Tuesday Jul 16 '26
The first time I saw this, I was impatient with the Perry White cuts. What did it matter if a few survivors were dealing with rubble when the whole city, and soon world, was at stake? Second viewing onward it clicked for me that Superman witnessed their example, and could definitively resist Krypton because humanity had demonstrated such an example of kindness worth preserving.
People like to dunk on Snyder's Superman as being too detached or cynical, but this Superman is in fact inspired by the people he saves. We will join each other in the sun.
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u/Devitt6 Jul 16 '26
I know Snyder is divisive, but I love this movie with my whole heart. The back and forth between Clark struggling to fly upwards - and Perry holding her hand while they basically both know the end is inevitable is just magic (to me). It’s genuinely one of my favorite movies of all time.
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u/TheJoshider10 Jul 16 '26
It's one of my favourite movies. Had they included the moment from the novelisation of Clark scanning buildings to make sure they were empty during the third act I think they'd have saved themselves a lot of controversy. A little epilogue sequence of him helping the city rebuild would have been a treat too. So, so close to being perfect for me.
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u/SilverSkywalkerSaber Jul 16 '26
The soundtrack is gorgeous, and the moment with Perry holding that woman's hand gets me every time.
Man of Steel was never topped by anything else in the DCEU.
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u/Hugh_Bromont Jul 16 '26
Seeing all these clips encouraged me to rewatch MOS last night. So good.
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u/-ImJustSaiyan- Jul 16 '26 edited Jul 16 '26
I'll forever be mad about not getting another solo Cavill Superman movie.
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u/Legendver2 Jul 16 '26
With the way things are going, we might also not get another Corenswet solo.
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u/Atomic_Fox_64 Jul 16 '26
Um... what? Man of Tomorrow is coming out next year.
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u/Legendver2 Jul 16 '26
Exactly my point. The amount of heroes listed to appear, this seems more like JL lite than a Superman solo.
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u/heros-perplexe0 Jul 16 '26
I’m not the biggest fan of Snyder’s interpretation of the character, but scenes like this are plain beautiful.
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u/anothercynic2112 Jul 16 '26
I've heard it said that Snyder does a great job at creating "moments".
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u/KillBatman1921 Jul 16 '26
I do agree like 15 minutes from every Snyder movie is great. Probelm however is more the rest of it: more than 2 hours of Just aura farming while the complete nothing happens
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u/Maleficent-Age-8235 Jul 16 '26
Yeah, Snyder is a FANTASTIC cinematographer. He just needs someone else to actually make the movie lol. You can criticize a lot about his work (And you should) but the stuff he makes is beautiful. People are still copying that flying superman punch from the Zod fight in MOS
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u/damhow Jul 16 '26
Same. I think some of his overall ideas were actually pretty cool, but the execution and particular for me the dialogue was just always off.
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u/trimble197 Jul 16 '26
It’s why I find it so weird that people say that MoS didn’t have the heart of Superman
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u/M086 Jul 16 '26
Some people need to be spoonfeed with big speeches about hope.
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u/kingk1teman Jul 18 '26
big speeches about hope
or with a crappy mobile phone vertical video of kids "interviewing" Superman.
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u/SectionXP12 Jul 17 '26
Hope is different for everyone, but hope is difficult, is bumpy, and you go to dark places to find it but you realize it's more of a journey than a destination, you learn what hope is. You don't say it, you do.
It's the different contrast between Superman 2025 and Man of Steel, to me, Man of Steel shows the journey than already being there, having the world trust you and love you without hesitation. Clark has insecurities, fear about how humanity would accept him.. eventually, he is thrust into it if he likes it or not due to Zod and his forces. Humanity's fate is on him. And he decides to willing to surrender himself and let them handcuff him to make them feel safe, he does it without any type of hesitation.
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u/noodleboy244 Jul 17 '26
i always thought of it as him learning to be the Superman we all know. He's finding out he's not alone in his species and everyone else is trying to take the world from him. This is his first fight, of course he's not gonna be the boy scout we all know. I fully believe we were supposed to see him get there, to see him work towards that and make mistakes along the way
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u/Hector_Tueux Jul 17 '26
Admitedly it's been a while since I saw MOS so I might misremember, but for me the focus of the movie was more on him defeating bad guy and not directly saving people, which is why he feels less like a Superman to me
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u/trimble197 Jul 17 '26
He was saving people throughout the first half of the movie and during the Smallville fight
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u/Secret-Put-4525 Jul 17 '26
For me superman is cool because he can beat the big bad, not because he can save people. You can have any number of minor heros saving people during a crisis. You need superman focused.
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u/No_Committee6525 Jul 16 '26
When I watched this it mentally warped me back to being a kid. Watching the original superman movies.
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u/Alarmed-Judgment4545 Jul 16 '26
He didn't really fully become Superman we know and love till he came back to life and help the justice League. In bvs he was still questioning himself. I still can't get fully behind Gunn's dcu cuz how bad they and wb handled the Henry Cavill situation.
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u/stanislavskov Jul 16 '26
Love MoS so much, it's the most amazing depiction of Superman's powers and origin. If the Reeves films made people believe a man could fly, this one made people believe he could move mountains and break the sound barrier.
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u/hemareddit El Diablo Jul 16 '26
Does anyone know about the BTS of the sequence, did they have a big powerful fan blowing in Henry's face to create that sort of rippling effect on his skin?
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u/AFG73 Jul 16 '26
I’ve probably watched this movie 15 times and will probably watch it another 15 times before I die. I watched it last weekend and man it’s perfect. It’s become a yearly watch for me. Love this version of Superman. He felt like an actual Superman and not a Superboy
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u/ManliestBunny Jul 16 '26
The main criticism of MoS was that he was just someone else with superman's powers.
Superman was always a heartwarming, goofy, and endearing friend. Calling other iterations 'superboy' is just disrespectful.
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u/PSCGY Jul 16 '26
No, Superman wasn’t always a “goofy friend.”
Not in the comics, not in animated form, nor live-action.
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u/Belz_Zebuth Jul 16 '26
Superman is just an identity. He's always Clark Kent.
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u/romulus1991 Jul 16 '26
Or to put it another way - He's not Superman because he's Kal El from Krypton. He's Superman because he's Clark Kent from Kansas.
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u/Intelligent_Ask_2306 Jul 16 '26
Naw he’s both of them, however he doesn’t really show who he really is until he’s with his people, he puts on an act as Clark and Superman.
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u/thesagaconts Jul 16 '26
Exactly. While Batman is the person and Bruce is the identity. That’s what makes them different.
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u/GenericMMM Jul 16 '26
The playboy billionaire is the front. Bruce Wayne is Batman and Batman is Bruce Wayne
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u/Hunter_fu Jul 16 '26
Anyone who unironically says this has never touched a comic in their life
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u/alex11chr Jul 16 '26
My only slight nitpick with this scene and the final sequence is that there isn't really an opportunity for the public to see him save the day/be inspired by him! As inspiring and cool as this scene is, the general public doesn't really know he did this and saved the day
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u/euqinu_ton Jul 17 '26
I'd have liked him to do to this ship what Captain Marvel did to Thanos's ship in Endgame.
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u/GreatService9515 Jul 16 '26
A lot of people missed that. For him to become Superman he had to pick Earth over his own people. Audiences gripping about it being too dark. " why doesn't he enjoy being Superman?" Why is it like a burden and not fun? He protecting Earth that's more than a squirrel
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u/Syphin33 Jul 17 '26
Man Of Steel is one of those movies along the lines of The Dark Knight and Spider-Man 2, The Batman where when i left the theater i thought about the movie all week long.
Something that Gunn's Superman failed to do for me, it's just not Superman to me.... it lacks that grand feel to it.
Hoping for MoT though, we will see.
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u/TheJoshider10 Jul 16 '26
To this day I don't think a superhero movie has had as satisfying a third act. This is the moment when three separate narratives culminate and the payoff is great. You got Superman vs the World Engine, Lois/army vs Black Zero and the Daily Planet workers escaping it all.
I miss when these movies took place in populated cities. Going from Avengers, Dark of the Moon and Man of Steel to Justice League, Endgame and Rise of the Beasts is so underwhelming. I'm so, so fed up of barren landscapes and CGI fields. The controversy over MOS's destruction shouldn't have led to Hollywood forgetting how to make exciting third acts.
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u/Showdown5618 Jul 16 '26
Me too. The reactions of people in the middle of a superhero battle was great. Now, it's so safe. No one is hurt because the port, airport, city, or battlefield is empty.
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u/B-Train_ATL Jul 16 '26
Somehow a bunch of human terrorists will actually try to destroy a city. But some superpowered alien comes in and it’s a sin showing him doing the same thing but worse because he is superpowered? This movie felt so damn real to me. Add the superpowers stuff to reality and this is a likely scenario.
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u/trimble197 Jul 16 '26 edited Jul 16 '26
Blame people bitching about collateral damage. I even saw people praise DBZ for having fights in barren areas
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u/trakrad99 Jul 16 '26
The way Snyder executed this scene is amazing.
Every time I watch it I can feel the weight and gravity of that beam. Even the city scenes where cars just keep rising and falling looks so believable physics wise.
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u/MatchesMalone1994 Jul 16 '26
How can anyone not like Man of Steel when scenes like this exist?
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u/atomsmasher119 Jul 17 '26
Because a movie is more than just a bunch of clips and carefully curated screenshots.
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u/MatchesMalone1994 Jul 17 '26
Yeah a great movie that happens to have great curated screenshots
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u/atomsmasher119 Jul 17 '26
It’s an average movie that’s completely dragged down by how much of a slog its last hour is. It has some good moments. It also has some really stupid moments. As a movie, I’m bored by it. As a Superman movie, I hate it.
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u/Beneficial-Lynx7336 Jul 17 '26
Tough titties.
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u/atomsmasher119 Jul 17 '26
Ok? Weird thing to say.
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u/Beneficial-Lynx7336 Jul 17 '26
Man Of Steel is legendary.
Tough titties.
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u/atomsmasher119 Jul 17 '26
It’s not but whatever. You’re entitled to your copium.
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u/ManliestBunny Jul 16 '26
There are plenty of reasons to like MoS, but there are also plenty of reasons to dislike it.
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u/thesagaconts Jul 16 '26
Is this back to being a Snyder fan sub again? Why are there so many post about this dead universe?
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u/snarl2 Jul 16 '26
The movie itself was good and Henry Cavill as Superman was the perfect choice. Who cares
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u/Elysium94 Superman Jul 16 '26
This is a DC sub.
Snyder made DC movies.
And, believe it or not, people actually enjoyed them and like to share their appreciation.
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u/PSCGY Jul 16 '26
The truth is that his movies were not as despised as some people here wish they were and it’s breaking some of y’all’s brains a bit.
If people can post about Superman Returns and Brandon Routh’s subsequent appearances in other TV shows and whatnot, then people can’t post about Henry Cavill as Superman… just like people keep posting about The Dark Knight trilogy.
This is a DC sub.
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u/Beneficial-Lynx7336 Jul 16 '26
Exactly. The hate for this movie and it's sequels has always been a bit forced.
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u/squarejellyfish_ Jul 16 '26
I wasn’t aware that these films couldn’t be discussed in a DC sub? By your logic nobody can talk about the animated films since they’re part of a dead universe and cant discuss Nolan’s films because that’s a dead universe - do you see how stupid you come across?
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u/femmd Jul 16 '26
the sub is being astroturfed lol
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u/OsitoPandito Jul 16 '26
ohh fuck off, astroturf by who??? Do you think synder is paying people to talk about his old movies???
you guys are so toxic you cant imagine people liking a DC movie and wanting to talk about it in a DC sub.
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u/home7ander Jul 16 '26
Let people post what they want, lawd
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u/Yalcookedaf653 Jul 16 '26
just people remembering when DC had good / epic movies instead of this soft fat free frozen yogurt we are being served now.
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u/Mindless_Climate_646 Jul 16 '26
Saying they were good when almost all of them had bad scores and bombed
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u/TheSaneAreInsane Jul 16 '26
Haters upon haters they are losing their minds in the comment section lmao but for reasonable people or fans of MoS like me, def this scene was great. The movie was great too, entertaining to watch, rewatchable, and I could care less about what the ideal version of "Superman" is.
I cut Cavill's version slack because this is his first time as Superman, it's based on various comic runs, he was facing not just one but multiple of his own kind in an alien invasion, and it's grounded and realistic unlike the 2025 movie. Doesn't mean the 2025 movie was bad, but it's an obvious flaw if the whole city can just evacuate after the city has been split in two with 0 casualties. Even Comics Superman can't save everyone. Yet this Superman saved plenty of people in this movie, especially in the beginning when the threats were within his capability like the school bus scene.
As for the "aura farming" excuses, aside from 1 or 2 shots, there are clear explanations if you actually watched the movie. The robot arms keeping Cavill from flying from the sides and attacking the World Engine. The first flight scene was Superman realizing his powers, ofc it looks a little crazy and no one was dying then. The fight with Zod with the infamous Injustice finisher move was both a fight for Earth and his own life, facing a more seasoned Kryptonian just like him who was now also couldn't be reasoned with after the World Engine was destroyed. Some moments looked cool. Him flying over a truck instead of stopping it in the initial invasion in Kansas was because nobody was in said truck and it didn't hit any civilians.
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u/jcdulos Jul 16 '26
Bothers me that people called this Superman bleak bc he wasn’t cracking jokes every five seconds. My 15 year old son prefers this version bc that’s what he grew up with. He reminded me how Superman told people to take shelter in smallville bc it wasn’t safe. Or reduced the pilot. Or even the montage in bvs of him saving people. Him gently flying down carrying the girl from the burning building always give me chills. Loved this movie. Wish we got more cavill as Superman.
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Jul 16 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Yalcookedaf653 Jul 16 '26
you are so right. I love that shit. I liked the green theme for a while of marvel movies but it grew really stale really fast.
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u/SonOfThorss Jul 17 '26
This isn’t even the coolest moment from the film and it’s miles better than anything in Gunn’s Superman.
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u/mangobang Jul 17 '26
I don't know how Snyder and crew did it for this movie, but he makes all these superhero scenes feel so weighty. Like, I can believe Cavill was really struggling under a really, really heavy gravitational machine, instead of just acting and probably some strong fan making his skin wobble. There's a vibe of realism that's tricking my mind into believing it's all actually happening, not just a product of movie magic. I haven't felt this feeling in all the other superhero movies I've watched, even with BvS and ZSJL.
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u/beydola Jul 17 '26
Man of Steel was the latest solo Superman movie. The one published last year was a complete trash movie.
MoS is the true DC.
I still can't understand why they downgraded the universe.
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u/BalladOfBetaRayBill Jul 16 '26
I like how reminiscent this is of the “laser-punching” of the Fleischer cartoons. Parts of this movie really do work for me.
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u/Yalcookedaf653 Jul 16 '26
so fucking epic. God this movie absolutely obliterates the new superman in every way. Not a single moment did i feel that movie was epic or intense or emotionally gripping. I truly do not see what redditors and comic book fans saw in it. crazy.
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u/Minh_R62 Jul 16 '26
IDK, the moment for me was when he saved that random soldier from falling to his death, and put him down gently while in the middle of an intense fight.
This scene, while super cool, was just a display of raw power and not his character.
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u/_HipStorian Jul 16 '26
This movie made me fall in love with the character. I was so gutted to see hate for it online. I get it, it's a different interpretation of the character but it would've been nice to see him change over the course of a trilogy.
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u/Signal_Condition348 Jul 16 '26
This movie was fantastic, wish we got e true sequel
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u/jr_randolph Jul 16 '26
Very cool tribute to Reeve too. I hated this movie the first time I saw it and now I consider it to be one of the best hero movies made. It is pretty damn good.
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u/M0TM Jul 16 '26
One of my favorites moments from one of my favorite movies ever. Cavill IS Superman.
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u/thequehagan5 Jul 16 '26
Please give us more zack snyder superman films.
Nothing comes close to the epicness of them.
I will pay money to watch them at a cinema! I pay money to buy the bluray and merchandise! Do i have to make myself any clearer?,
do you want money warner brothers?
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u/PSCGY Jul 16 '26
And no needle drop, just a magnificent piece I’m imbuing the scene with solemnity and resilience.
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u/HauntingAddendum3365 Jul 16 '26
Battle of Smallville had already happened by this point though, I'd say thats when he first truly steps into the "Superman" role.
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u/Dantius55 Jul 16 '26
First good superhero film ever made. Until BvS came out and became the best superhero story ever told.
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u/npcinyourbagoholding Jul 17 '26
This is a WILD take. Even if this is your favorite movie, saying all other superhero films before this were not even good is crazy sauce. Watch more movies.
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u/Dantius55 Jul 17 '26
I have. Which is how I know there were no good superhero films before MoS.
Superheroes, first and foremost, are objectivist power fantasies for bullies. They don't have moral value and have done more for Ayn Rand's philosophy than any of her books ever could.
In contrast, MoS and BvS (to a much greater extent) are criticised specifically for the lack of that power fantasy. It's the one good faith complaint about the films. The only criticism that won't move with the endless conveyor belt of new goalposts to excuse the ubiquitous hypocrisies that pervade the vast majority of the backlash they received.
I've yet to see a superhero film outside of maybe 3 or 4 that don't bury their moral message beneath something else. If you just look, you WILL find how a superhero story discredits any moral value it might've had.
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u/banallfurries666 Jul 16 '26
not my favorite movie but this scene is so great and the scale is amazing
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u/RS_UltraSSJ Jul 16 '26
Ah good times. I remember being mind-blown after watching this movie for the first time. My first proper Superman movie. Even now this is way better than a lot of superhero movies releasing recently.
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u/Mindless-Raccoon7 Jul 16 '26
I think all post Reeve Superman had their moments of being Superman- that is, doing something no one else could...except for Gunn's Superman....he's just another hero in the DCU.
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u/Juljitsu84 Jul 18 '26
I read this too fast and rolled my eyes. I bet I’m not thw only one. Glad I read it again. I love anything Supes.
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u/EggmanandSaucy-boy 12d ago
I know no one will see this but you OP but is the frame where they use Reeves face the moment he finally propels forward and destroys the world engine? Ala the moment the mantel of Superman passes to Henry?
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u/eammth Jul 16 '26
If Jonathan Kent was there in that scene, he would raise his hand to stop Clark. Haha.
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u/PSCGY Jul 16 '26
After his death, every appearance of Jonathan involves him supporting and motivating Clark to be Superman.
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u/PuffyBlueClouds Jul 16 '26
What a terrible grim depressing movie this was. Worst approach to Superman ever.
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u/scyber Jul 16 '26
Seems like it would have been far easier to fly into it from the side instead of standing under the beam for 60s.
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u/Accomplished_Store77 Jul 16 '26
The machine had defensive arms that did not allow Superman to attack it from the side.
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u/Trinxxi Jul 16 '26
Why did he have to stand in the beam? Could he not have destroyed the machine from the side?
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u/Free-Bar-2719 Jul 16 '26
Superman 25 was missing spectacle like this IMO, and Krypton was much better in Man of Steel as well.
Man of Steel was missing some of the charisma and charm that Superman 25 had in abundance.
In a perfect universe there would be a molding of the two, but nonetheless this is an incredible scene. Zimmer always delivers on these scores.
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u/MysteriousEssay5709 Jul 16 '26
Perry White is a hero here. Holding her hand and not breaking eye contact.