5. Real Danger
In comic book movies, it is fairly common for villains to carry out massively destructive plans that require superhero intervention. What is often ignored in these instances, however, is the deadly impact the villains' actions must have on regular people. Most of the danger is focused on the hero, or the people in direct contact with the hero.
The Avengers is a perfect example. Loki and his army of Chitauri seem to unleash hell on New York. Buildings crumble all around Earth's Mightiest Heroes as they fight to save the world, but it is questionable as to whether or not anyone was actually inside the fallen structures. When the Chitauri have a group of people cornered, they are far more antagonizing than threatening, wasting just enough time for Captain America to save everyone. At no point does the attack feel like a genuine tragedy. This is not a criticism, however, as the goal of this team up battle is to be purely fun and entertaining. Adding emotional realism to the sequence would have strayed too far from that goal.
Man of Steel is fun at times, but also shifts gears to make General Zod's attacks sufficiently devastating. The film addresses the danger facing the innocent bystanders caught in the crossfire. What's more is that the film provides a reason to care about a handful of those bystanders. Never has the danger in a superhero film seemed so real while being so big and fantastical. It is an incredible balancing act. The heightened danger makes the need for Superman that much greater.