Laying the Foundations

Rating: 5/10 (31 December 2013)

Acting: Overall, the acting is solid. Henry Cavill does a spectacular job of bringing humanity and relativity to Superman, unlike the previous Superman film. Russell Crowe and Kevin Costner perform well as Joe-El and Jonathan Kent, respectively, while Michael Shannon's General Zod was more interesting to watch than the typical Superman vs. Lex Luthor scenario fans have seen since 1978. The only disappointing performance came from Amy Adams. She was an excellent choice for Lois, but the material didn't allow her to have a memorable moment.
Characters: The characterization of the main characters was well done, but the secondary characters were not quite as interesting. Superman was well characterized as the film progressed, showing Clark learn from the challenges and mistakes he makes. General Zod's motivation and purpose were well explained, adding much needed depth to this classic villain. The secondary characters were not so well done, from Faora to Dr. Hamilton. Sure, characters like Faora had a moment or two, but guys like Dr. Hamilton were completely forgettable.
Story: The story had a strong start with the growth of Superman, but the emotional journey was buried within the rubble of Metropolis by the third act. While the action was entertaining, it was difficult to stay emotionally connected with Superman when the action picked up.
Script: Perhaps the weakest part of the film. Yes, there were some well written lines, but most of them were used during the film's trailers. There are a couple of lines in the film that were cringe-worthy, not fitting the mood of the scene at all.
Overall: While it loses sight of the story it tries to tell by the third act, Man of Steel provides plenty of spectacular action along with enough story and emotional depth to produce an entertaining film and form a solid foundation for the DC Cinematic Universe.