Man of Steel: An Ideal of Hope

This was an edit I remember being really excited about when it was first announced, and I loved the redone clips I saw on the idea thread. Sadly, the product as a whole didn't really work for me.

First off, a lot of what Billy Batson said about the oil rig scene was true (too much conflicting imagery, not sure why certain things are happening), and while I likes the BvS portion, it did feel like it went as quickly as it came. What would help would be if Lois investigations bringing her to Smallville came after the Nairomi scene, just so the audience feels that the world knows Superman a little longer. Also, would keep the oil rig flashbacks while Wallace is in his apartment, not in the senator's office.

Aside from that, there's not enough footage to do a chronological view of Clark's life without feeling too short, disjointed, and repetitive. It also hurts other scenes, because Clark just tells Lois not to publish the story because his dad said no and she just goes along with it.

One positive thing I can say though is that all the ideas to flesh the world out show that they can be done though, especially with that new ending, where it really works. I can say that alone is reason enough to recommend the edit.

A vast improvement over the original, this edit transforms Man of Steel into a more complete and fulfilling Superman experience. Subtle changes improve the character of Clark/Superman and re-arranging the scenes of Krypton and Clark's youth allow us to feel more a part of his journey. Using scenes from other movies (which are added seamlessly), this edit includes a new introduction of Superman to the world, with different repercussions. I found that the restructuring and additions, without all of the strings attached to Batman v. Superman, really let you experience Clark's side of the story in a different light. This added investment in the character and the story lead to a much more meaningful and powerful confrontation with Zod.

An Ideal of Hope works very well as a standalone Superman movie but hints at a larger world without trying to stuff it all in one movie. It implies that Superman has been in action for some time, references Luthor, and hints of budding romance with Lois - this is the version I wish I saw in theatres. Due to borrowing scenes from Batman v. Superman, there are some continuity issues with the other DCEU movies but the result is thoroughly satisfying and entertaining - I can't recommend it enough.