A Mega Misfire

Rating: 6/10 (8 July 2013)

Man of Steel suffers from a variety of problems: direction, acting, screenplay, and casting. If I had to rank this Superman film along with the rest of them, I would place it at #3.
The problem with MoS is that Snyder doesn't know what to do with these characters. He knows how to direct actions sequences, but knows very little about developing characters and getting the best out of his actors. Take for example, the way that Shannon is used - he's screams throughout this entire film, and the screenplay gives him lines that come off as banal and cliché. Amy Adams comes off as stoic and unimportant to the story. Her chemistry with Superman is almost non-existent. The worst offender? Henry Cavill - he's completely miscast in the role. He lacks charisma. Superman is the all-American superhero that brings joy, happiness, and hope to people. Forget about seeing that in Man of Steel.
This Superman has been re-written to be dark and gloomy. He's trying to "find his place," but the problem is we never actually care if he does or not. His human father wants him to stay hidden and then he changes his mind and asks him to wait. His biological father thinks he will be a God. We stop caring midway through the film, because we never get to know what Superman himself is thinking.
Like every summer blockbuster, there has to be a huge climax - we get that here, but the problem is that we don't understand what's happening. The characters move so quickly and without any restraint that we see them crash through walls, topple buildings, and we don't care. You become desensitized to this kind of action, and stop caring, or worst of all, you don't know what the hell is happening.
I wouldn't watch this film again, but I'm looking forward to the sequel. It might elevate Superman to new heights, and be able to establish a new tone and have a better screenplay. The worst is over - explaining the origin story.