Hollywood Road

In recent years, with the advancement of digital technology, movies heavy with special effects often slow down any scene showcasing these effects. This deliberate pacing is meant to ensure audiences appreciate the intricate models, detailed textures, and powerful ray-tracing renderings. However, this slowdown often makes the effects appear less realistic, a typical consequence of overemphasizing technical showmanship.

Murphy sometimes wondered whether this was more a problem with the directors or the effects companies. Effects companies showcase their capabilities through these displays, but directors should always remember that technology is merely a tool for storytelling. The primary purpose of special effects is to realize the ideal shot envisioned by a director.

"If a director wants to show off, they might as well make commercials," Murphy often thought.

"David, shift the lights thirty degrees to the left and dim them a bit."

In the studio, Murphy observed the lighting through the camera lens. Once David Robbie adjusted it to the correct angle, Murphy shouted, "Good! Keep it like this. Actors, get ready. We start shooting in five minutes."

As soon as the time came, filming resumed. Nicholas Cage, with his shiny bald head, was the first to appear in front of the camera.

"Who am I? I am your end!" he declared in front of the green screen, addressing Chris Evans, dressed as Superman. "I am Lex Luthor, billionaire! Tycoon! Philanthropist! Inventor!"

His expression was wild, almost mad. "The smartest man on this planet!"

Chris Evans crossed his arms and looked at him. "You lost!"

"You think I'd put humanity's hope in a machine?" Nicholas Cage's madness intensified as he raised and shook his finger. "No!"

Chris Evans maintained his expression.

"Don't look at me like that," Cage suddenly returned to a more normal demeanor, shrugging. "And I wouldn't place humanity's hope in you..."

He pointed at Chris Evans and shouted, "An alien monster!"

"You don't belong in this world!" This scene was entirely Cage's moment to shine. "Your presence here is the greatest threat to Earth! Your existence undermines human potential!"

Throughout the shoot, Nicholas Cage's performance was highly unstable, fluctuating between good and bad takes, then exploding in brilliance.

"Humanity is the greatest existence on this planet, as long as we can evolve again..."

He suddenly turned and pointed behind him. "I have found the password for humanity to re-enter, sent from your world. Humanity needs faith, but not a god to show up!"

Cage walked up to the main camera and declared loudly, "Since Kryptonians cannot kill Kryptonians, let evolved humans do the job!"

"The perfect genetic combination," Cage spread his arms, like a devout believer welcoming the true god, and looked up, "Born to destroy monsters like you on Earth!"

He turned and pointed at Chris Evans. "Your judgment day, and all monsters', has come!"

"Cut! That's a wrap," Murphy stepped away from the camera, speaking to an assistant, "Change the set, we'll shoot the next scene in thirty minutes."

The studio quickly transitioned to the next set, a high-level U.S. military command center.

Thirty minutes later, at Murphy's nod, a script supervisor placed the clapperboard in front of the camera. "Scene 123, Take 55, action."

The command center was crowded, focused on two generals debating whether to launch an attack.

"Mr. President," the middle-aged actor with brown hair spoke into a communicator, "the target has left the metropolis and is headed for space. I recommend launching the nuclear missile now!"

"There's still Superman out there!" the black general opposed, "Superman is on our side!"

"On our side?" the brown-haired general stood up, raising his voice. "Would the hundreds of innocents who died in the town he destroyed agree that Superman is on our side?"

"That was collateral damage in a great battle," the black general defended, "If he hadn't acted, the casualties would have been far greater..."

"He's not human," the brown-haired general simply stated.

The communicator played a previous recording, "God bless America, and God bless us all. Launch Devil One."

This scene was perhaps the most satisfying and clean-cut nuclear launch in Hollywood history.

Since the advent of nuclear weapons, countless films have involved nuclear scenarios, but after watching them, it's clear that in ninety-nine percent of these films, nuclear missiles are merely a plot device and never launched. In the rare instances they are, the likelihood of them actually exploding upon impact is minimal.

Whether facing villains or superhuman heroes, nuclear missiles serve more as a deterrent in the human world, much like their representation in Hollywood films, which rarely break the barrier of actually launching and exploding them.

But Murphy's approach with "Man of Steel" was unconventional. Like the plot based loosely on comics, most content was unrelated to existing comic storylines.

 In certain scenes and shots, his goal was to break barriers, not conform.

According to the film's setup, it made perfect sense for the U.S. military and federal government to bomb Superman and the antagonist boss with nuclear missiles. Both exhibited god-like powers well beyond human control, presenting a clear and uncontrollable threat to government reasoning.

Even Superman, who appeared to stand with humanity, was not exempt.

Moreover, the film's action scenes had already broken Hollywood's so-called "moral bottom line." In another battle scene before the final showdown, Superman did protect many humans, but the immense destructive power caused inevitable collateral damage.

From this perspective, the government and military's actions against Superman were understandable.

This was one of the themes Murphy wanted to reflect: whether ordinary people or extraordinary heroes, everyone has dual aspects. The source of the panic Superman brought to society was precisely his immense power.

This wasn't a simple matter of "with great power comes great responsibility."

In "Man of Steel," what perplexed Superman the most were not the villainous bosses but ordinary humans.

By noon, filming paused, and most of the crew chose to dine at an Italian restaurant near the Warner Bros. studio. As Murphy had more work to handle, he would join later. Gal Gadot, Chris Evans, and Nicholas Cage shared a table.

As they ate, the conversation naturally revolved around the film.

"Have you noticed how Murphy seems to favor certain characters?" Chris Evans joked. "Superman is burdened with heavy worries, while Wonder Woman is resolute and free from such messy issues."

Gal Gadot shrugged but remained silent.

"It's because Wonder Woman is only a cameo in this film, while Superman is the absolute protagonist," Nicholas Cage interjected.

"I find it unfair," Chris Evans shook his head, looking at Gadot. "Gal only needs to show her best side, while I have to delve into Superman's psyche..."

"The real beauty isn't me," Gal Gadot casually remarked.

Both Chris Evans and Nicholas Cage laughed. Despite their different personalities and limited interactions outside work, they shared common views on this topic.

The conversation shifted away from the film momentarily, touching on Megan Fox, who was somewhat aloof, probably a carryover from her "Transformers" days. She kept her distance from both Murphy and other leading actors, including Gal Gadot.

"Let's not talk about her..." the conversation returned to the film, and Chris Evans added, "Did you notice? There's another big difference between Wonder Woman and Superman."

Gal Gadot and Nicholas Cage looked at him, waiting for him to continue.

"Wonder Woman doesn't have a true arch-enemy," Chris Evans continued. "We all know Superman's arch-enemy is Lex Luthor, Batman's is the Joker, Captain America's is the Red Skull, and Spider-Man's includes the Green Goblin, Doctor Octopus, Venom, and so on. But for one of the most famous and greatest female heroes in American comics, Wonder Woman's supposed arch-enemy is Cheetah, who's gone through several iterations that are hard to keep track of."

"That's true," agreed Gal Gadot, who had read many comics to prepare for her role. "Whether it's Catwoman, Ares, or the witch Circe, they all lack presence, and villains like Silver Swan and Angle Man appear too infrequently to be more than minor characters."

Suddenly, Chris Evans looked past Gal Gadot, "Murphy's coming."

As he spoke, Murphy approached, pulled up a chair next to Gal Gadot, and waved over a waiter to order some Italian dishes before asking, "What are you discussing? You seem quite engaged."

"The arch-enemies of Wonder Woman..." Gal Gadot briefly explained.

After hearing her, Murphy shrugged, "Let me summarize why Wonder Woman lacks a true arch-enemy."

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