Up... up... and away

Rating: 8/10 (12 August 2013)

Man of Steel has been the very definition of an "Audience vs Critics" movie. The critics are sort of mixed about it, yet the audience seems to really like it. So who's right? Let's find out. Man of Steel opens with a Kryptonian general (General Zodd) launching a failed coup against those in power. Jor-El (Superman's father) believes that Krypton is going to explode so he sends his infant son to Earth just as the planet dies. However, unfortunately for Superman his new world will soon fall prey to a very angry General Zodd, who will stop at nothing to see his former home world restored. The story told here (while not perfect) is pretty damn good. It isn't just a straight up action movie like you may have heard. It is really about a space refugee who is not only trying to just fit in, but also trying to discover who he really is. And in that regard, it works pretty well. Henry Cavill is a great superman. He has a great screen presence, and he is also fit physically. The cast pulls off their roles really well. Amy Adams makes a great Lois Lane, Laurence Fishburne does well as the head of the Daily Planet. However the one who steals the show here is Michael Shannon as Zodd. He is truly a force to be reckoned with, you feel his anger, his emotion, and his small sense of self-hatred. But let's cut to the chase here: The action scenes. Oh those action scenes... were FANTASTIC. Zack Snyder is one of the best directors in Hollywood when it comes to action, and he clearly knows this. Even when it moves as fast as the speed of light, you can always tell what's happening. The fights between Superman and Zodd were so intense that I felt like I was on a roller coaster. They must have caused billions of dollars in property damage. And the special effects looks pretty good, like as good as they're gonna get. As good as this movie is, it does have some minor problems: There wasn't exactly much humor here, at all, and whenever they tried to insert some in here it felt so forced and unnecessary. And Superman doesn't really save anybody. As a matter of fact, he must've killed at least a couple dozen people by accident. You can tell that DC and Warner Bros. already are getting antsy for a Justice League movie, cause they shove in a few unnecessary references to other DC comics (Batman, more specifically). Also the product placement kind of annoyed me, hell for like fifteen minutes superman throws down in an IHOP. But these are minor flaws. Man of Steel is a really good summer blockbuster, while it may not knock Star Trek: Into Darkness off it's "Best movie of the summer" throne, it is still really good. Do I like it better than Iron Man 3? Yes. Zack Snyder has not only honored the Superman legacy but he also brings it successfully into the present day. Christopher Reeves would be proud.