"Man of Steel" Movie Review

    I remember seeing the first trailer for “Man of Steel” attached to “The Dark Knight Rises” and the preview sent chills down my spine.  I am a huge Superman fan and seeing the names Zack Snyder and Christopher Nolan attached to the project brought me much hope and delight.  When the film came out, I remember thinking Warner Bros and DC had a hit on their hands because it had everything the critics complained about “Superman Returns” lacking, namely a fresh more realistic take and more action.  I was extremely surprised at the time to see the same critics also panning “Man of Steel” for delivering exactly what they wanted.  After the dust settled, “Superman Returns” ended up getting better critical reviews than “Man of Steel”, although “Man of Steel” did manage to do slightly better at the box office.

    “Man of Steel” proved to also be just as divisive among fans.  It seems like some people wanted a more classic take on the character while others were extremely happy with the vision Zack Snyder had for the film.  I very much enjoyed both “Superman Returns” and “Man of Steel” but after awhile, it became more and more clear that Bryan Singer wasn’t going to be allowed to make a sequel to “Superman Returns”.  The studio wanted a reboot and they hired Zack Snyder, hot off of “300” and “Watchmen”, to direct the film while “The Dark Knight” director Christopher Nolan would act as a sort of figurehead to the film.

    The film tells the story of Kal-El/Clark Kent and his journey to becoming Superman once again.  The film opens on Krypton with Jor-El sending his son Kal-El to Earth in order to escape the planet’s destruction.  As Kal-El is sent into space, General Zod’s rebellion on Krypton is stopped with the help of Jor-El and General Zod is sent to The Phantom Zone.  When Kal-El arrives on Earth, he is adopted by Jonathan and Martha Kent who name him Clark.  Clark Kent grows up with amazing powers and soon realizes he is more than a typical man, he is a Superman!  Just as Clark starts to feel comfortable with new powers, General Zod arrives on Earth having escaped the Phantom Zone with one goal, start a New Krypton on top of the ashes of the Earth.  Only Superman can stop him!

    At the time it seemed like a wise decision to launch the DC Extended Universe with it’s oldest flagship character, the last son of Krypton himself, Superman.  I think making General Zod the main antagonist of the film was wise due to his ties to Krypton.

    As far as casting goes, this remake took a cue from the Richard Donner “Superman” movies and cast Hollywood heavyweights around a lesser known lead.  Henry Cavill steps into the role which Christopher Reeve and Brandon Routh had played before him.  Cavill was a fan favorite for the role and was almost cast years before when McG was still set to helm what would become “Superman Returns”.  Cavill is a capable Superman but can be wooden at times as Clark Kent.  Kevin Costner and Diane Lane play Jonathan and Martha Kent with the weight you would expect from two iconic performers.  Michael Shannon plays a creepier and more menacing version of General Zod than seen before.  Still, I have to say I personally prefer Terence Stamp’s quiet nobility as the evil Zod in the original Donner films.  Amy Adams doesn’t hurt the film as Lois Lane but doesn’t vastly enhance it either.  Rounding out the main cast is Russell Crowe as Jor-El and Crowe is one of my favorite performers in this movie.

    Now, aside from the visuals, one of the most memorable aspects of the Superman movies was always John Williams fantastic score.  Everyone and their mother knows the main Superman theme so when I found out that Snyder wasn’t using the theme, I was a little angry.  Imagine my surprise when I hear the theme Hans Zimmer delivers and I really love that score as well.

    Looking back, I personally feel like “Man of Steel” was a fantastic start to the DCEU that hit a snag when all the critics decided to unfairly dump on it.  It told a solo Superman story well while including Easter eggs setting up future movies and characters without being in your face.  I guess every film is truly subjective though, with this film continuing to divide critics and the fan base.  Count me as someone who was all aboard for future DC films.

Grade: A-