Man of Steel - My Review

Went to the Arclight Sherman Oaks with my buddy Robert to see Man of Steel. I saw it in 2D on opening night.

First let me say I'm a huge fan of Superman, he is my favorite of all the superheros. I really enjoyed Superman back when I was a little kid watching George Reeves in the B&W Adventures of Superman. But fell in love with Superman when Christopher Reeves put on the suit in Superman The Movie back in 78'. After that movie I devoured all things Superman, comics, cartoons, tv series, movies.. anything I could get my hands on. I do admit that I haven't followed the Superman comics in over 20 years.. something I hope to correct in the near future. So I've been looking forward to seeing this movie since they announced the reboot. I am one of the few that enjoyed Superman III and Superman Returns... Superman IV I can take it or leave it.

I've purposely avoided any kind of spoilers for this new incarnation of the Man of Steel. I mean I knew who the actors were and I heard they were trying to make it more "realistic" and I knew Zod was going to be the bad guy.. but that's about it.

So here is my short review (no spoilers)...  I loved the movie, it was everyone I was hoping for. There were a few small issues but the good well out weighted the bad. The action scenes were amazing, the sfx were cool and the actors did a great job in their roles. I don't know why there is a swell of negative reviews coming out all of a sudden, from both critics and friends. But you know what.. I don't care. Haters are gonna hate, and you can't please everyone. All I know is that I loved the movie and can't wait to see it again.. and truthfully to me, that all that matters.... go me :)

Now for a more detail idea of what I really enjoyed and the few things I disliked (SPOILERS ahead).  First what I didn't like since that list is so much smaller.. I didn't like the shaky camera, luckly it wasn't in to much of the movie but I just don't understand why directors go that route. It may look good on a small screen but on a huge movie screen that shaky cam sucks. The other issue I had was the destruction of Smallville and Metropolis. I mean hundreds if not thousands of people had to have died during the battles and attacks. I didn't understand why Superman wouldn't have lead the "bad guys" away from the populaces and battled in a more remote area. I mean I understand why the film makers did what they did because it looked cool having these super strong flying people throwing each through buildings, but if Superman is all about saving humans he helped kill quite a bit of them with destroying buildings... those are really my only two complaints.

Now here's what I loved about the movie. First of all Krypton, how awesome was that. It was so alien and so different then any of the other movies have every represented it. That was a real treat. I enjoyed everything about the opening of this movie.

I really enjoyed Russel Crowe as Jor-El and I'm not a big fan of Mr. Crowe but I really liked him in this. Costner as Jonathan was amazing and was the heart of the movie. His death scene was incredible and heartbreaking.. when he knew he was going to die (from the Tornado) and stopped Clark from saving him with a shake of his head was heartwretching. Clark and Martha had to stand there and watch their love one die.. gives me chills just thinking about it.

I loved Amy Adam's Lois Lane, she was smart and fearless. I really like that she used her investigative reporter instincts and was able to find out that Clark was an alien before he even became Superman. This is a huge departure from the Superman lore, I mean she finds out eventually but not at the beginning.. and I really liked that.

Superman is an alien, it's not really addressed in previous movies but here was one of the main storylines. How would the humans react to finding out that we are not alone in the universe.

I love that Clark had to learn how to control his powers when he was young. There is a very touching moment when Clark's vision and hearing starts to go super and he freaks out. Martha Kent (Diana Lane, who was fantastic) comes and talks him down. Also when he's older he had to learn to fly.. he starts by jumping really far and finally is able to stay up and flies.

I really like how the movie is structured, I mean after the opening on Krypton and his ship crashed on Earth we see an older Clark working on a fishing boat, he's kind of a drifter. And they tell his childhood through flash backs.. that was very well done.

I love the new suit.. the missing red underwear
didn't bother me as much as the missing S on his cape.  I did like how the S meant hope on his world. I love that the suit was alien and from Krypton as well. I mean all of the Kryptonian outfits were awesome.

I liked the sfx when they battled.. at first it looked kind of cartoony but then again super strong and super fast being would move like that. 

I liked the final moments in the battle of Superman Vs Zod. I like how Zod said he was born to take care of Krypton, that's all he's ever known. Kind of makes him not a "bad guy" just a guy trying to save his people.. of course it's at the cost of the human race.

Of course the final moment in that battle where Superman has to chose between "the human race" and killing Zod. You can see the torture he is going through. He's meant to save people not kill and when he gives that scream of frustration and snaps Zod's neck is just amazing.

I was wondering if reporter Clark Kent was going to make an appearance and sure enough the final scene we have Clark Kent being introduced to Lois Lane and the Daily Planet.. so good.

Oh and I almost forgot... Henry Cavill was amazing as Superman and man is he HOT.. and his body is AMAZING!!!!!

I give Man of Steel a solid A