A Modern Day Starship Troopers

Rating: 9/10 (21 March 2015)

Many people look at this film and say it's juvenile and doesn't have any character development. They say it's a joke. They say it's not Superman. Does this sound familiar? In the coming years people will look back at this movie like we look back at Starship Troopers (1997): they will watch it, enjoy the awesome fights, recognize its self-reflection, and ultimately find it endearing. "Endearing" is the perfect word for this movie. Superman is a lost, almost hipster, soul. His home world has been melodramatically, but awesomely, destroyed and now it's come back to haunt the human race. Characters often state platitudes both emotional and philosophical, but that only makes us like them more. As the amazing fights climax with Hans Zimmer's best score yet, audiences have two options: laugh and pretend like your smarter than Snyder, or smile and join the fun. I suggest you join the fun. There's no reason not to. This is a great movie.
In many ways this film is as cheesy as the old Superman films. It's just cheesy in a modern way. It uses all the modern conventions to their logical conclusion: non-linear story, grittiness, "realism," the damsel in distress has been replaced with a supposedly strong female lead despite the fact that she still actively plays the old role... What's there to hate? I'm serious. I don't understand why people don't like this movie. Then again, I never understood why people didn't like Starship Troopers. These films know what they are, but don't care, and that's something I'll always love. The fact that they do what their meant to do (action) so well is just lovely icing on the top.