Man of Steel
Directed by Zack Snyder
Starring Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Michael Shannon, Diane Lane, Russel Crowe, Kevin Costner, Laurence Fishburne, and Christopher Meloni.
Backstory
I was so ready for this movie. It was time Superman got a reboot for the big screen. I understand, the Richard Donner films are quite revered, but that’s not Superman anymore. The character has grown and evolved in the 30 years since that film. And it was time the movies reflected those changes. But everything I heard about reflecting those changes did frighten me a little. They always wanted to go dark and gritty. And when Christopher Nolan and David S. Goyer, the director and writer of the Dark Knight Trilogy, had an idea and it got the green light, I knew Superman was going dark and gritty. Would Superman work in a dark and gritty world?
Plot
Clark Kent grew up to be a drifter…a man of two worlds, never sure of his place. Hot on his trail is Lois Lane, tracing reports of a mysterious man who performs superhuman feats to save the innocent and then moves on. Their journey eventually takes them to the Arctic and a downed alien spacecraft where Clark learns of his alien heritage. But, in doing so, Clark accidentally activates a beacon, and soon General Zod, a criminal from his home planet of Krypton, comes looking for him. In order to defeat this threat, Clark must finally reveal himself to the world. Is the planet ready for this super man, or will the humans be just as deadly to Clark as General Zod?
What I Liked
At last, we get a film where Superman is able to just cut loose and beat the crap out of people with his super strength. The casting is great. Cavill is a great Superman and Amy Adams is a wonderful Lois Lane. And I like that they went more in a sci-fi direction. I love that Krypton is an alien world and the crystal, sterile planet we’ve always gotten. With General Zod as the villain, they pretty much made this an alien invasion film. And it moves at a quick pace. Even though it’s 2.5 hours, it moves very quick.
What I Didn’t Like
They make a few changes I don’t agree with. Pa Kent does some things that don’t seem very Pa Kent like. And there’s this line that Superman never crosses, and to have him cross it at the end was shocking. And man, what’s with the shaky cam, Zack Snyder? Can’t even keep the camera still for a simple dialogue scene?
Final Assessment
I did enjoy it, if it still lacks the sense of fun that most Marvel movies have.