Not As Great As The Sum Of Its Parts

Rating: 5/10 (15 June 2013)

Zack Snyder's "Man of Steel," is a film that has many pluses. In fact, there's a lot to like about this movie. But the whole is not as great as the sum of its parts. Elements of the movie work very well. Others do not.
The scenes of young Clark Kent growing up in Kansas are surprisingly poignant and original. Little Clark is overwhelmed by his super-sensitive hearing and x-ray vision. It seems that when you can hear everything, it's hard to hear anything. And he's freaked out by the fact he can see through everyone's skin. You really feel for the kid. The scene where Jonathan Kent (Kevin Costner) reveals to Clark that he's adopted is genuinely touching.
I did enjoy the movie's main enhancement of the origin story: the idea that Clark spends years in the wind, wandering from one odd job to another, helping save people through feats of strength, then vanishing. Lois Lane (the perfectly cast Amy Adams) is the intrepid reporter who learns of the mystery man's existence and tries to track him down. I never bought the idea -- put forth in previous versions -- that a smart journalist wouldn't be able to figure out Superman's true identity, especially when he works in her office. This time, she figures out Clark Kent is Superman before anyone even calls him by that name – a radical but welcome change.
As for Superman himself, the latest actor to wear the cape does a fine job. In fact, Henry Cavill is probably the best thing about the movie. He absolutely looks and sounds the part. The British thespian has no problem projecting an all-American wholesomeness and earnestness. He has great chemistry with Adams. And his costume doesn't need any padding in the muscle department. A shirtless scene early in the movie makes it clear: The dude's been working out.
The visual effects are fantastic. The contrails that follow Superman in flight are an especially nice touch. Unfortunately, director Snyder seems to have gone to the Michael Bay School of Action Directing. There's lots of shaking of the camera and quick cutting – all of which make the mayhem – and there's lots of it -- more difficult to follow. As Superman and Zod do battle, instead of injuring each other, they trash everything around them. And by everything, I mean skyscrapers. When it comes to comic book-style city smashing, "Man of Steel" makes "The Avengers" look like a school play. I'm not sure why Hollywood thinks mass property destruction is entertaining. At one point, I wanted to shout, "Guys, take your fight to some other planet and leave our buildings alone!" None of this brawling is as fun as it should be. And the onslaught of action in the overly long third act almost becomes too much.
"Man of Steel" has plenty of spectacle. But the action and effects are all for naught if you don't care about the people on screen. As good as Cavill's performance is, the script doesn't give us an opportunity to become invested in him emotionally. The story turns him into a loner for most of the movie. The other characters don't get to know him – and neither does the audience. It's hard to love a character who's kept at arm's length. It's also hard to understand why this alien has any desire to protect the people of Earth since – in his early years -- they are constantly shown bullying him and treating him like crap, because they know he won't fight back. You wonder why the experience didn't make him hate the entire human race. The movie never tells you.
So, where does Superman go from here? For me, Cavill is a keeper. Next time, they just need a script that helps us identify with him more. This movie spends a lot of time reminding us that Superman is an alien. Maybe next time they can remind us that he's a living breathing being, too.