Man of Steel
Director: Zack Snyder
Cast: Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Michael Shannon, Diane Lane, Kevin Costner, and Russell Crowe.
Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence, action and destruction, and for some language.
There has been much debate on how to bring back the Big Blue Boy Scout to the big screen after his last outing in Bryan Singer's Superman Returns. That film was generally liked by critics scoring a 75% on Rotten Tomatoes; however, it was not as well received by audiences. The film was criticized for being too much of an homage to the Christopher Reeve movies without adding anything new or exciting to the saga. Now some six or seven years later we get a totally separate origin story for Superman in Zack Snyder's Man of Steel. So far, Snyder's new take is only scoring 58% on Rotten Tomatoes, but I feel it is a harsh rating on what I believe to be a new and exciting start to a promising franchise.
Produced by Dark Knight director Christopher Nolan and written by fellow Batman scribe David S. Goyer, Man of Steel's plot is fairly straight foward. What Nolan, Goyer, and Snyder have chosen to do differently is really focus on Clark Kent's struggle to find his place in this world. He is at war with himself by wanting to obey his Earthly father, played with great ease by Kevin Costner, who wants Clark to hide his powers for fear of the world's reaction, yet Clark also desires to help others with his extraordinary gifts. He must find out who he truly is and why he is here on Earth. After learning of his true heritage from his Kryptonian father Jor-El (an always solid Russell Crowe), Earth is threatened by General Zod who seeks to build a new Krypton on our planet. Superman must now choose between rebuilding his true home or saving the planet that has raised him.
Zack Snyder is well known for his visual style as well as his ability to stage intense action sequences. Both of those talents are on full display in Man of Steel. Henry Cavill is a force to be reckoned with. There were many times when I looked at him in the suit and thought, "now THAT is Superman." He proves to be a more than capable actor and brings moments of great emotion to the character of Superman, something that really hasn't been done before. He has an intimidating physical presence, but there is also a genuine gentle quality in his eyes. While we all love Christopher Reeve's incarnation of Superman, Henry Cavill is the Superman for a new generation.
The film has a great cast with excellent turns by Kevin Costner and Russell Crowe, both of whom provide the foundation for Clark's noble character. I loved what these veteran actors brought to their roles and how they made them their own. Amy Adams is a quality actress and she steps up to the plate very well in the classic role of Lois Lane. I look forward to what both her and Cavill will do together in the inevitable sequel, as their relationship is just barely established by the end of the movie.
Man of Steel is not without its flaws. Clark Kent's younger years are presented in a non-linear fashion that is somewhat difficult to get used to, but I feel that this will become less of a problem upon repeat viewings. There are some rushed scenes where some great drama could have played out more, but all in all, Snyder has given us a Superman that is very entertaining to watch. The visuals are stunning and the action is some of the best superhero action ever put on screen. There have been complaints about the film having too much action, which I find ironic since Superman Returns was accused of not having enough of it. Hard to please everyone, I suppose. I, for one, loved every minute of Man of Steel. Not perfect, but a wonderful foundation for what I hope to be a great franchise. Welcome back, Superman. I missed you.
RATING: A-
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