I really wish I could talk more about Man of Steel, but I've only seen it the one time all the way through. And it's a movie that I remember liking a lot until the ending. And I found myself sorta amazed by the actual Battle of Metropolis - which is why I think I had such a problem with how casual the ending was. If you're going to make *that* much of an impact with your climax, I need that to be respected. And, yeah, BvS is going to be the payoff, but if that's the case, I almost needed a tip to that *more* in the end of MoS. Because, otherwise, it seems more reactionary than what the plan was. And, as you said, that's when problems happen.
I'd really have to go back to see the optimism. From my memory, it wasn't there, but I might just be revising history. I rewatched the "What if Man of Steel was in color" video by Videolab (side note: I like the colored version better), and I was surprised to see Clark having as much fun flying as he did. So that's good - there needs to be a scene like that in BvS, but I'm afraid there won't be (has Clark smiled in any of the promo materials because I know for sure Bruce has).
I guess my primary problem with the characterization of Clark is Jonathan Kent. I hated him. And it wasn't Costner's fault - I just never really agreed with his character. Yes, Clark needed to be careful. But I found myself wishing that John Schneider's Jonathan (from Smallville) would show up and punch him in the face. When he tells Clark that maybe he should've let the bus full of kids drown? I don't believe he'd say that. Clark is a good person because he does the right thing, and he does the right thing because Jonathan and Martha Kent taught him to do that. I believe, on a level, Clark is Superman because one of his powers is simply being better at making the right choice - super-humanity if you will. But his moral compass is midwestern America - and you're the one who taught me that.
Jonathan believing so hard that Clark can *never* reveal his powers, even if it means letting people die, was nonsense to me. I don't buy it. It's selfish, and it's wrong. Now maybe comics Jonathan said that, but I prefer the Smallville origin where Jonathan is proud that his son wants to do the right thing. And where, instead of teaching him to be afraid of his powers, they teach him that he just better not get caught. So it forces Clark to use his powers in secret, which actually forces him to fine-tune things like his speed so that no one can see him.
The tornado scene.....ugh......what a mess. I don't buy it. Not for a second. And not any of it, honestly. Let's assume for a second that everyone under that bridge noticed Clark and was staring at Clark the entire time. So if he speeds away, everyone notices and understands there's no other explanation. These are Clark's neighbors - they aren't going to scream "ALIEN" and immediately call in the black helicopters.
But, first of all, there's a ton of chaos in that scene. Clark could've slipped into the crowd where no one would notice him, speed to save Jonathan, and be back before anyone noticed. He could've even waited until the last second so that it *looked* like he was killed in the storm, then he shows up X time later with some bruises as some kind of "miracle."
Second, I don't like a Clark that would allow that to happen. And, yeah, I know that's what he was taught. I don't like a Clark that allows that lesson to seep in. And I don't like that the moral center of Man of Steel is a moral argument between Jonathan and Jor-El where *Jonathan* is wrong. It's so backwards in my mind, and it poisons Clark's character for me. Because Clark's upbringing is supposed to be pure, but Man of Steel paints it like Jor-El has to come in and re-raise him so that he can be the hero he was supposed to be.
I would've liked a version of the story where Smallville just knows that Clark is an alien. He saves Jonathan in front of enough people, and they just understand. He saved the bus of kids. He saved his father. He's a good guy. Just like Metropolis will see this god flying around and just *know* that he's a hero. And they protect him just like he protects them. He doesn't go full Superboy or even full Smallville. Even if it's just those two things, it works.
And if they have to do the "my father was convinced that if people found out who I really was, they'd reject me" storyline, give it to Clark instead of Jonathan. Have Jonathan tell Clark that he needs to be himself, and Clark is so afraid of hurting anyone that he won't do it. When the bus starts to sink, for a second, he considers letting it fall but can't. Jonathan later scolds him for how selfish that would've been. When the tornado happens, he looks around at all the people before he speeds in. He later breaks down because he almost let his father die to protect himself. So it's about dismantling his own fear and embracing the hero that was there all along.
