There is only one good Superman movie. The 1978 one with Christoper Reeve. Henry Cavill as Superman is hamstrung. Cavill was given better in The Witcher, Man from U.N.C.L.E and even Mission Impossible.
There is something missing from the recent versions of Superman. Something Joss Whedon tried to shoe horn in during his version of Justice League.
The ‘S’ stands for hope. Yet there is little hope in Man of Steel. Superhuman beings fight across the planet creating damage and destruction.
A person with god-like powers must be having doubts about the way people see him. If a Super-powered fight went down in the middle of city there would be incredible damage.
Superman does save a family from Zod by snapping his neck. The scene is a Caravaggio or Rembrandt painting. There is little hope. There is no smile to the camera and barrel roll into space.
Of course the most destructive response when someone bemoans a superhero movie is…. “I bet you can’t write a good one.”. So I have.
First Act: The Meteor
A meteor falling to earth. But this Meteor resists Superman repelling him away. The meteor continues on its path to the city it will destroy. Racing to the city limits ahead of the meteor Superman launches at the meteor deflecting it from the city. Superman is knocked unconscious, falling to earth.
The Meteor shatters on landing. Superman falls onto a farm tractor. To the farmer Superman says. I can fix that. Superman is injured the ‘meteor’ sliced him. Metal is stuck in his skin, glowing green.
Clark, Lois and Martha live on the Kent Farm. So does the Kryptonian technology which includes Jor-El and Lara too. Jor-El with the aid of Drones helps Clark with his injuries. Jor-El also notices the technology.
In gaol Lex Luthor also notices. He orders someone to get what he calls the data core. A female voice complies “Yes Uncle Lex”.
Lex-corp was split into three. Lex’s Sister Lana (Tech), his nephew Lenny (Real Estate) and his niece Nasthalia (Defence). Nasthalia returns to Lex with two options prosthetic limbs and bugs “Bugs first.” Says Lex.
Second Act: Bugs Attack
In Metropolis’ Suicide Slum Lois interviews Millie and her pet bug that became internet famous. Clark is interviewing a man who has had limbs cut off from what he calls a big spider. He was near the aqueduct that borders Suicide slum.
The bugs attack. Lois, with Millie is able to get to higher ground. Clark hears them and acts. It is a ballet of destruction at super-speed. Something is watching all of this happen it highlights Superman’s “S”. But Lex is looking on via the news.
Superman uses all his gifts at super-speed, the bugs are legion. They have a scythe appendage which is deadly. Millie is holding her bug. Superman sees it happening in slow motion unable to stop Millie loosing her hand.
Third Act: Super-bot Army
Lois’ list of suspects include Lex-corp. However, Lenny is offering new prosthetics. The fabrication machine for these prosthetics begins making something more. Security guards watch as pieces knit together to become a body. They fire their guns and scream.
Lenny is in crisis mode, yelling at Nasthalia. Lex enters with a robot calling itself Brainiac. Brainiac needs tech to phone home. Tech Supeman has. Lex has made a deal. Brainiac offers Lex an army of Super-bots identical to Superman.
The Super-bots lure Superman into a trap. Lex is in control via a headset. They pin Superman and restrain him using a green ray. Using a similar headset to Lex’s, Clark is placed in a simulation. Clark escapes in the simulation. This lets Brainiac and not Lex discover where the kryptonian tech is.
Fourth Act: Lex Saves Superman
Lex is too busy playing Superman. Lois and Martha saw the start of the trap. With Lara stored in an “S” watch Lois wears, they search for Clark. Lois confronts the super-bot. At the farm another super-bot lands.
Lex tries to play along but Lois knows Clark too well. Martha at the farm sees the super-bot and calls out but it goes straight for the barn. Lex attempts to capture Lois. Lara activates the watch covering Lois’s hand. Lois strikes the super-bot savagely, damaging the robot. Multiple phones cover the incident. Fake Superman.
Martha enters the barn seeing the super-bot connected by cables to the tech. Drones are lying on the ground broken. Ignoring Martha it finishes and flies through the barn roof. Martha calls for Jor-El, no response.
Lex removes the headset. He rails at Brainiac but its empty. Lex defiantly pulls up the location of all super-bots. One is flying south. For Antarctica. Two can play this game. Lex frees Clark. Tells him of Brainiac’s need for kryptonian tech.
Lex demands they follow Brainiac but Clark flies to the farm. Martha is relieved. As Martha begins to tell Clark about Lois Clark flinches covering his ears. Clark smiles Lois just called.
Fifth Act: Jor-El’s Fortress
Brainiac arrives in Antartica to find a sprawling fortress. Upon entering Brainiac is confronted by Drones. Brainiac deactivates the Drones. Jor-El confronts Brainiac. I too am just a drone. You will be added to the collective says Brainiac. The super-bot merges into the tech making a chrysalis.
Clark finds Lois and Lara says Jor-El is consumed with protecting Clark from Brainiac. Jor-El has set a trap. Lois demands to go. Lara helps by saying she has to go too otherwise Jor-El will be lost. You cannot do this alone. Clark smiles I’m told there’s more of me to go around.
Ahead of the slower super-bots Clark, Lois and Lara find the chrysalis. Jor-El is content the plan has worked. Though something big has been detected. Jor-El says this is part of his plan. Connect to Brainiacs universal systems and destroy them with a virus. A huge spacecraft is on its way.
Sixth Act: Lara’s Gambit
Lara and Jor-El begin to argue. Clark leaves quickly. He flags down Lex’s super-bot army. Brainiac’s craft releases multiple drones. Its super-bots and Superman versus the Brainiac.
Lara and Jor-El have a chance to do two things. Destroy all of Brainiac or as Lara says make a new Brainiac. Lara protests to her husband “You know what is on Brainiac’s craft” Clark takes the fight to Brainiac crashing through the ship. He finds what is inside. Cites. Miniature cities. Living cities from all over the universe.
Clark tells Lex to not attack the spacecraft. Its Brainiac or us accuses Lex. Just hold the line says Clark, who races back to Antarctica. The chrysalis is growing. Clark yells there has to be another way. Lara appears. There is another way but it means Clark will loose Jor-El and Lara. Do it. Says Clark.
The meteor drones retreat. From the spacecraft a larger pod ejects and races towards Antarctica. The chrysalis begins to shift in size growing larger. It shifts and warps. From it emerges a green hand.
Clark grasps the hand freeing the new entity. Greetings Brother it says. The pod lands outside the fortress. Drones emerge. They crawl, walk and float towards the green being. They kneel. It is all over.
Superman takes the super-bots from Lex. Lex is put back in jail and Nasthalia is on the run. On his departure Brainiac gives Clark a crystal. In the Fortress Clark and Lois add the crystal. Lara and Jor-El appear giving their goodbye message.
That’s a Wrap
This is the first full draft of the movies narrative. Certain plot points worked themselves out while writing it. Others are still hanging in there. If you can contact me please send me your corrections.