I agree that a shortened or better paced version of this might have been nice in the movie, but the main error in the movie plot still remained.
There was no logical reason for Superman to leave earth for five years. Especially since he didn't discuss it with Lois before hand.
Obviously he'd slept with the woman, so they had a strong relationship going, yet he just left without a word.
Unforgivable and unbelievable.
Tank (who blames Brian Singer for not having any real backroad in Superman lore and for forcing illogical plot points into the movie to support a storyline that didn't make sense)
