Man of Steel

I am old enough to have seen the original 2 Christopher Reeve Superman movies, and the idea of combining them is great. Henry Cavill is a better Superman, Amy Adams is a better Lois Lane, the script is far stronger, the baddies are more believable, I honestly can't understand the negatives; with the exception of the first 20 minutes, which just didn't work. A great attempt, far better than most DC movies, except the Nolan ones.

Man of Steel is just one star below the original Superman, and that is the highest score I have ever given a superhero film. I also gave Iron Man a 7, as well as Joker a 7. I have always thought Joker was more interesting than Batman, which I gave a 6.

Crowe's Jor-El is better than Brando for one thing, but I prefer the original Superman, Christopher Reeves over Henry Cavill by a fairly large margin. The original Lois Lane was better, as well, since Margot Kidder was more vulnerable. Perry Black is amusing, however. There was no Jimmy Olsen, which was a bit of a drawback; or if there was, he wasn't noticeable. And I believed Glenn Ford more than Kevin Costner as dad, although Costner did a good job.

The CGI is outstanding in the new one, as well it should be after forty years. The cinematography is very good as well. The pacing was a bit slow, and, of course, I am being sarcastic. Fitting two Superman films in one film requires almost the speed of light.

The writing is first-rate, as well as the Hans Zimmer music.

General Zod is done very well, and is superior to the original Zod. All in all, a very nice production.

Man of Steel is Superman reintroduced for a world that's more suspicious than star-struck. Instead of the classic confident hero who already knows how to be a symbol, this movie gives us Clark Kent still figuring out who he's supposed to be - and whether humanity even wants him around. Henry Cavill plays him with this quiet heaviness, like a guy who has to shrink himself so he doesn't break the world. The parts of the movie feel almost like a sci-fi drama - he's an alien first, a superhero second. That angle makes his struggle feel more personal, not just another origin story checklist. ... It's huge. You can feel the impact whenever Kryptonians hit each other. It looks amazing, but it also makes you nervous because the movie doesn't pretend there wouldn't be consequences. When the fights tear through Smallville and Metropolis, the destruction is intense enough that you can't ignore it or pretend it's harmless comic-book chaos. That leads to the most talked-about part- the way Superman finishes the fight with Zod. Some fans hated that choice, because they see Superman as someone who always finds another way. Others appreciated that this moment is what pushes him to become the hero with stronger boundaries later on. The film ends with him still learning, not already perfect - and that makes him feel more real. And Hans Zimmer's score? It carries the whole thing. It's big and hopeful, but also kind of anxious, like the music knows Superman is one bad day from being seen as a threat. So yeah, Man of Steel isn't a warm, feel-good take on Superman. It's messy and serious and not trying to please everyone. But that's also what makes it memorable. It leaves you thinking about the weight of being Superman instead of just the cool moments of being him.

I have just watched Man of Steel and I have to say it is one of my favorite Superman iterations on TV or movie. This is not to say others are horrible or bad, but it was something that actually got me to watch other live action Supermen movies. That being said, there is this grounded environment and tone which is set up that makes Superman facing real world problems relatable.

Pros: * The visuals and the Action are stunning to say the least. The way the lighting makes it almost feel like it is not even in the real world but like a comic come to life. The designs and the small details put into the costumes were top-notch as well, making it feel like it was actually designed by a different civilization. The Action is truly immersive and feels like beings on a level incomprehensible to mortal men.

* I liked the characterization of Superman, someone who is on this journey of self-discovery, in a realistic world where he is also trying to figure out where he belongs, where there are people who would be afraid of his existence and reject him or embrace him for his actions.

* And I like how there are these challenging ideologies towards his father, Johnathan Kent, how Superman is genuinely a caring person who wants to help, and his father, who wants to protect his son and family and friends. He isn't opposed to helping others but wants his son to be careful about revealing his powers as he thinks the world is not ready yet, but he saw it and is willing to sacrifice himself for his son, all of it building up to creating the identity of Superman's alter ego.

* General Zod is a very compelling villain, someone who is not afraid to do what is necessary if it is for the sake of Krypton. It shows how his genetics tells him that he must serve the betterment of Krypton as a warrior, whether it is against his own kin who stand in his way or cause destruction of civilizations.

Cons: * There are some nitpick scenes, such as when Clark Kent was saved by the fisherman at the beginning of the movie. We see him assaulted by a drunk truck driver later on, and he doesn't flinch, but with the fisherman he was shoved out of the way, kind of like when he was shoved by bullies while in high school. Though this could be based on how his powers work if he doesn't want to be noticed by others.

* Another nitpick was during the tornado scene. People were evacuated onto the underpass of a highway bridge, which is the last thing to do from what I heard.

* The only real issue I had was the surprising number of deaths of known characters in the movie, especially Emil Hamilton, who was an ally of Superman in the comics. This issue will continue to be annoying for me in future movies. I guess that is the MCU for me.

Unsure: *

Final Verdict: * There may be some small nitpicks that I have about the movie. However, it is a Superman movie that has this epicness to it that I relate to and makes me feel like I can accomplish wonders.

** I would give this an 8/10.

This movie was dishonestly mauled by critics and reviewers simply because it was directed by Snyder. Watching this again in 2020, I have to say this will go down as a classic in years to come. It's an absolute blast from start to finish and is one of the most loyal adaptations and faithful to the Superman lore found in DC comics. One of its greatest achievements was the magnificent depiction of Krypton and giving Zod the gravitas and motivation that he lacked in Superman II. You felt empathy for him. Shannon was outstanding in his portrayal of Zod; up there with Ledger's Joker.

I remember people actually complained about the level of destruction in this movie and the excessive use of special effects, but for me this is what makes a Superman movie. Take off your nostalgia tinted glasses and watch this with an open mind. This is the greatest Superman movie bar none.