Man Of Steel

I had high hopes for Man of Steel. I can’t say that I was disappointed, though I also can’t say that the movie totally met my expectations. The movie itself was a visual feast, I figured that Zack Snyder would not fail when it came to visuals – especially after what he did with 300 (and Watchmen and Sucker Punch). The movie is a summer spectacle and Snyder knows this: he does not disappoint with action and visual effects. Hans Zimmer who is usually hit-or-miss with scores, does well with the Man of Steel score. The simplistic theme he creates for Superman is memorable, bombastic and, when needed, epic.

The actors all turn in fantastic performances: Kevin Costner, Diane Lane, Russell Crowe and Amy Adams are all excellent in Man of Steel. Henry Cavill is awesome as Superman/Clark Kent. Cavill is not as good as Christopher Reeves (who can be?), but leagues better than Brandon Routh. Michael Shannon as Zod… well, what can I say? He chews through each and every scene he is in.

What bothered me was the script by David S. Goyer which was very weak. The overall plot was mediocre and the lazy reliance on flashbacks jarred the momentum of the film. I like the theme that it attempted to explore: Clark Kent coming to terms with himself, how he fits into Earth society and how Earth society will accept an alien. The theme was not dealt with in any good fashion.

But, as a summer blockbuster film, Man of Steel does its job quite well. I enjoyed the film immensely.