Release Date: June 14, 2013
The story: The movie begins on Krypton, as Superman’s father, Jor-El, fails to stop the destruction of his home planet. He sends his infant son, Kal-El, to Earth, where he is raised by a kindly pair of Kansas farmers. Pa Kent gives young Clark strange advice about not using his powers publicly and is killed by a tornado. Kryptonian supercriminals led by the brutal General Zod escape their extra-dimensional prison and come to Earth with the stated goal of turning the planet into a new Krypton—with the body count that that implies. Superman introduces himself to the world in the worst way possible, failing to save thousands of people in Metropolis during Zod’s attack. He eventually wins by murdering Zod, an action that remains controversial among fans. The movie ends with Superman established as the world’s most powerful being, dedicated to altruism but held in suspicion by many. Zack Snyder’s Superman remains disconcertingly alien in affect.
Who appears:
Superman
Jor-El
Lara Lor-Van
Jonathan Kent
Martha Kent
Lois Lane
Perry White
General Zod
Faora Hu-Ul
Noteworthy events: After the better part of a decade in limbo, Superman returned to movie screens in 2013, courtesy of divisive director Zack Snyder. Fresh off the success of Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy, Warner Bros. was determined to launch a successful franchise to compete with Marvel. Viewers remain divided as to whether Snyder’s vision of the Man Of Tomorrow is daring, disrespectful, or just plain dull. Although the film was far from the commercial and critical home run of the original Iron Man, it nevertheless succeeded in launching the DC Cinematic Universe.