Even in action movies, the villains still at least put on a good show and do actually show some success. They just don't have time to show a lot.
You mentioned the movie Man of steel, so I will use that as an example.
Zod and his crew were actually succeeding in terra forming the earth and they were even beating up super man. Superman stopped him at the very end.
Here is a better analogy to think about:
What if that movie was remade, but with a twist? You sit down at the theater and excitedly wait for the movie to begin. The movie starts, and straight from the start, Super man throws a knife at Zod and kills him in the first 5 seconds of the movie. Movie over.
Would you really find this epic? That is the kind of feeling that Orochimaru gives off.
I actually like Oro as a character, but I do agree that as a villain he was, well, underwhelming. I enjoy those science-minded characters that are on their own side, though there are others who fall under that archetype who I like better than him (the "Sasuke-kun's body" thing is... off-putting). I think that it's good that Kishi used different kinds of antagonists, and one part of Oro that I like is that he really is twisted, and isn't doing what he is doing
just because of some childhood trauma while waiting to be TnJ'd.
I agree on Zod part as well. Though they didn't really succeed at terraforming, that plan was foiled the moment Supes destroyed that world engine thing that was in the ocean or something, they sure put on a show, as you say.