Man of Steel delivers from the black hole that Superman has vanished into

Rating: 9/10 (23 June 2013)

Let's face it folks, there has not been a great Superman movie since Christopher Reeves soared the screens in 1978. With a new reboot of the Man of Steel, we can anticipate it as either being very good or really bad. The big critics seem to agree with such a notion. They either liked it or hated it. There is no middle ground. For me, the revived super hero film is something to admire again with a fresh slate.
Many of the strengths of this new Superman is its imaginative creativity on how it focuses on both the hero's struggles and his origin. The opening sequence of Krypton is simply a stunning visual feast that puts the compacted ice cave from the past Superman films to shame. Here, Zack Snyder and the VFX team has given us a world with spaceships, monsters, people, battles, and ultimately life and destruction. In other words, the beginning sets the tone in plot and action, like any good superhero flick should. The rest of the film is dedicated to how the protagonist learns of his past and how he evolves from an outcast with special abilities to something more. While this sounds familiar, writer David S. Goyer gives us more back story, filling factors that were never really explored in other movies of the franchise. One such example is rather than jumping ahead with the famed Lex Luthor villain, this movie's plot introduces an antagonist that has seemed to slip into oblivion...General Zod from the home world of Krypton. Like with the League of Shadows for Batman, this establishes the hero's first and most important villain that has come to haunt him...a blast from the past so to speak.
Zack Snyder as director has an eye for stunning visual effects and knowing how to form a wide scope of imagination (just watch 300 and Watchmen). He also knows how to create action sequences worth remembering. Believe me, they are abundant in this movie, but they are not overbearing like in a Michael Bay film. There is a reason to them for the plot. The one thing that I seem to enjoy about the most of this movie is Hans Zimmer's musical composition. While it is unfair to say that it is better than what John Williams did in 1978, he makes something memorable and uplifting. Though doubtful, it would be appropriate for him to receive some accolades for it.
The cast in this movie is full of big names and stars. They range from the popular Russell Crowe, Kevin Costner, and Amy Adams to the small players like Christopher Meloni, Michael Shannon, and Laurence Fishburne. Each appear to fit their parts well, but some are greater than others. Kevin Costner and Diane Lane turn in some subtle and believable performances as Superman's human parents. Whereas Russell Crowe seems to be playing Maximus from Gladiator more or less as Jor-el and Michael Shannon as General Zod has the overgrowing tendency of swelling up with anger like a child who's toy has been taken from him. Amy Adams is a little older than what I imagine for Lois Lane, but she is still lovely and plausible. Henry Cavill as Superman is the man who carries the film. He is gentle in his role and plays the outcast side of the Man of Steel well. As a superhero, he appears a bit emotionless. Then again, Superman was not known for showing much emotion.
Though I kind of have mixed feelings about the casts' performances, I am bothered the most by the style of storytelling. In comparison to the linear story method used in the 1978 film, this movie jumps around from different scenes in the first hour that seem not to relate or make sense. The accompanied flashbacks thrown in of Superman's childhood on earth makes it even more perplexing. Fortunately, the second half of the film makes up for the confusion that the first act and a half make. All things considering, "Man of Steel" has started a potentially promising new restart for Superman.