Man of Steel (2013)

Zack Snyder has pulled off the Superman movie that comic fans have been waiting and yearning for. This isn't simply a retread of the origin story all over again. The origin is sprinkled into flashbacks that never draw away from the main story as it plays out. Finally Superman get’s an enemy on screen that is truly worthy of his character. I grew up with Superman the Motion Picture and Superman 2 but it’s time to move on and just stop the comparisons. Those movies were good for their time but the Man of Steel is so much more. The last 40 minutes are so intense. Visuals are done only as Zack Snyder can do them while the story is serious and yet maintains the soul of the Superman/Clark Kent character. The movie studios didn't turn him into a dark brooding vigilante in other words. The conclusion makes total sense and works to explain the "no kill" attitude that becomes part of Superman going forward. I think this story will set up future movies in a way that we now will have a very cohesive Superman franchise.

Henry Cavill could have been a half decent Superman, but the joyless script and sad attempt to make a classic character darker and more angsty doomed his game attempts to failure. Even worse is the bizarre pseudo-science and lame excuses for why the Kryptonians functioned the way they did. But nothing was worse than ending the film with actions that run completely counter to the character established so many years ago. Clearly the writers and director either don't understand the character or are so blinded by their attempts to "modernize" him that they fail to realize that by doing so they ruin the sense of awe and fun Superman is supposed to bring with him. Leave dark and brooding to Batman. Superman is a different beast and trying to make him otherwise ruined what otherwise could have been a viable reboot to the franchise. God help us when this new take on Superman actually meets Batfleck....

Two hour's worth of explosions with 20 minutes worth of plot. There was potential here, but the interesting bits of story are glossed over. Significant liberties were taken with the how Krypton is presented, which seemed incongruous with the original lore. The actors do a good job, but again, there isn't much acting. Most of the movie is 2-3 people wailing on each other in mid-air. Man of Steel is the worst Superman movie I've seen. There are few movies I would want my time and money refunded, and this is one of them.