Flashy and soulless disaster

Rating: 5/10 (14 June 2013)

Once again we get a requel, prequel, sequel, reboot. Does anyone even know what it is this time around? Anyway, of course, we have to start at the beginning, even though everyone knows Superman's origin story and if you don't, go back under the rock where you've been hiding.
First, the film was absolutely miscast. Which is more difficult to endure?--Henry's empty supersuit performance or staring for over two hours at the bad complexion of Amy Adams compounded with her horrible nose? Hard to say, really. Then there's Michael Shannon as a completely non-threatening General Zod who looks like he's constantly in need of a paper cup into which he can spit some tobacco. Round this off with Russell Crowe who's character simply will not go away.
You know the score. Krypton is going to explode, the -El's are sending their only kid(who they made the old fashioned way, they earned it) off to some other world to hopefully carry on the legacy of their people. Zod and his lackluster lackeys are sent to the Phantom Zone(again) and when they get out, they are just in time to see shards of their old world floating past. This time around, Supes is carrying the Codex, which could help repopulate Krypton. Though, apparently, that's as deep into the plot as the director wanted to go. Because, you see, there are only about ten people left from Krypton, including Supes. You have maybe a scientist or two and the rest are all hardcore military personnel. Even if Superman willingly was able to give back the Codex and work with Zod, even if he didn't care that terraforming Earth would kill all the current inhabitants, that doesn't account for the fact that 11 guys and 1 girl can't raise that many babies in their lifetime, and that's if the terraforming works. It didn't work that well the other times they tried. And, Zod, you know, Mr. Military, after Krypton is born again and the pod babies start taking their first gulp of air, is he going to suddenly be Mr. Mom? Who's going to raise all these kids? A "minor" plot hole which I'm sure Nolan fanboys will overlook.
Now, don't get me wrong, I do love DC characters and I think their animated series / films are head and shoulders over Marvel. That said, Marvel crushes the DC live-action film franchises into paste at every turn. Zack Snyder threw as many CGI effects as he could lay his hands on at the screen without remembering that, oh yea, you need a good story, good dialogue, and good characters. You don't get any here. There is no chemistry between Lois and Clark. And as Superman, he's just downright boring. It's like Superman fell into a world where tech from the Matrix is attacking the earth and the response is like the reaction in Independence Day. In fact, while I was watching this movie, I kept thinking Roland Emmerich directed it, which is funny because his latest garbage movie was shown in the trailers before this.
Oh, and Metropolis didn't look too bad after the final battle when Lois and company went back to work. It looked like a nuclear warhead was set off five minutes earlier. And for all that destruction and the countless people who died from being crushed or choking on building dust, Supes didn't work very hard to take the fight away from civilization.
There is nothing I can say to recommend this movie. And I'm sorry to say that. We should have a new Superman movie every 2 or 3 years and Hollywood just can't do it. We'll always have the Donner Cut of Supeman II, which is absolutely superior. I won't say that Christopher Reeve can't be replaced, he wasn't the be all end all of the character, but he was charismatic enough. Superman and Superman II were fun. That's the component Snyder left out, unfortunately, and it ruined everything.