very good DC superhero action movie - def one for the boys

Rating: 7/10 (20 June 2013)

First off, I liked Henry Cavill as Superman, or Hopeman as the Kryptonians would have us see it. Cavill certainly had the look, and then some, and was convincing as Clarke Kent. Amy Adams I didn't quite get, and whilst I think she's a good actress, and I know she's always wanted to play Lois Lane, I didn't see it somehow. All the other characters were well cast and well utilised; well you don't have Russell Crowe and Kevin Costner in a film and not give them some space do you? I loved Crowe in the role of Kal-El's father Jor-El. Diane Lane as Clarke Kent's mother was delightful - I can't believe how far she's come since Cherry Valence in The Outsiders!! The film was, for me, a bit long, especially the big Kal-El/Zod battle... I got a bit bored and that brought the film down for me. It became all CGI (of course) but it was all so fast that it was totally fake, and I don't like that. Otherwise the SFX/CGI in the film were awesome - I particularly liked the breathers covering the faces of people needing breathers. The flying sequences were really realistic and good... and Adams and Cavill seemed to have good chemistry in their romantic interludes, including the times he flew with her. All very good.
Very entertaining film, and certainly if you were a DC/Superhero fan this would be a superb experience and people who know more about these things than I do say it's close to the comics. Even as a non-expert I liked the nods to previous incarnations of Superman and some gentle humour. Look out for the sign saying "0 days since the last accident" on a building site, Lexcorp stuff and signs for Smallville etc.
I really did enjoy the film, except the long winded bits towards the end, that got wearisome. One bit where Superman is fighting with a morphing silver snakey thingie from the space ship (see how DC-savvie I am?) the noise was too sharp and I flinched at that. A very good film and, I believe a very convincing and powerful reboot on the classic older Superman franchises. I thought Cavill reminded me of Christopher Reeve a little, which was nice. Loved the dog actors in the film - super cute border collie. Some humour, some emotion, some tense bits and then also a little romance. Very good film