The situation is created by the writer wanting a film where buildings fall down with no regard to the people inside and where the ‘hero’ snaps the neck of the ‘villain’.

It’s not the sort of film that works with that character.

Supergirl the television series currently has superpowered people landing in the middle of town every other week and always the title character tries to get people out of the way or draw the villain to an isolated spot.

If that’s not possible in the story that’s because the writer doesn’t want it to be possible in the story which is down to the writer not understanding how the character works.
If smashing buildings full of people is the only way to stop the villain how is this person a hero?
He is just another force of nature like the Cloverfield monster, which could make for a good film but not a good Superman film.

In the case of Man of Steel it makes for a rather bewildering mess of a final reel.