predicted by the late Frank Herbert...

Rating: 2/10 (21 June 2013)

There is a scene in Dune, arguably the best sci-fi tale ever told, when a Bene Gesserit Mother Superior first meets the daughter of The Lady Jessica and, in a heartbeat, grasps what the girl represents to their carefully controlled breeding doctrine. "Abomination!" she screams at the small child. Such is the genius of the late Frank Herbert that one can wonder , in that scene, if he was prophesying into the far future -- our present -- when this specific film, MAN OF STEEL, would be released. Released? Unleashed would be a better term. Why second-rate writers and directors feel compelled, in the face of overwhelming ignorance as what may or may not be entertainment, to fall back on "origins" is beyond the ken of this reviewer. Suffice it to say that, in this 2 hour movie, you will be spending the first 30 minutes on the planet Krypton(which strangely resembles the inside of a KFC) and the second half-hour on backstory and flashbacks (the second-most-popular refuge of incompetent writers and directors.) In the final hour you will learn, to your shock and horror, that Lois knew Superman's identity from the beginning (which sort of takes the fun out of the 70 years of comics and animation that gently suggest otherwise). Finally, the third-most-popular refuge of incompetents, you will re-acquaint yourself with General Zod, an exceptionally versatile villain, and squander the remainder of this film watching Supe get his ass kicked from here to Cleveland and back. Luckily his new redesigned suit, which was the main focus of the studio PR campaign (and now we know why!) is stainproof. The scene where Clark Kent allows his father Pa Kent to die so he won't reveal his powers to strangers will live in infamy (for film buffs) and literally redefines the term "patricide." Compared to this, SUPERMAN RETURNS is High Art. Save your money. Download Cher's new single instead. And explain to your grandchildren who she is.
++++++++++++++++++++++ADDENDUM Dec 16
Waited 3 years to rewatch to see if it got any better. It actually got worse:
*. Other than the good looks, Henry Cavill lacks empathy which is likely the most important quality an actor can possibly have. His scenes with Amy Adams -- this is a romance that has lasted almost a century in pop culture -- are awkward beyond belief.
* the film has a "faux" ending which I did not mention before. Just when you think it is finally over, suddenly Zod returns and gives a full-frame speech which is so bizarre and unintentionally funny it could open a comedy club. Something about his entire life being about saving his race and now it is about nothing. This is whining from a character that moments before tried to destroy the earth and moments before that destroyed what was left of Supermans father and moments before that tried to kill his mother too. Script issues anyone?
* and -- stands to reason the continuity editing is just as lost as the rest of the film -- in the final scene (which almost qualifies as a third ending) Superman tells the "general" that he is American because he "grew up in Kansas" -- sort of an awkward segue considering the point of the scene is that Superman does NOT want anyone to know his secret identity! (Other than of course Lois, a trope which will go down in the annals of comic history as a massive "vanity rewrite" by Synder.)
Cannot believe this is the same man who did Watchmen, one of the most perfect films of all time.
And the fact that Synder was able to actually turn this film into a franchise (Superman Vs Batman) speaks only to the power of Hollywood deal-making system, not quality or entertainment. Is it possible that this reviewer is the only "fan" who objects to constantly seeing "reboots" of messed up productions with new actors playing Superman or Batman or Spiderman or Hulk? Or is it really all about the money? (One example of many - a needless Spiderman reboot because an option was about to expire unless the studio "used" it.)