Rating of
3/4
Review: Man of Steel
MikePA - wrote on 06/16/13
What's with all the negativity? "Oh, Man of Steel is dark. Superman isn't supposed to be dark. He's played by a British guy. Boohoo." Man of Steel isn't a dark film - it's a realistic film. It plays as if Superman really existed in this real world, and I truly doubt people would take this guy lightly, therefore resulting in an edgier but never truly "dark" motion picture. So shush. This new Superman is imperfect for sure, but it packs a visceral punch and establishes high standards for the sequels.
Man of Steel, directed by Zack Snyder (300, Watchmen, Sucker Punch) and produced by Christopher Nolan (director of The Dark Knight films), feels more like a sci-fi film rather than a superhero film. It's a well working film regarding the storytelling execution and does a decently good job at engaging you in Superman's life and struggles without exactly delivering the emotional punch the film really needs.
The problem with the film, first and foremost, is the lack of character development. While Clark's childhood is given a fair amount of time through flashbacks, it fails to really make you care. It keeps you interested, but it never lets itself smoothly roll to the point where you're emotionally engrossed in the character. From a storytelling standpoint it's rather well done, showcasing Clark's "lost" stages as a younger kid, struggling to find his place in the world. But they're not treated with enough care for the character. His origins weren't necessarily rushed, but it just felt like loose clips unevenly strung together, devoid of much heart or humanity. It's a film that undeniably grips you visually and viscerally, but never emotionally, which for me was a huge letdown - being that this IS Superman and Nolan (who made one hell of a fleshed out Bruce Wayne) was behind it as producer.
Regarding character development, I didn't really mind General Zod's lack of depth. Sure, he didn't quite have much back story or anything, but I didn't really need that. I knew where his actions were coming from, I understood his motives, and he was mentally and physically expressive enough to be understood as a villain. He's also presented by Michael Shannon as a pretty awesome badass - menacing, scary, and ferocious.
The relationship between Lois and Clark has both positives and negatives. The negative being that it's very poorly developed and horribly forced. When their shared scenes try to be a powerhouse, it fails. But the positives marginally defeat the negatives because it sets up high standards for the sequel, which I feel will work more both dramatically and emotionally. Cause I feel, if given proper development, these two can have a really compelling relationship, especially due to the fact that Amy Adams and Henry Cavill are performing it. I'm looking forward to see where the filmmakers take their relationship in the sequel.
But forget the negatives! Let's talk about what's working.
I already said that there's great storytelling going on here. What I didn't tell you about was the great acting going on here. Henry Cavill fits the role of Clark Kent/Superman perfectly. Physically he looks great to possess the role, but mentally it looks like he's devoted. He's a good actor, and he totally worked for me as the man of steel himself. Amy Adams is great, as always, as Lois Lane, and Michael Shannon, as I said, presents a great villain. The supporting players - Diane Lane, Russell Crowe, Kevin Costner, and Laurence Fishburne - all provide good standouts, most notable Russell Crowe and Kevin Costner.
It's a visually remarkable movie, with some exhilarating action set pieces and an amazing score by the always great Hans Zimmer. The movie's opening, the war on Krypton, is seriously impressive and really, really exciting. There's a lot of chunky action to be had here. There's some suspenseful small moments that are really good - including the sinking of a school bus full of children and a powerful tornado. But the big stuff excites even more, really putting you on edge up until Superman and Zod's final showdown, which is never ending but serious fun. And again, Hans Zimmer's score - excellent.
The cinematography is interesting. It's an epic, rousing, enormous spectacle all shot with hand-held cameras. But it's rather beautiful looking. There's a lot of zooming in and zooming out, especially during the action stuff, which doesn't distract and is never shaky. It actually makes the action sequence a lot more exciting.
Man of Steel is a flawed, but good summer film that accomplishes what it set out to accomplish. It's engaging and entertaining, but fails to provide the emotional satisfaction it desperately needs.
3/4
