An enjoyable experience, that only slightly misses the mark.

Rating: 7/10 (14 June 2013)

I want to start off by saying that "Man of Steel" is an entertaining film that has a lot of emotional pull, thrilling sequences, and high powered action scenes. In its entirety, the film is not a flop by any means. That being said, although I believe the critics have generally been harsh with this film, I do believe it could have been done much better in many different areas
My main problem with the film is the process in which they decided to tell the story. Instead of introducing us to Clark Kent as a child, and watching him grow and develop, we're thrown in the middle of his life and are sprinkled throughout the duration of the film was blurbs of important moments in his life. In my personal opinion, this didn't drive home the emotional development of Superman as well as it could have been done. Outside of this flaw in the storytelling, there were a handful of major scenes in the film that seemed "forced" or unnatural. I understand this is a movie about a Superhero, so as a viewer we are expected to take on the role of suspending some reality do to this fact. But there were moments in the film in which I felt as a viewer they were asking me to suspend belief or logic to an extent that wasn't necessary. To some I may seem overly critical, but considering the highly intelligent and creative staff that was surrounding the development of the film, I hold them to a much higher standard, which draws me to my next point.
Although having Christopher Nolan's name attached to this film certainly helps its marketability, it puts a much higher standard on the quality we expect as movie-goers. Christopher Nolan and his production company "Syncopy" have established them as one of the most clever and skillful film producers in the business, and their work has been flawless. For me, this makes me feel the need to be more critical of their work and expect a far greater standard than that of other groups. Overall, "Man of Steel" is a fun and enjoyable film. There are scenes that are going to leave you wanting more and the way the story is told may have a negative impact on your viewing experience. If you're looking for a movie that provides you with sentimental moments as well as a handful of brilliant action sequences, you should look no further. Although the film is long, it is certainly entertaining through and through.