10. Superman says:
I grew up in Kansas, General. I'm about as American as it gets.
Starting off light, this line of dialogue doesnt even scratch the surface of absurdity that some of my later entries claw at. Still, this line stinks of an arrogant patriotism that infects a lot of this movie. Even worse, its used as a very lame excuse to shake off an intriguing sub-plot that could have had potential in a sequel. The army are following and investigating Superman towards the end of the film. Instead of exploring the implications of this activity, however, Goyer treats it as an inevitable plot-hole and brushes it away with one line of dialogue. Superman destroys a government satellite that has been spying on him and drops it in front of an army general who, for no apparent reason, is driving through a desert landscape. He then says I know youve been trying to figure out where I hang my cape. And this is cringe-worthy on its own. Especially when you consider that he would now be the most recognisable person on Earth anyway. But when the general asks him how he can be trusted, he spouts off that he was born in Kansas and is as American as it gets. Okay. But hes also an alien who was just involved in the destruction of a major American city, with almost no explanation. Still, hes from Kansas. How can we not trust him? And what about the million dollar satellite he just destroyed? Is the general no longer concerned about that at all because hes as American as it gets? Okay, so they cant actually do anything about Superman. But, somehow, I dont believe that theyd really be acting so nonchalant in this situation.