Man of Steel

Rating: 7/10 (17 November 2014)

Creating a Superman movie that appeals to the masses is a daunting task. Throughout the years the man of steel has transcended his fictitious comic book hero origin and has become a recognizable world wide social symbol. That being said, the movie is in a predicament as it finds itself between two very distinct fanbases. At one end we have fans who grew up with the Christopher Reeve iteration of the character, and at the other, a new generation of movie goers who are accustomed to high octane action and nonstop humor. Instead of succumbing to the wants and desires of the nameless hordes of casual movie goers, Zack Snyder attempts to formulate a new take on the hero by combining various aspects of different strorylines, thus creating a new, fresh, and relate-able SUPERMAN.
Man of Steel is NOT a perfect movie. The screenplay written by David S Goyer has several hiccups regarding dialogue, action sequences can seem too long at times, and there could honestly be less shaky cam. However, the good far outweighs the bad in this new origin story of Kal-El.
In my personal opinion, this is possibly the greatest Superman movie of all time. Henry Cavill is perfectly casted as Clark Kent/Superman and has the physique, chin, and acting capabilities to make audiences fully believe him as the character we all know and love. The score by Hans Zimmer can resonate within the chests of viewers, injecting adrenaline during action sequences and can soothe the hearts in a tranquil serenity. The visual style and flair provided by Zack Snyder creates some incredibly stylistic imagery, ripped straight from the comics. Flight is awe inspiring and audience members including children and adults can't help but smile when Clark takes his first flight. Fight sequences feature some of the best superhero fight choreography ever put on cinema, that feature huge scale and grandiose effects. Michael Shannon is brilliantly casted as the antagonist, General Zod.
As for the story, having Clark be an outsider for a few years is a fresh new take. The irregular structure of the story allow time for flashback sequences which are well done and serve their purpose. Additionally having a Superman that makes mistakes at first, allows audiences to find the character more relate-able. The battles Clark face in Man of Steel clearly show how he is learning to become Kal-El. The mass destruction properly illustrates the effects of two super powered beings fighting each other. The consequences of Man of Steel are justified as they clearly have a role in the sequel where Kal-El will have to learn to become Superman and take responsibility for his blunders as an inexperienced hero.
It is for the aforementioned reasons why I'm giving Man of Steel, a 9/10.
Cons -dialogue hiccups -pacing issues
Pros +excellent cast +impactful score by Hans Zimmer +grandiose and amazing effects +well choreographed fight sequences +well adapted stylistic visuals +good screenplay