So close but yet so far

Rating: 5/10 (18 June 2013)

Superman seems to be a character that has always split opinion, so to have an equally polarising director like Zack Snyder directing the film was always going to be a recipe for intrigue and interest.
I've read a lot of reviews on here where people scream superlatives about the delineated narrative structure or use sentences like 'finally a Superman film to be proud of' (yada yada yada)...
The truth is that these statements are undeniably true and yet also irrevocably false. Tough to figure? I agree.
Essentially while there is a lot to like about the story, the direction, Henry Cavill, Kevin Costner et al, there is still a lot missing, Too many scenes that are never established, too many careless shots inserted haphazardly amongst the beauty the adorns the rest of the piece, too many jerky and off-kilter lines in the script that take you out of yourself and make you realise that you're just watching a movie and nothing more.
I still hold BATMAN BEGINS up as the greatest super-hero film to date, but MAN OF STEEL felt like the best bits of WATCHMEN, mixed with the worst bits of DARK KNIGHT RISES.
Overall, it's not a convincing narrative, nor a very carefully constructed movie and yet, it does have some rough edged beauty to it.
So much to like, yet so much room for improvement.