Neck Snapper

Rating: 6/10 (14 June 2013)

Apparently, this isn't a film you watch from the 2nd row in a crowded theater. I got a good view up Superman's cape but it was hard to keep up with the action since I was less than 20 feet away from the screen. Anyway, from what I was able to surmise, Man of Steel as a story is a disappointing addition to the stable of Superman movies. Perhaps it's just the character. I'm a Batman fan and I think the world is subdivided on Superman vs. Batman lines, so maybe I'm being unfair ... but I doubt it. Anyway, from a visual standpoint, it was spectacular. The action and particularly the fighting sequences with Faora-Ul, Tor-An, General Zod and Superman are incredible. How Metropolis is supposed to rebuild itself after the super-being Armageddon should be a documentary unto itself.
I wrote about this elsewhere: You know a movie is in trouble when the film creators have a harder time asking you to suspend your disbelief about the relationships and drama between characters than scientifically unsound principles commonly found in superhero movies. It felt like Lois Lane was shoehorned into parts of the film where she had no reason to participate. I'm sure it was to create some sort of early emotional connection between her and Clark, but it felt awkward and unnecessary. Amy Adams should have been a miscast, but since the Lane character wasn't really working, I suppose it didn't matter that she played the role. That's not a dig at Amy, it's just an unfortunate side effect of a poorly formed role. On the flip side, Michael Shannon as General Zod was brilliant. He's such a malevolent looking character when he furrows his brow and curls his lip. I thought his final pre-fight invective was very well written and played. It took the edge off Zod's evil and exposed him as more of a relentless, unsympathetic warrior.
I thought that the periodic flashbacks to Clark's formative years was a good instrument for building a better understanding of his character. It was formulaic to be sure, but the method of delivery was intriguing. Having said that, the film lost me a few times. It definitely tried to pack in a lot of material even though the film's run time was long. That's something I think is partially unavoidable in superhero movies. With interweaving story lines that span years, it's hard to simplify them into a single film even if the focus is on only one aspect of the character's tale.
In all, I think Man of Steel is worth watching at least once for its sheer summer blockbuster value. If you like big special effects, and wanton destruction, you'll enjoy this film.