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| Henry Cavill as Superman |
"Man of Steel" is a good, but not super, update of the comic book hero
Superman is back in the new update "Man of Steel" though not everyone will be pleased to see him. The much-needed new retelling may disappoint some audiences, especially those familiar with previous versions of the red-caped hero. Muscular, dark and gritty, "Man of Steel" ironically lacks depth and heart, replaced with a simplistic "Transformers"-style action-adventure vibe to draw a new generation in. The film opens with Kal-El (later Clark Kent ala Superman) birthed on Krypton, a doomed planet being overtaken by ruthless General Zod (Michael Shannon, terrific as always) and who kills Superman's father, Jor-El (Russell Crowe) in the process, who in turn sends Kal-El to Earth to escape Krypton's destruction. On Earth, Kal-El becomes Clark Kent to midwest parents (Kevin Costner and Diane Lane) and discovers his superhuman powers and strength. Zod later comes to Earth to find Kal-El so he can eventually overtake our planet, setting up an incredible showdown between the two, with Lois Lane (Amy Adams) placed squarely in the middle of it all. Directed by Zack Snyder ("300"), produced by "The Dark Knight's" Christopher Nolan and written by "Dark Knight" scribe David S. Goyer, "Man of Steel" is an action-packed, well-cast and entertaining re-imagination of the popular superhero, though it lacks the complexity of Nolan's "Dark Knight," whose success this is clearly fashioned to replicate. Athletic and exceedingly handsome British-actor Cavill's sublime Superman (who will generate obvious comparisons to cinema's best-known Superman, Christopher Reeve), and the rest of the cast, from Shannon's memorably evil villain to Adams fiery version of Lane, is the best part of this new update, which presents some fresh touches, including Superman's glossy new suit, increased father-son interaction and particularly its new Clark Kent-Superman-Lois Lane-Daily Planet dynamic, which may upset viewers familiar with the old-fashioned romanticized portrayal, largely absent here. The first part of "Man of Steel," even with its new ideas, is most effective as it tells Superman's backstory, but then its last act feels completely different. After intriguing us for two acts, it then becomes a mindless "Superman Meets The Transformers" as it unleashes an overload of loud, busy special effects and a seemingly endless climax over Metropolis (just how many buildings can Superman and Zod destroy? the answer is a whole lot) with an eerie 9/11 feel to it. There is indeed a great need for "Man of Steel" to draw in new movie-going fans to Superman, whose tastes have obviously changed over the years, but it can still be done with flair and complexity (see Nolan's own "The Dark Knight" trilogy as a great example). The uneven "Man of Steel" packs some punch with sublime visuals, a dashing Cavill who seems up to the task, and some entertaining set pieces, but unlike Superman himself, this version doesn't carry a lot of weight on its shoulders. Worth a look but the bottom line is, it could've been better.
Wes's Grade: B-
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