But the real question is: which movie was better? Who won this summer showdown, Marvel or DC? In this review, I am going to stray away from my Star Wars fandom and report my thoughts and feelings about both Iron Man 3 and Man of Steel. I shall do so by evaluating the heroes, villains, story, special effects, and the score. THERE ARE SPOILERS IN THIS DISCUSSION. YE BE WARNED.
Villains: I never was a big fan of Superman. I was more of a Batman fan growing up. Lex Luthor being Superman’s arch nemesis was common knowledge for me, but I never really got that into the character. Always liked the Dark Knight’s villains better. So when I heard that General Zod was to be the main bad guy in Man of Steel, I was bewildered. Who is this General Zod? Also, when I learned that Michael Shannon was to play the adversary, I was skeptical. Never was a real big Shannon fan, but I went into Man of Steel with an open mind. The result: I was blown away by his performance. I loved Zod in Man of Steel. The best part about Zod for me, was that his actions were justifiable from a Kryptonian perspective. He was bred to protect his people, and if terraforming Earth and killing everyone would save his race, Zod would not hesitate. Also, the final showdown with Superman was awesome. So, in this category, Zod wins. Just don’t get me started on the Mandarin. I hated the way they did the character. Where is that stupid person who suggested that twist? I WILL FIND HIM!
Story: Going into Man of Steel, I knew that it was going to be an origin story, but the way they went about it was great! I am not a real fan of flashbacks, but they worked for the story. The whole first part of the movie is set on Krypton. Russel Crowe killed it as Jor El, and I really liked Kevin Costner as Jonathan Kent. The romance between Lois and Clark seemed forced at times, but overall, it was a solid story. Don’t listen to those critics on Rotten Tomatoes. This movie deserves at least a 65% for me. The reason I choose Superman here is because the plot for Iron Man 3 was just so…meh. The whole plot twist screwed the movie up for me and I did not like Aldrich Killian’s character all too much. What really got me was that after failing to save Pepper, he blows up all of his suits and removes the chest piece! You just proved that no matter what happens, there are things you cannot control, and that you actually need those suits to protect the ones you love. Without the suit, he’s defenseless! I’m just going to stop this rant right here and say Superman wins this category.
Special Effects: This is a close one. Both movies rely heavily on special effects. I loved the way Tony could call his suit onto his body and the fight scenes in Iron Man 3 were exciting to watch. However, you cannot beat Zach Snyder when it comes to special effects. If you have seen Man of Steel, they pretty much destroy 95% of Metropolis. And that is what would happen if two godlike beings decided to duke it out in a heavily populated area! It’s a close call, but Man of Steel takes the cake here.
Score: One name. Hans Zimmer. Hans Zimmer created a great score that complimented the movie quite well. While Zimmer tried to instill a sense of fear in Batman Begins, for Man of Steel, the score is very hopeful. I especially like both Superman’s theme and Zod’s theme because they are so different. Superman’s theme starts with a little piano and gets emotional during the movie. Zod’s theme has a very menacing tone to it. I currently have both songs on my Ipod! With Iron Man, the score sounded great in the trailer, but then again, the movie looked great in the trailer. I don’t remember a single theme from that score, and the movie was subpar in itself. So, again, Superman gets it.
The verdict is in! From a score of 1 to 3, STEEL BEATS IRON. If you gave me the choice between Man of Steel and Iron Man 3, I’d have to choose Superman and then go on to dispose of Iron Man 3 properly by burning it at the stake. I am very interested to see where Zach Snyder, Christopher Nolan, and David S. Goyer will go with Superman. The origin story in my opinon is the hardest to do for a comic book movie because you have to establish so much about the character. I feel like we are about to see a ‘Dark Knight’ for the Man of Steel. I believe Superman is in good hands, Iron Man…I want Jon Favereau back as director should they do a fourth movie.
MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU
Ken
Star Wars Nerd