An amazing insight into the difficulties one faces in accepting the very idea of a being like Superman

Rating: 9/10 (5 December 2015)

Written by David S. Goyer with the help of none other than Christopher Nolan and helmed by director Zack Snyder, Man of Steel is, in my personal opinion, an essential movie for any fan of the superhero genre. The film delivers amazing visuals, intense action scenes, a mesmerizing score by Hans Zimmer and is a wonderful character introduction to a new, modern Superman not content with adhering to any preconceptions about the character but instead trying to showcase a novel look into who Kal-El is and the struggles he has to endure in order to become the hero Earth so desperately needs.
Into the heavy shoes of the titular character steps Henry Cavill who delivers a tame but on-point performance, delivering his lines with the appropriate stoicism at times, but also revealing the character's doubts, fears and anger whenever the plot demands it. And let's not undermine the fact of how difficult it is to achieve a body worthy of Superman himself, which alone shows the actor's dedication to the part. The rest of the cast, including Michael Shannon as the villain General Zod, Amy Adams as reporter and romantic interest Lois Lane and Lawrence Fisburne as her editor at the Daily Planet Perry White do a solid job as well. Special mention goes to Russel Crowe who gives a stellar performance as Superman's father Jor-El, especially in the opening sequence of the movie.
Speaking of that opening sequence, which takes place on Superman's home planet of Krypton, it is a perfect example of the exemplary visual effects and creative design work that went into this film. The planet and its history are relatable and yet completely alien at the same time, in a way, making one dream of how potential spin-off set in this amazing environment could pan out. Here we see Snyder signature visuals work, with with intense zooming and change of focus while maintaining the continuation of the plot and the fluidity of the action. This style is transferred into the rest of the film, with special mention to a couple of sequences where one truly feels as if they are admiring a 15th century Italian painting with a vibrant color palette and suggestive symbolism. The first flight sequence is pure art, in my opinion. The viewer may get lost at times on first viewings as some shots are overflowing with detail, but that serves only to enrich the experience as it challenges us to pay attention and look for all the subtle and not-so-subtle hints at the future the director gives us.
The action is mostly CGI, but that is completely understandable as the sheer magnitude of the situations our hero must experience can't possibly be recreated in any other way. Thereare, however, practicals and stunts effects at work here as well and they are expertly done as can be expected of such a high-budget movie affair. Superman's epic powers cannot and should not be under-emphasized as what he represents through these god-like powers is one of the, if not the central conflict of the movie. The score by famous blockbuster composer Hans Zimmer is suitably grand in scope, somehow simultaneously capturing the grandeur of the fight and action sequences, the wonder of the self-revelation sequences for the titular hero and the dread and fear at General Zod's initial appearance and subsequent malicious endeavors. Zimmer wears his inspiration from the earlier movies on his sleeve, but also makes this Superman decidedly his own.
Finally, I would like to talk about the best part of the movie, the approach to the hero and his journey to become one. We are treated to a very real-life representation of what it would be to be Superman. He is an outcast, an alien, someone who destroys so many of humanity's beliefs and philosophies by his mere existence, and that is without mentioning his fearsome god-like powers. In many ways the central conflict of the movie is about the fear that mankind isn't ready and might never be able to accept a deity walking amongst them, however noble his intentions may be, and Clark's struggle to embrace who he is but also maintain what many would claim he has not - his humanity.
Because, at the end, of the day, isn't that Superman's greatest appeal? That despite his awesome power, despite his ability to become mankind's greatest fear, he chooses to protect them and put his life on the line whenever the need arises, because however alien he might seem, Superman is, in fact, human. an.