The Beginning of an Exciting New Saga

Rating: 10/10 (26 June 2013)

Being a huge DC Comics fan as well as an avid supporter for Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight Trilogy, I was very excited when I heard about this film going into production. When I finally got to see it, it was everything I had hoped for and possibly more.
I think we are all familiar with the classic story of Superman and the legend he has left. I can imagine the pressure and hard work that director Zack Snyder must have gone through in order to make this version work on a different level than we are used to and still be true to the original. There is certainly a darker tone to this origin story that does well to reflect the nature of the previous reinvention of Batman. With that in mind, I offer this as an analysis.
For all those out there wishing for more of character exploration, background info, etc. I think you need to remember that this was never going to be the same Superman story we all know. If it had been, the film would have been far too cheesy and "just another Superman movie." It's also important to remember that this is an origin story, not just for the physical character of Clark Kent, but of his personality, his psychological issues, and his struggle to find his place in this world. This is what makes this film a fresh look because in reality, we all know the story. Do we really need to hear it retold again? Or would we prefer to look deeper into who Superman really is and what the real contributors to his character are? Personally, I don't think Zack Snyder and his team could have done a better job than this. I absolutely loved the story, the characters (even the bad ones), and the development of America's greatest known hero. The actors cast absolutely hit the mark as their respective characters, becoming perfect representations of a modern take on all of them (even Kevin Costner made a fantastic Pa Kent.) There are also so many touching and thought provoking ideas, including self-sacrifice, our ability as humans to choose, and what to do with those choices, within the details of the story, even in the midst of the outrageous action scenes.
Speaking of action, there most certainly is a lot of it. But as crazy as it can get, it never felt unrealistic. Some complain that is was excessive and far too destructive. But I ask you, what else do you think would happen if you had several super strong, super-fast, and high flying human beings fighting hand-to-hand combat? People have also complained that the ending was too dark. What you need to remember is that this is supposed to be realistic, as if it could happen today, tomorrow, whenever. And in reality, it can't always be like The Avengers or their origin stories (no offense to any of you Marvel fans out there) where no one dies, or the rarity if someone does.
Overall, I think Man of Steel is a delightful piece of cinema with a really good story and message. It most certainly is not the same Superman story that everyone is familiar with because it is not meant to be. However, it is a fantastic reinvention of the character and the beginning of a new saga. If you are thinking about seeing it, I strongly encourage you to do. However, if you are going into it with certain expectations, I and many of my film professors would agree with me in saying that you will always be disappointed (with any film you do that with for that matter).
As an end note, there is one thing I would like to tell Zack Snyder that I didn't like so much about it. No one could say it better than Barney Stinson and I quote, "Use a tripod. There's nothing artistic about shaky cam. It just looks sloppy."