I'm deeply saddened writing this...

Rating: Null/10 (21 June 2013)

Man of Steel is more like, "What is the World Coming to When Such a Stupid, Badly Made Film Makes $200 Million in a Long Weekend?" I wanted to like it. I swear I did. Although I've been reading Sleepless in Hollywood, which chronicles how movies were ruined for one and all with the advent of blockbuster shoot 'em ups that sell action figures long after the $10 admission fee has been paid, I still went to Man of Steel to show that I have an open mind. I anticipated writing about the new Lois Lane, who is not a silly victim, but rather a forceful figure for young girls to admire. In fact, I made my aunt and cousin come with me even though they lamented letting me talk them into it for the entire car ride. Afterward, I felt compelled to pay for dinner to make up for the thunderous mistake I made in choosing it.
Man of Steel is an awful film featuring a cast of A-list actors. Strange combination. Now that it's grossed close to $200 million in the four days since it opened, I am saddened to think how many people wasted their money on it. Worse than the loss of money, however, is the loss of quality choices for movie goers these days. The movie is so bad, in fact, that toward the end (which could not have come fast enough, and sadly didn't), when our antagonist says to Clark that one of them will not live to see another day, all I could think was, "I really don't care if either of you live to see another day — just end this day!"
The plot wasn't so bad — a new twist on why Superman (who knew that the S did not stand for Superman, but rather Hope?) came to the planet Earth. And our Lois Lane is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist who goes back and forth between being an investigative reporter and being the woman Superman carries to safety in his arms. She also comes up with the idea that will save Earth. She even flies with our U.S. Air Force to save the day, although I'm not sure what the purpose of having her on flight was. Amy Adams is a good enough actress to carry her part; she is believable, but my guess is she will not sign on for the sequel.
The Man of Steel's mother is a strong female character who ends up standing around waiting for death, which raises the question of why she didn't insist on coming to Earth with Clark. And I already forget her name. Diane Lane, as Superman's Earth mother, Martha, looks pained throughout. The look on her face says she's fighting arthritic knees or something, and when she stands there telling her son she is fine after being thrown to the ground, it's one of those roll-your-eyes moments that makes you wonder what else could have been done with the $200 million wasted on this film, which I'm still having trouble wrapping my mind around.
Henry Cavill's Clark Kent, or Superman, or whoever is well he comes off a bit feminine. Soft. He just stands there half the time looking handsome and buff (steroids during filming, I'm thinking?), and he has no soul. Shouldn't Superman have a soul? He spends half the film trying to figure out his purpose in life, not really believing his father (Kevin Costner), who tells him he will change the world. Kevin's Jonathan Kent is right out of Field of Dreams, right down to the outfits. Same set. Same lines. Same face. Easy. They should have gotten a discount on his salary. Anyway, leaving stuck-in-time Kevin behind, Cavill is no Christopher Reeve (may he rest in peace). I think he was chosen because he has that chiseled jawline that says he's a strong guy, but his lower teeth tell a different story.
The special effects are awful. I am pretty sure they only had to do five or six effects, which they played over and over again to different background music — which can't really be called music because it had no musicality. It just kept getting louder and louder.
I'm deeply saddened writing this. I really am. Is this what we now aspire to see in the movies? Is this what we want our children to see? What is the value in it? What is the point? Why spend the time and the money? I can't get beyond the money it cost, the money it will generate, and most important, the money it will waste. In case you didn't get it, I did not like Man of Steel. And when I look at Zack Snyder's list of directorial credits, I can't help but smile at the title of the last one, Sucker Punch. Oh yeah, baby.