Superman finally returns. (Spoilers)

Rating: 10/10 (15 June 2013)

9.5/10.
This is the Superman movie we've all been waiting for. It's absolutely incredible. There are, however, a couple of problems which I'll get to later.
The movie opens just as Superman 78' did, with Krypton in peril and a surprisingly commanding Russell Crowe as Jor-El fighting to hide his newborn and talk sense into the Council. For me, this did seem like an updated version of the original opening sequence. Okay, we now have a legitimate reason for Krypton's destruction and we can truly see the pain it brings Jor-El, but it hit all the same beats and I wasn't a huge fan of it. However, the whole Codex thing was quite interesting and well done, and I will say that the CGI for Krypton is much better than it appears in the trailer. This along with the hand-held style of filming really did make me feel like I was there, and it was exciting. Another thing I enjoyed which I thought I would hate was Crowe's performance as Jor-El. He was really very good, and his fight scene with Zod is great.
Cavill shines as Clark Kent/Superman and I truly believe they couldn't have picked anyone more perfect for the role. As Clark, he is quiet yet noble, and as Superman he commands such a fantastic presence, and it's very well-handled how the Army begin to respect him and see he's not a threat.
I really loved the Clark travelling the world scenes, and interspersing them with him as growing up in Smallville was a nice touch. A couple of scenes felt like they were directly lifted from 'Smallville', but that didn't bother me. I was actually a little shocked to see Lois following Clark inside the Fortress and this being the trigger for her investigation. I thought she'd spent years searching for him but apparently it's only a few weeks. I liked that. It really showed her skills and it was clever how it was handled that she was the only one who could put it all together. Lois showing up at the Kent farm so early on in the film really solidified the speculation that she'll know exactly who he is, and I was a little taken aback.
Further to this, the relationship between Clark and Lois was incredibly sweet. From the moment they meet (for real) they respect each other and work together, and you can see their friendship grow in later scenes. The chemistry between them was great and I for one am very excited to see their relationship in sequels.
One thing I'm not sure how I feel about yet was Jonathan Kent's death during Clark's college years. He could have gotten to him in "normal time" and saved him, and despite the angry "You're not my father!" moment beforehand you could tell he wanted to try. This was one of the things that stayed with me and I think people will be debating it for a long time.
Now, onto Zod... A lot of people are hating on him and Shannon's performance, and I can see why. But he was everything he is supposed to be. A ruthless General (who acts like a General!) who tries to become a dictator, but ultimately only cares about saving his people. You do understand why he wants to destroy Earth and you can sympathize with him to an extent. The moments where he begs Jor-El and Superman to stop what they're doing, and you can really see the fear in his eyes when he begs Superman, are breathtaking. And the payoff is even sweeter. Stripped of everything he cares about, Shannon truly unleashes "the crazy" in the final battle and it's great fun to watch. Superman does break Zod's neck and kills him. I thought I would hate this and hoped it was just a rumor, but I ended up liking it. You can see that he doesn't want to do it but truly has no choice and his pain in the aftermath is heartbreaking.
Adams fully embodies Lois Lane, even more than Hatcher. Fishburne was great as Perry (people had nothing to worry about), and Costner and Lane were pitch-perfect in their roles as Jonathan and Martha. If this weren't a Superhero Movie Costner would probably get an Oscar nom. Ayelet Zurer, Antje Traue and Chris Meloni were all great as well. It's a shame we won't see Meloni in sequels. Oh, and the girl who plays Jenny is never officially dubbed "Olsen" so everyone can stop freaking out.
Finally, the action is a little drawn out and I did get numb a few times. Some of it just seemed unnecessary, but mostly it looked amazing and was great fun. The pacing is a little strange but you get used to it. The potential for a sequel with Pete and Lana returning could be interesting. The final scene with Clark taking a job at the Daily Planet is almost exactly how I speculated it would be, only he's talking with Martha and not Lois. He looks great in the glasses and I really liked Lois' "Welcome to the Planet" line and smirk.
Overall I loved Man of Steel. It's easily my favorite movie of the year.