A promising start to a new franchise with a good dose of outlandish comic-book action.

Rating: 7/10 (28 July 2013)

Warner Bros. Pictures had to begin production on a Superman film by 2011 in order to avoid being sued by the Shuster and Siegel estates for lost revenue on an unproduced film. Even though Man Of Steel is a Hollywood product I still enjoyed watching it very much. What made the difference was Christopher Nolan's involvement as producer and David S. Goyer's script. Read historian Carroll Quigley's books if you want to know what was one of the influences. It's a solid script that tells the difficulties experienced by Clark Kent when he was growing up on Earth well. But we also get a detailed picture of Krypton's downfall, a new story behind the Superman suit, and then a great conflict when General Zod comes to Earth. The story is complex for a superhero film. Even in adulthood Clark isn't entirely sure if he can trust the people of Earth. His adoptive parents are a big help for him. These scenes of growing up and learning to coexist are some of the most effective. Kevin Costner and Diane Lane are likable and earnest. Costner, playing Jonathan Kent, in particular effectively embodies goodness and wisdom. The whole cast is solid though. Henry Cavill was a good choice to play Superman. He wears the cape well. He's also sympathetic, especially when he deals with being an alien. My favorite scenes would have to be Clark learning from his biological father Jor-El (Russell Crowe) and confronting Zod (Michael Shannon). Jor is a voice of reason that's an opposite to Zod's violence and cruelty. Crowe perfectly embodies virtuosity and hope. Shannon's Zod is a terrific villain with a purpose. Shannon's expressions are the best in the film, making his intentions compelling. Zack Snyder is a competent director but he often fails to draw viewers into his scenes. This problem is present in Man Of Steel. And yet the film is often exhilarating and touching too. Watching Superman fly for the first time is a joy here. Though some people criticized Snyder's "overlong" action scenes I think that this is exactly what was needed. Previous Superman films mostly lacked the godlike fighting that one expects, but here you get plenty of it. The addition of Hans Zimmer's new music themes gives the action a boost. It's almost like Snyder is atoning for Bryan Singer's Superman Returns (2006). My opinion is that Man Of Steel is a neat reinvention instead of an obligatory rehash. It certainly entertains and I recommend it.