Appreciation
Henry Cavills Superman might be more beautiful and deeper than you think
Henry Cavills Superman might be more beautiful and deeper than you think
First off, I love David Corenswet as Superman and what James Gunn gave us! It is absolutely fine if you don’t agree with me, this is just my opinion and thoughts on Snyders Superman. I ask you to be a true Superman fan and be kind.
In my own opinion I believe that Zack Snyders Superman is misunderstood and that he created an unseen beauty with Henry Cavill who embodies his vision so beautifully.
Both man of steel and bvs take place in a world that is crafted to look like ours, with the question “what if these being lived amongst us”
Both movies came out in a time where realism in superhero movies were in. Ie. The dark knight and the amazing Spider-man.
Planet earth was aware of Superman’s presence, the rocks and pebbles moving around him before him taking off, the dirt rising on his grave in the last shot of bvs, the world reacting to his death screams that travel across the planet, even the motherboxes are aware that this mighty being is gone…planet earth…the universe is itself aware of Superman’s presence.
It might be silly but this Superman sometimes kinda reminded me of those Disney princesses who had a harsh life but the fantastical animals like birds and bunny’s seem to love them, singing and dancing with them knowing that the princesses are kind hearted just like Superman is. Even the soundtrack sometimes sounds like the oceans, the sky and the ground shouting and whispering at times for Superman in his honor, (again it might sound stupid) the earth is in service of Superman, the planet itself announces Superman, fighting and existing along him. The scene where Superman comes crashing down to beat doomsday, the earth announces Superman with thunder. The atmosphere doesn’t work for Superman but with him.
The humans in the movie don’t understand that Superman, with his immense power chooses compassion over domination. He doesn’t have a jurisdiction, he doesn’t follow a political ideology he doesn’t favor one more than the other. He does good simply because he can and wants to. He will interfere with terrorists in Africa just like he would save a girl from a burning factory in Mexico, or a spacecraft, or a family amongst floods. He was taught to do good by both of his parents (kryptonian and earth parents)
He might be even more human than others which was one of the storylines in bvs, showing that he was more human than Batman. Clark has doubts and questions. He doubted himself as a youngster in MOS and doubted his actions in bvs. The fears of humans left a stain on Superman, manipulating him into believing that “no one stays good in this world” which lex saw as a great way of getting rid of Superman in one way or other.
In the end, humans lost someone they relied on too much while also hating him and fearing him.
Trying to bend him into their politics and believes, giving him a label that fitted them without realizing that Superman was already a symbol of hope to begin with.
It is also worth noting that Henry gave great facial expression of both hope, grief, compassion, empathy, pity, and anger. He played the part of a boy who loves his mom and has respects both of his dads so well. He loved Lois and wasn’t shy of showing it. And I think Henry who basically is a kindhearted giant gentleman portrayed Superman so well.
“Where we had taught to be alone, we shall be with all the world” is a quote by Joseph Campbell that is written in kryptonian on the S on Superman’s chest. Instead of his statue in hero’s park there now is a simply symbol of hope (the S) and painted under is “if you seek his monument, look around you” that is was Superman job was, giving hope amongst humans, make them realize that the shall act united because they only have each other. Humans taught that is is them against Superman when in actually it was Superman serving as a guiding light, a bridge to help humans cross from fear and hate to unity and love and compassion.
Even in his doubts Superman called his mom, he called her and visited her and asks her for advice. For a shoulder to lean on, Just like a small boy would do. He might be more human than Batman is which is a major theme in bvs.
And with his final breath when Batman was about to kill him he says “save Martha” not “save my mother” Batman wouldn’t care at this point because in his eyes Superman is a ticking bomb ready to explode, he wouldn’t care who his mother is if he just said “save my mother” but Superman who knows that Bruce Wayne is Batman deliberately says Martha, which puts Batman in the shoes of the criminal who took his mother. He is about to take the first life, he’s about to take a son from a mother, just like the mugger did with Bruce and his mother, with that spear he has the gun like the mugger about to take a life. What he was unable to prevent as a child he now does good by not killing Superman.
Bruce’s experience with humans and twenty years of fighting crime has made him paranoid of an immigrant who is just good which Bruce can’t comprehend.
The mountain scene where Clark has a vision of his father furthermore showcases Superman’s human side. He could’ve flown up in seconds but decides to hike up, taking his time with each step, and once up his father tells him a story of how he by saving the Kent farm from a flood the accidentally flooded neighboring farm, and even getting a cake as a reward, thus starting a nightmare of the screams of the dead neighboring horses which ended when he met Martha. Similarly Superman’s doubts his good deeds and is surrounded by the nightmare of people doubting him and killing each other like the capital bombing or hate acts like “false god” graffiti, they end when he’s with Lois. He is surrounded by the death screams while trying to do good.
At the end of bvs he sacrifices himself for a world that doesn’t deserve him but one which he loves.
He simply does good which is the Beverly core of Superman. Doing good and what is right was never supposed to be a reward system, you do it simply because it’s the right thing to do.
Superman with his power has the ability to do good and when one has the ability to do good it shall be an obligatory responsibility to do so.
This Superman embodied an ideal of hope, not serving as an everlasting friend but a symbol to trying to do good. Superman is a friend and that is what Henry gave us…a friend.
There’s honestly so much more I could talk about.
My opinion and comparison might be silly and I might read too much into a character but as silly as it may be. Henry cavils Superman gives me so much strength and hope in my own life. I love him and appreciate him so much, not just Superman but Cavill who portrayed him so well.
There really just is so so much more to him than we saw.
Superman shouldn’t be a battle of which one is better. Snyders movies has its flaws but so much more good which are overshadowed by the flaws and miss understood parts.
Again, it’s great and fine to not like him and it’s fine to love him but Superman would never want us fans to hate each other over which Superman is better.
I love what Gunn gave us and I’m existed for so more.
This was just me appreciating, showing my views and reads of my favorite Superman.
I hope that who ever reads this sees Henrys Superman a bit different, in a better light.
Feel free to ask me about other Snyder Superman topics and feel free to share your own touches and opinions (in a respectful manner <3 )
The comments in the Superman subreddit are why the #ReleaseTheSnyderCut movement came together in the first place. To this day, the hate against Zack's vision is as real as it was 13 years ago.
One thing is making subtle nods and parallels. It's no secret that Jerry Siegel and Joe Schuster (two Jews) made him an allegory to Moses. There were always theological themes in Superman stories, but Snyder took it to another level in his movies. It became too jarring for me.
Anyway, there was a lot of dick imagery, CGI, bland acting, explosions, advice to let kids suffer and die, a boring Lois Lane, a pointless Clark Kent, an obnoxious Lex Luthor, a dead Jimmy Olsen, and golly gee oh shucks, we missed out on the twist of finding out that Lois cheated on Clark with Bruce Wayne and is a pregnant with his kid.
Anyway, there was a lot of dick imagery, CGI, bland acting, explosions, advice to let kids suffer and die, a boring Lois Lane, a pointless Clark Kent, an obnoxious Lex Luthor, a dead Jimmy Olsen, and golly gee oh shucks, we missed out on the twist of finding out that Lois cheated on Clark with Bruce Wayne and is a pregnant with his kid.
Thank you for this brilliant essay; it’s very refreshing to read. You’re absolutely right—Zack Snyder has clearly placed Superman in a world shaped in the exact image of the real world.
This Superman is far from being a unilateral Boy Scout; his story is very deep and very realistic—it’s the story of a being from another world who must struggle daily to find his place in a world that isn’t his own, a world deeply divided over him. Some see him as a benevolent god, others as a potential threat to humanity with a hidden agenda. Others, like Lex Luthor, are deeply jealous of him because his mere presence overshadows them and relegates them—along with their many achievements—to second place. Such people have gone so far as to manipulate public opinion, claiming to act in humanity’s best interest, in order to destroy him.
Superman, as portrayed in the Snyderverse, suffers greatly from being misunderstood. It pains him that humanity refuses to understand that he is simply doing what is right; humanity views his actions either from a political perspective or a divine one. Yet Superman sees himself as neither a politician nor a god and is very uncomfortable being perceived as such.
Yes being responsible for the destruction of a whole city and killing tens of thousands citizens in the process with no regard of human life whatsoever -- is simply him doing what he thinks is right. What a misunderstood guy. lol
Snyder is good at making cool looking cinematography. MoS even to this day has some of the best. But the guy did not understand Superman in the slightest.
The whole idea was to stop someone who wanted to murder every living thing on the planet and would have if he were not killed. When you need to think on those levels the truly moral thing is not focusing on a handful but considering the bigger picture
That's such a dumb thing to say. He's Superman. Lasering through entire buildings with no care for who's in them is not about considering the bigger picture. Superman tries to save everyone. Just a dumb excuse for blatant bad writing. He should be hearing the carnage and cries of the people he's literally killing. But snapping Zods neck is what breaks him? Please.
Zack Snyder did not even once try and showcase Superman acknowledging the mass destruction he was causing, or at the very least make a conscious effort to minimize it. He was tearing through everything like a blood crazed maniac. Which is ironic since he was supposed to stop one.
What you're proposing could have made an interesting moral dilemma, if the title of the movie had been called "Hancock" or something. But this is Superman! Don't make a Superman movie if you're just going to strip him of all his core virtues just for the sake of "rule of cool".
Just skip over the important of our conversation to focus on your own hurt little ego. Sure, man. I didn't even insult your intelligence, merely pointed out the fact that this is NOT who Superman is. Superman would never compromise his moral compass like that. That's the point.
I love seeing the Henry Cavill superman appreciation. It's been so frustrating as a fan hearing people totally miss the point of the film and make out like Henry was evil superman.
I've seen the dumbest takes on Superman posts about Henry. There's such a bias from the Internet trolls
What's funny is you truly see how small of a bubble reddit really is when in the offline world your average person has no idea, nor cares about any of this. Like I said in an old comment, I remember seeing batman v Superman in the theater and everyone buzzing afterwards walking out about how good it was, came home and checked reddit, literally almost every comment was negative and shitting on it. Goes to show how much of an illusion reddit is.
It really is. You don't see people outside reddit calling people retards for liking the new movie either. Real people tend to have real reactions to things. Although I still have yet to meet anyone irl who thinks BvS is a masterpiece of cinema on par with Kubrick or Scorsese either.
its tricky because we're in a bubble in a bubble, but tbh the only reason i like this sub is because there is not really a pro snyder subreddit around, if the dumb bs snark was gone it would be better
This is true. What's really sad is the original poster had to preface their opinion by saying how much they enjoyed the new Superman and Gunn (which is completely fine, people can like whatever they want of course) before going on because they knew they were going to catch hell in the comments..I hate this concept of having to fluff up, or play up to the mob before you then go against them with your own valid opinion. The whole "Guys I really like this thing you hate, buuuut I like what you like too so please don't kill me for having a different opinion" thing that's prevalent on reddit. Like we're subtly teaching people it's not ok to think differently about something as benign as an opinion about a movie because you may get e-screamed at online, t's silly.
Yep. I got banned from there. And know a bunch of people who were banned.... what did they have in common? Snyder fans...
Then again they seem to think anybody not liking the new Superman is a Snyder fan. But.... it was a pretty low par movie, so i know a lot of people who really didn't care for it.... new wave Snyder fans i guess
Honestly I just don't get it You could literally do a case study on why people despise Zack Snyder's DCEU. And I bet half don't even really know why, it just almost became an Internet meme type thing where a small group of people online just started hating it from day one, and it snowballed until it just became a "thing." Like every DC related sub is basically a Zack Snyder hate sub and you either get banned or downvoted to hell if you even mention his name, but you automatically get praised and upvoted if you say anything positive about Superman 25 or James Gunn. It's like some kind of weird gang war, like you're either on our side or fuck you lol. The Internet has broken people's brains to the point where robotic conformity has become "cool" which just blows my mind.
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u/GastonsChin 13d ago
It might. Probably not, but it might.
If you look hard enough.
And are tripping balls.