A brilliant more realistic take on Superman

Rating: 9/10 (22 June 2013)

Superman. This word means so many different things to so many people. Everyone has their own version of what superman should be like. A lot of us grew up with Christopher Reeves. Others have never had a Superman to picture. The former are probably angry that this new superman is the first superman that a whole generation are being introduced to.
Why?
Maybe because this Superman isn't as clean cut as Reeve's version. But there are 2 flaws here: 1) Reeve's Superman is from a different era 2) You shouldn't even compare.
We all loved Reeves but this is a new take on the Man of Steel. Nolan asks how would a man who learns he's from another planet actually act if it was true? Would he be as clean cut as Reeve's portrayal - probably not. We'd like to think he'd try, but the truth is that it would be a very rocky road for that person. They're at a point where they can take over the world or choose instead to help it. And it points back to a simple truth - we are heavily influenced by our upbringing, which rings home in Nolan's version.
Some people are annoyed at the violence and amount of people who die in this movie. But the point again Nolan makes is that if there was a Superman on earth a lot of his battles would end in destruction. Unavoidable. And civilian casualties would be inevitable. Superman is only 1 man. And couldn't possibly save everyone. But what is hammered home here is that he would save those he could. However there would always be Victims. And a lot of people hate this truth and therefore don't like the movie. Understandable.
Superman is a fantasy. A chance to believe a hero can save everyone. No matter how unbelievable. Why superheroes were invented. Nolan likes to look at the realistic side though of these characters.
So if you want to see a realistic take on Superman go see this film. If you have an ideal Superman already in your head, this film will probably annoy you. I loved the realism. I loved that Superman wasn't perfect. And maybe even made choices at the end that he'll regret later. But that's my preferred version (at the moment) of the Man of Steel. Flawed but trying his best to make the right choices based on what he learned from his parents. And isn't that what we all spend our life trying to do?