Cast : Henry Cavill, Amy Adams,Diane Lane, Russel Crowe, Micheal Shannon, Kevin Costner, Christopher Meloni, Laurence Fishburne, Jadin Gould, Tahmoh Peniket, Ayelet Zurer, Antje traue, Richard Schiff, Dylan Sprayberry, Micheal Kelly.
A young Journalist raised by his adoptive parents after he was transported to earth in infancy from the dying of krypton finds himself in the position to save humankind after Earth is attacked.
An explosion of imagination and visual ingenuity, Man of Steel manages to feel like the future of cinema and an instant classic all at once. It follows the bare bones of the source material, then injects a strong dose of modernity and eliminates the duality between Clark Kent the journalist and Superman. The early reviews for this film are polarized for all the wrong reasons. Something that's been slowly building over the last few years has finally come to a head with reviews of this film. When it comes to big, flashy summer blockbusters, critics have taken extremely negative stances on popular films for the sake of being "above" all the noise. This isn't a film that needs to be dissected and over-analyzed. There's no need to bash it because it doesn't fit a narrow set of bullshit criteria based on past Superman films. It should be enjoyed for the spectacle. It's about being swept up in a beautiful fantasy and forging an emotional connection with a larger than life hero.
It all feels epic because of the technical wizardry behind the scenes, starting with the wonderful score. Seriously, one of the best ones I've heard. It's inspiring, positive, and perfectly complements the serious nature of the narrative and the Superman symbol. The color palette is muted and metallic, underscoring the gravity of the task Superman is faced with and the massive leaps he has to take in terms of character development. I can't stress enough how new this all feels. The tech of krypton, the movements of superman and the bad guys, the way strength is shown visually… there's nothing like it.
The fights and action make sense on more than just a "it makes sense for him to punch him there at this time, and for him to fly across the street if he hits him that hard".This isn't just about the destruction of Earth by an evil villain. It's about the progress of civilized society, the benefits of morality, the need for compassion, and the good that comes from exercising free will.
Man of Steel is also way more science-fiction-y than I expected. I may not be smart enough to definitively decide what's plausible from a factual standpoint, but I could grasp the main concepts and accept the premises laid out more readily than I could the last few huge science fiction films I've seen.
What makes this Clark Kent/Superman character endure? I'd say it's because he's an easy guy to get behind. He has amazing leadership qualities because he was raised by two fathers who were great men with strong principles and idealistic thinking. He also had two incredibly noble, warm, and compassionate mothers. There's a purity and vulnerability that humanizes Superman here, brought to life by a fantastic Henry Cavill and explosive chemistry with an immensely talented Amy Adams. The connection with Lois Lane is more believable here than any other Superman film, mainly because Lois is able to protect and comfort Superman even if he is technically the one doing the mid-air acrobatic rescues. There's parity and balance in their burgeoning relationship, which helps some of the later romantic scenes avoid the usual cheese.
The cast isn't full of just pretty faces and sexy stars. Thankfully, there are no Scarlett Johanssons here to bring the entire production down with lack of depth. The dramatic acting talent and competence draws comparisons to the Dark Knight trilogy. With so much exposition to be delivered, it helps that really great actors are tasked to handle it. Michael Shannon as an angry, single-minded, and ruthless villain is nothing short of brilliant. There is one scene in which he explains himself that is so perfectly sold by Shannon I almost shed a tear for him.
I think the future superman films in this reboot will probably inject more humor and satire into the plot and characterization. At least, I hope they do. It didn't feel missing from here because of the nature of the story.
Man of steel is a wonderful departure from this trend. The main story is straightforward, easy to grasp, and contains the perfect amount of detail. The non-linear editing in which you get flashbacks are sewn in seamlessly, even if they do have rather sudden transitions. Everything fits here. There's nothing superfluous, there's nothing lacking. There is a subtle difference between complex and convoluted stories, and Man of Steel comes down on the right side.
- More details at http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0770828/
