At its core, Man of Steel isn't a standard superhero movie about a good guy versus a bad guy. It goes further in scope as a true science fiction film revolving around so much more than that. It's about a person from another planet trying to identify with this onenot just among the beings ruling Earth but with every facet of the planet itself, from animals to the Sun. It's about humans coming to terms with an extraterrestrial individual possessing extraordinary abilities. It's about a dying race unable to face reality. Man of Steel is about good on a much greater scale. This isn't the kind of focus many viewers were expecting, and very likely was a turn-off for many people. If we really look at ourselves in our respective mirrors, we know that we want our superhero movies to be more centralized around a smaller premise, and the more a movie deviates from that, the harder it is for us to accept it right away. What can a superhero movie be? As fans, we know many answers to that question.
Ian Boucher is many things when he is not writing for WhatCulture.com -- explorer, friend of nature, and librarian. He enjoys stories of many kinds and is fascinated with what different mediums can bring to them. He has developed particular affections for movies and comic books, especially the ones that need more attention, taking them absolutely seriously with a sense of humor. He constantly strives to build his understanding of the relationships between world cultures, messages, and audiences.
