Man of Steel Movie Review

When it comes to Superman, audiences and fans have certain expectations. But for the Man of Steel, those expectations will be tested.

Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel, a reboot of the Superman franchise, can be called original and a darker look at Superman. But the interpretation may not be for everyone. As explained by the film makers before, the telling of this story will be like the The Dark Knight films in which it is close to reality as possible. For Superman, they tend to make him fit into our present and what our reaction would be if we found out that an alien was living among us. Though the changes fit their purpose, the fans may have a different reaction to them.

When you talk of Snyder, you know the visuals will be great. What we say in the trailers were just small amounts on the visuals you’ll see in the film. And Snyder, like all his films, did well on mixing reality and CGI. The effects are a bit on the dark side but it suits the film. When it comes to the special effects on this film, it’s 10 out of 10.

Casting a film like this is quite the task. But they managed to bring together the perfect ensemble. Henry Cavill looks and acts the part of Superman. The first time you see him in the suit, you will believe he is Superman. Cavill is focused on playing Kal-El in this film that he sort of fell short on Clark Kent. From the comic books and past films, Clark is a quiet and a clumsy guy. And he is a key part of Superman. But in this film, we rarely see him. When Cavill comes out playing Clark in the film, he still acts like Superman. The only time Clark is Clark is when he was a small kid and as a teenager. Still, Cavill did a good job portraying the last son of Krypton.

Lois Lane is another character closely watched by fans. And Amy Adams did a remarkable portrayal of the Daily Planet reporter. Adams manages to show us that she really is a reporter. In this film however, Lois is not the damsel in distress. She helps Superman in a huge way but also gets saved herself a couple of times which is true in the comic books.

Michael Shannon gives a darker take on General Zod. He exerts a presence whenever he comes into a scene. He puts a militaristic side on the character this time as compared to previous portrayals. Like his role in Ice Man, Shannon gives his character a terrorizing aura that will be felt by the audience. His Zod is more direct at what he wants and is more focused at his objective.

Russell Crowe’s Jor-El is a determined and more physical portrayal. Crowe made his character different from Marlon Brando’s. He doesn’t’ show that he is one of the smartest men on Krypton rather than showcase his parent side. Crowe clearly conveys to the audience that he is a caring father but at the same time caring for the future of his people.

The cast molds the film with their acting. Each of them has a unique chemistry with the other which greatly helps tell the story.

Now we go to the story. As I mentioned before, the film has a lot of changes. This is an origin story and writer David Goyer wrote a script that reflects how Superman grew up and the challenges he faced when he was a kid. In this film we get to see a young Clark having trouble figuring out what’s happening to him as all his abilities come crashing in at the same time. We see him vulnerable and scared and at time doubtful of him. But as the story goes, he grew up to be a man of morals and a code. During the course of the film, his morality and code will be tried and tested.

The film is a lot darker than past films. Some might even say too dark for a hero we all know to be a beacon of hope and a shining example of truth and justice. Unlike Batman, The Dark Knight rises films fit the character and the real world. Batman has his own code even if he is a vigilante. For Superman, the film shows a dark vigilante side to him; a far cry from the books and past films. The film makes us doubt the hero that is Superman. The story sort of plants the seeds at his morality and the strength of the code he lives by.

One thing I admired in the film is that they didn’t mash everything we know of Superman into this origin story. They just picked the factors or items that are fit to the story. Just like the lack of Kryptonite or even Lex Luthor, but they did insert a logo and the building of LexCorp.

But the film may be a bit dragging to some due to the dialogues but they make it up with the fight scenes. Also, the film will leave you with a lot of questions with regards to Superman’s identity and how his secret is kept. It has some loop holes that may or may not be answered in future sequels. Also a major change is the Fortress of Solitude, Superman’s home on Earth. It appears in the film but gets destroyed at the end. Also, the consciousness of Jor-El does live to tell Kal-El more stories about his home world or teach him more of his abilities. The changes may make die hard Superman fans and audiences who have followed the films question the film or even not like it, but this is a great step for the DC Universe. This world of Superman can be the bases for future heroes like Marvel did with its heroes.

Man of Steel may not bring everyone’s Superman or even the Superman they expect. But the origin story accomplishes its task of telling who Superman is before he became the hero in red, white and blue. It may not be the Superman story we grew up to, but it still delivers a hard punching, visually entertaining film. It may leave questions and I’m pretty sure a lot of comments, but it is a good start for an iconic character.

The Man of Steel may not live up to expectations, but it delivers in excitement and more. It is a super-hero film and it gives us that. Superman will fly again and by that time, they may get everything right. I give it 8 out of 10.