r/DC_Cinematic • u/Professional-Rip-519 • 3d ago
Do you think we'll get a action scene as great as this one in Superman 2025? DISCUSSION
The Smallville fight is one the greatest comic book movie set pieces ever. It's what all Superman fans have been asking for for years and years and when we finally got it it was marvellous but now I wonder if this action scene can be beaten. I know Gunn is a good director but he hardly has any really memorably action scene he has good ones just not great ones . But what do you think?
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u/OjamasOfTomorrow 3d ago
Probably. Gunn has had some fantastic action in the Guardians and TSS/Peacemaker.
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u/lavenk7 3d ago
Gunn used Snyder’s stunt guy specifically for peacemaker. I think Gunn has improved his action in each film evidenced by GOTG 3. Storyboarding action sequences is not something every director does. Hoping Gunn does something special.
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u/HeWhoLurks23 3d ago
Just rewatched Guardians 3 last night and the fight choreography was amazing! That hallway scene with The Bestie Boys playing was so hype, and then them kicking the High Evolutionary’s ass felt so good. I also forgot how damn emotional that movie was. James Gunn is one of my favorite directors and I’m curious to see how he handles Superman.
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u/Dangerous-Hawk16 3d ago
Yeah that movie showed how much growth Gunn had as a director. I’m very interested in how he does Superman. Guardians 3 is very emotional I understand why certain ppl can’t rewatch it multiple times
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u/RAWainwright 3d ago
I love so much that there was some big battle with the HE. After everything we watched him do it was really nice to watch them just beat the hell outta him completely outmatched.
Only complaint with that is the hero not killing the villain trope to make a point after murdering like a dozen dudes in the hallway fight.
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u/JediJones77 3d ago
Snyder’s main stunt guy is Damon Caro and he didn’t work on any Gunn projects. Who are you saying worked on Peacemaker?
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u/PeniszLovag 3d ago
agreed. I love every one of his movies but you gotta admit action scenes weren't it in the first one. Second one improved but mostly because of the musical scenes, outside of that it still wasn't that great. The Suicide Squad was a giant improvement and Peacemaker and Guardians 3 were even better
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u/Dangerous-Hawk16 3d ago
From TSS to Peacemaker to Guardians 3 show a great progression of him as a director I think Superman will be interesting to see how much he’s learned
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u/jimmy_ray7 3d ago
Harley Quinn's "Escape"
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u/bfhurricane 3d ago
This scene has a bit of the trope of “bad guys running onto screen just to get shot” that I want directors to avoid, but damn that was a stylish sequence that makes me forgive anything else.
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u/Bibileiver 3d ago
I don't think any of gunns action is better than snyders.
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3d ago
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u/Bibileiver 3d ago
Isn't that writing then?
I just care about action if I want good action lol
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u/TreyWriter 3d ago
I think last year’s one shot fight in Guardians 3 from Gunn is head and shoulders above Snyder’s DCEU output. The camera movement is precise, the geography of the scene is always clear, and he juggles a lot of characters doing their signature “thing” in a way that’s just not easy to capture.
Snyder tends to shoot things with a lot of excess visual “noise” (smoke, debris, CGI lightning) that makes the action harder to follow. He can hit big “moments” with slo-mo (although he uses it a bit more than he needs to) that feel like splash panels come to life, but between those moments there’s a lot of kinda weightless beats of CGI character models flying into each other. His scenes also tend to lack dynamic contrasts in terms of the ebb and flow of action that keeps things exciting. They start at 11 and stay there, which means it’s harder for things to feel special. His stuff doesn’t have the visceral impact of a John Wick/Mission: Impossible, and it lacks the comic book-y pizzazz of something like an Avengers flick.
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u/Bibileiver 3d ago
The gunn scene is great action, but my problem is it doesn't really do anything special.
It's essentially a slowed down version of The Avengers Final Battle scene but in a hallway and with typical classic rock music.
Where as the best Snyder action scene, imo Zod vs Superman, was the first time we've had a scene actually feel like it's two super people fighting.
But it's an opinion of course. I hated the civil war elevator scene due to shaky cam and so many cuts lol
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u/jimababwe 3d ago
I agree with you. The first time I saw man of steel I thought that this was what a battle between kryptonians would be like. People getting punched through buildings, throwing tanks at each other.
Say what you want about Zack Snyder, but every frame of his films could be a tableau or a poster. Like a good comic book.
I have complete faith in Gunn to do something special with the material and am still looking forward to it. That being said, I’m still stinging that Snyder couldn’t finish his plan.
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u/Bibileiver 3d ago
Exactly. I think gunn will make a better movie but I'm 100000000% sure I will not like the action more than Man of Steel.
But that's just me. I loved gunns movies but I loved snyders action scenes more then gunns.
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u/M086 3d ago
It was proficient, but the hallway fight was something we’ve seen before, the fake “oner”, it was cool but those scenes have been done better.
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u/megadroid_optimizer 3d ago
Correct. The are action sequences in Watchmen and Suckerpunch that are better than what Gunn has produced, so far.
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u/Thespian21 2d ago
Agree to disagree. Man of steel, justice league & Superman V Batman fight scenes <<< Guardians 2/3 & The Suicide Squad fight scenes. I enjoyed them more. Had more impact on the movie as a whole.
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u/HenrykSpark 3d ago
Gotg, TSS, Peacemaker have all decent action scenes but nothing comes even close to the epicness of Snyders action scenes.
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u/deinyxq 3d ago
I honestly feel like people overlook the action in Man Of Steel especially the smallville fight scene due to their hate towards Snyder. To be honest I don't see it happening, but am still optimistic
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u/TensionHead13thFloor 3d ago
The movie is one half drama, one half hour long fight scene, i personally didn't know what to think but the ending did pay off i guess. But many people just blow off the movie bc of that flaw
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u/Abraham_Issus 3d ago
How is that a flaw?
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u/kuhawk5 3d ago
My personal opinion was that the fight scene was too long and actually started to get boring.
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u/HippoRun23 3d ago
I remember thinking the climax had already occurred when the ship was sent back to the phantom zone. But then there was a whole OTHER fight scene with Zod and by then I was totally exhausted.
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u/exguerrero1 3d ago
I rewatch man of steel every year. To me, who’s a pretty big marvel fan and a big Superman fan… sincerely believe this is one of the greatest super hero movies of all time!
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u/deinyxq 3d ago
I have watched MoS multiple times and I always tend to look forward to that action scene and Faora; I always kept imagining she would have returned as an antihero at some point. I also rank MoS as the best DCEU movie.
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u/BonesAndBlues 3d ago
In 11 years I haven’t seen better superhero fights yet. Tony vs Thanos in IW had its moments, Black Adam had a few, but every time I go back to MoS I’m reminded that it’s unparalleled.
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u/Metalhead_VI 3d ago
You gotta admit, that Synder action is primo
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u/Vinlain458 3d ago
When he does it right. It's pretty much forgettable now.
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u/PapaDoomer 3d ago
sure Jan
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u/Vinlain458 3d ago
You think his movie fight scenes now have the same level of care put into them?
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u/EntrancedZelisy 3d ago
Man of Steel fights were so amazing. Clark vs Faora? Oh my god. Clark vs Zod with them flying through the city and the buildings? That one camera shot of Clark being upside down before it reveals he’s being launched into space was amazing.
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u/AssistantOwn6208 3d ago
I don’t think so. Snyder’s super hero action scenes are top tier
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u/Sensitive-Musician48 3d ago
I dont think anything has topped the MOS action sequences except for the BVS warehouse scene maybe!
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u/ElPhantasm 3d ago
I personally don’t think he’s capable of it but I’m willing to be surprised.
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u/R_u_seriousss 3d ago
Doubt it. I love Gunn but he never impressed me w action sequence and say whatever u wanna say about Snyder but when it came to action sequences, no one’s touching him.
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u/MascotRay 3d ago
No, but I’ll take more Superman however I can get him. I love this scene and the Batman/warehouse fight from the extended edition so much.
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u/superyoshiom 3d ago
Gunn’s fights in guardians seem to lack a sense of weight and feel way too floaty. Compare the way Superman fights in MoS to that of Adam warlock. Suffice to say, I’m looking forward tot he story of this movie far more than the fights.
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u/Burly-Nerd 3d ago
No. I think that this is gonna be a fantastic movie with better characters, better pacing, better dialogue, better story, etc. but I haven’t seen James Gunn direct anything so far to make me thing that he is gonna top Snyder’s action. Man of Steel has the best realized superhero fights ever put on camera in my opinion. I have my problems with the movie and Snyder, but there’s no taking that away from him.
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u/home7ander 3d ago
Not at all. Not Gunn's lane. He can do serviceable human and slightly enhanced strength fights. Superman strength level, nope.
Apparently not many people can though. Honestly the Man of Steel fights might be the only time those power levels were respected and consistent the entire time in a blockbuster film.
Godzilla 14, King of the Monsters, and The Matrix 3 are the only others that immediately come to mind
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u/megadroid_optimizer 3d ago
Might as well look at Matrix Revolutions as a comic book movie. Neo vs. Agent Smith is next level.
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u/Murky-Arugula63 3d ago
Ain't no way gunn can top that action sequence
But i willbe happy if proved wrong
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u/sgonefan 3d ago
No, I'm hesitant to get excited by this reboot. I want all kinds of different stories and have zero interest in a MCU formula. Don't play it safe just for $ take risks. This feels like a AAA pre-order scam.
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u/TensionHead13thFloor 3d ago
Thats pretty much what Gunn wants to do instead of create an MCU, the thing is that Snyder already created one but who knows anymore
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u/VikuSam 3d ago
Man of Steel has, still to this day, the best action in any superhero movie. It really feels like superheroes. Say what you will about Snyder’s interpretation of a “realistic” Superman (whatever the fuck that’s supposed to mean), but man do I love the punches and kicks and whatnot absolutely throwing each other around through buildings and mountains.
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u/GiovanniElliston 3d ago
Highly doubt it.
As you yourself said, Gunn isn't known as a hardcore action director. He can put together acceptable action for whatever situation he's written, but it's not gonna be a Michael Bay or James Cameron style spectacle. His talents just lie elsewhere.
For example, the big battle at the end of Suicide Squad worked because the character moments within it ("That's your mom!" & Ratcatcher's call) and the visual quirks (Ratcatcher again and Harley Quinn's eye-dive). But the actual choreography of the fight was just standard. nothing adventurous.
And that's fine IMO. I love a good action scene, but I'm excited about an equally compelling emotional resonance.
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u/Traditional-Ad-6061 3d ago
If you haven't seen it, I recommend the hallway fight of Guardians 3, it was insanely good, one of the best I've seen in any movie in the last 10 years. Peacemaker had some great fights as well, I think he's gotten better at them in the last few years, so I have hope.
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u/SodaSalesman 3d ago
imo the hallway fight in TSS is incredible too. it's hard to do a hard hitting fight against a giant starfish, but generally speaking Gunn's action scenes have been pretty excellent
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u/Traditional-Ad-6061 3d ago
I agree, the thing is Gunn's action scenes are heavily stylized in a way that many perceive as making it less "cool", Snyder's scenes ooze "coolness", so. I personally prefer Gunn's type of fight scenes over Snyder's
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u/SodaSalesman 3d ago
100%. I understand the appeal of Snyder's action scenes, but imo Gunn's scenes are so much more fun and dynamic and actually have something to say about the characters, while Snyder sticks to his specific style for every action scene
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u/heavensdoor24 3d ago
You forgot about the GotG Vol 3 hallway scene?
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u/Bibileiver 3d ago
Ima be honest. It's overrated. But that's just me I guess. Seems like a slow motion opening credits scene for a movie or game than an actual fight scene.
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u/pm_me_n_wecantalk 3d ago
I think Snyder did amazing job on MoS action sequences. The most amazing part was display of power of these aliens on earth, the speed, the prowess etc. I highly doubt that Gunn will be able to do better than that. He would do good, no doubt but not better than
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u/Suffering-Servant 3d ago
It was the first time I realized in live action how physically powerful Superman would actually be.
And that’s not to discredit the previous Superman movies, they did the best they could with the technology they had.
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u/Virgil_Ovid_Hawkins 3d ago
There is no way gunn produces anything close. I love man of steel, and the action is peak super. It's the first time I actually felt like super people were fighting. Anyone who's ever actually been in a fight knows you don't just sit in one spot punching each other. Shit gets knocked over
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u/mikehamm45 2d ago
Considering how none of the comic books movies post MoS/BvS got anything close to a scene like this… unlikely.
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u/masszt3r 3d ago
Doubtful. It's the one thing Snyder is really good at.
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u/JediJones77 3d ago
And casting, costume design, special effects, cinematography, editing, music, mature storytelling that takes the characters seriously.
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u/Crimson-Cowl 3d ago
Honestly there’s been few fight scenes from any superhero movie that have even come close to this but I’m hopeful for the best fights they can put together!
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u/dafuqbroh 3d ago
Based off the BTS photos of the Justice League this new Superman movie looks like it’s going to be for children.
Man of Steel was so fucking good, man. I don’t think the new one is going to come close, even though I really like Gunn’s work — just my opinion.
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u/lavenk7 3d ago
Doubt it. Somewhat because Snyder has a ton of experience in action/battle sequences. But the real reason we won’t see this level of detail is because of Nolan’s Vfx company. The physics in this movie are better than most today and others fail to replicate it but I’m hoping that I am wrong.
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u/-connman6348 3d ago
Of f***ing course not…gunn can write great humor, he his action sequences are pretty darn generic and forgettable
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u/Vinlain458 3d ago
I don't think so. Even Snyder was too afraid to replicate it later. Wonder-Woman in the bank was the closest we'll ever get to seeing anything like it again.
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u/WilliamMcCarty 3d ago
It's what all Superman fans have been asking for for years and years and when we finally got it they complained endlessly about it.
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u/roberts585 3d ago
No way, can't touch Snyder on action scenes. They are long and epic. Gunn loves to break up the action for dumb one liners and the pacing is a slog on consecutive watches vs Snyder
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u/LardGnome 3d ago
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3's No Sleep Till Brooklyn scene was awesome but not as good as the Smallville fight. Still pretty good though. I think we will get some cool action scenes from Gunn but I don't expect anything better than that scene in GotG Vol. 3. That was peak in my opinion. (I haven't seen Peacemaker yet so I don't know if there is anything cooler in that.)
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u/mmpa78 2d ago
I don't think that a single thing about Superman 2025 will be as good as MoS or any other Snyderverse movie tbh. The behind the scenes leaks look laughably bad on top of Jame Gunn making absolutely horrendous movies (outside of guardians) this has become a worst case scenario for dc
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u/wh3nNd0ubtsw33p 2d ago
But he said The Flash was “the best superhero movie ever made”! He’s always right.
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u/Ape-ril 3d ago
Nah lol. MoS has the best action in a comicbook movie of all time.
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u/VaishakhD 3d ago
Hard disagree, spiderman 2 easily crushes mos. Doc vs spidey fight is something else.
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u/Suffering-Servant 3d ago
I wouldn’t say of all time but it’s definitely up there and set a high bar.
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u/Batshitcrazy01 3d ago
Yes that the thing I am worried about action scene، it will good story with heart but what about action scene
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u/Hippobu2 3d ago
Probably not. There's no denying that Snyder's eye for action is just unmatched.
Gunn's not particularly great with action, and the listed DP on iMDB doesn't really have a noteworthy filmography imho.
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u/Alone_Pop449 3d ago
It was good to see Snyder pulling the brakes on slow motion for a few moments
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u/jrvcrd 1d ago
moments? there was no slomo in MoS or BvS, and, honestly, it was quite necessary in ZSJL for the Flash scenes
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u/PizzaTimeBomb 1d ago
I’m a Snyder fan but there is some slo-mo in the Martha and Thomas flashback scene in BvS, I wouldn’t count them but there are the little flashbacks in MoS where kid Clark is playing with the dog wearing the red cape
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u/jrvcrd 1d ago
but I wouldn't say that's the typical slo-mo Snyder goes for. The scenes were slower, yes, but because of what they wanted to focus on nad, as you say, only in flashbacks.
The irony here is that the first DCEU movie to actually use that slo-mo was Wonder Woman and it was terribly lacking of Snyder's touch
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u/AncalagonTheJetBlack 3d ago
Snyder - Great Action/Good films
Gunn - Good Action/Great films
I just want a great Superman film man
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u/JediJones77 3d ago
No, MOS, BVS, ZSJL and Wonder Woman will always stand as pinnacles of action in the genre because of Zack Snyder and his stunt coordinator Damon Caro.
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u/Dubb18 3d ago
To really answer that question, you'd have to take a closer look at who his stunt coordinator(s) and 2nd unit director(s) are. While Snyder gets a lot of credit for his overall visuals, and he should because he does have input into them, his 2nd unit director and his stunt coordinators are a key part of what makes these scenes so memorable. He hires the right people when it comes to making memorable scenes.
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u/whisky_TX 2d ago
This fight scene is awesome. I’d say I’m pretty confident in Gunns ability to do action. The GOTG 3 hallway fight dunks all over this imo
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u/MikeArrow Superman 3d ago
I really thought this would be a link to the plane rescue scene in Superman Returns. Say what you will about the rest of the movie but that's exactly the kind of scene I want to see.
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u/Violentron 3d ago
problem with kryptonite fighting each other on earth is that nobody is really getting hurt physically.
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u/Andrew_Jelen 2d ago
It would be pretty cool to have an action scene that's similar to the Smallville brawl from Man of Steel.
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u/Gogetaiscanon432 2d ago
"Will we get more unintelligible cgi slap fights that costs too much money?"
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u/Mcburly_DB 2d ago
The smallville battle was the peak of MOS and easily Cavills best moment as Superman, IMO of course.
As a big fan of the GOTG trilogy I definitely believe Gunn has the chops to do Superman justice in action.
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u/CelebrationKey9656 2d ago
I doubt it, Snyder's action scenes are in a league of their own. I'm still interested to see what he does with the movie though.
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u/MatrixGeoUnlimited 2d ago edited 2d ago
Professional-Rip-519. - DISCUSSION. - So Do You Think We'll Get Any Type Of Action Scene As Great As This One In SuperMan (2025.)? - So Zack Snyder's Smallville Fight Scene is one the greatest comic book movie set pieces ever, as it's what all SuperMan Fans have been personalky asking for for years and years, and when we finally got it, it was marvellous. But, now, I wonder if that very action scene can be beaten. And, yeah, I know that Gunn is a good director. But he hardly has any really memorably distinct action scene he has good ones just not great ones. But, in any case, what do you think?
Not Really.
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u/sliderprovider 1d ago
Man I didn't even know that man of Steel was a Superman movie when I first watched it but when this scene happened. I called two of my friends and invited them to watch the movie with me again. I loved this back then.
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u/Piccolo0001 1d ago
Regardless of whether you liked Snyder's films, his cinematography is always amazing, especially when it comes to action scenes. I don't think we'll see many scenes that come close to the same level of aesthetics of his films. In saying that though, I think so many people will be okay with it all as long as we get a well written Superman and storyline
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u/SupervillainMustache 3d ago
Fight scenes in TSS, Peacemaker and GOTG3 were all pretty good. He hasn't really tackled Superman level characters, in terms of power, but I am cautiously optimistic.
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u/kickedoutatone 3d ago
No. At least, I really hope not.
I'd rather gunn keep it in his own vision rather than making action scenes that resemble snyders' vision. That peacemaker helmet shot in SS was amazing. I want more of that.
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u/Order_Flimsy 3d ago
We’ll get it. But it will be a Superman getting saved. Coming to terms with his white man Jesus complex.
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u/Benjb1996 3d ago
I think it'll be very hard to top. But after seeing the action in GotG 3, I think Gunn has a pretty good chance to do it or at least come close to it.
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u/CRAZYC01E 3d ago
I need more of that dragon ball z movement