When people argue about Man of Steel, the debate usually falls into two camps: those who loved Henry Cavill’s darker, more conflicted Superman — and those who felt something fundamental was missing. Now, one of the most influential fantasy authors working today is firmly planting his flag in the second camp.
Brandon Sanderson, the bestselling author behind Mistborn and The Stormlight Archive, recently weighed in on Zack Snyder’s take on the Man of Steel — and he didn’t mince words.
Speaking on the Intentionally Blank podcast, Sanderson explained that while he’s very much a Superman fan, Man of Steel ultimately didn’t land for him.
“I went to see Man of Steel opening weekend. I like Superman. I like the idea of the hopeful hero. I actually realized I’ve read a decent number of like the big Superman comics.”
Sanderson is an expert in storytelling, and someone who knows how to work with heroic archetypes and mythmaking, and despite appreciating certain elements of Snyder’s vision, Sanderson couldn’t shake the feeling that the movie missed the mark.
“As much as I liked some things about the Zack Snyder Man of Steel, the movie itself, I don’t think worked.”
Why Does Brandon Sanderson Not Like ‘Man of Steel’?
For Sanderson, the problem wasn’t just that Cavill’s Superman was brooding or self-doubting — it was how that tone carried forward and hardened in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.
The sequel famously opens from Ben Affleck’s Bruce Wayne’s perspective, watching Superman-level destruction unfold from the ground as buildings collapse and civilians are caught in the crossfire. That framing choice didn’t sit right with Sanderson at all.
“When they started Batman v. Superman with Batman’s perspective on the ground of all the disaster that Superman is causing (at the end of Man of Steel)… Now, I feel like you’re winking at me… I don’t know.”
Instead of interrogating Superman’s impact in a way that deepened his heroism, Sanderson felt the film leaned way too hard into cynicism, as it was almost acknowledging the criticism rather than resolving it. For many viewers, that moment cemented the idea that this Superman wasn’t a symbol of hope so much as a walking existential crisis with laser eyes.
And Sanderson wasn’t alone. A lot of fans admired the ambition of Snyder’s take but questioned whether Superman — of all characters — needed to be defined by constant destruction and moral paralysis.
Man of Steel is on HBO Max now.
Release Date
June 14, 2013
Runtime
143 minutes
Director
Zack Synder