MAN OF STEEL (2013)

Critic's Rating: 

Cast: Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Michael Shannon, Diane Lane, Russell Crowe, Kevin Costner, Laurence Fishbourne

Direction: Zack Snyder

Genre: Action

Duration: 2 hours 23 minutes

Story: Kal-El is rocketed to Earth from the dying planet Krypton, where he is raised by the Kents (Lane, Costner). Even as he begins to comprehend his powers, he must soon confront his nemesis and save the planet.

Movie Review: Superman has always been the quintessential clean-cut superhero, the sincere saviour of the day. While that essence remains, he now gets a decidedly darker, introspective and brutal edge under the Nolan-Snyder aegis. After emerging from interplanetary exile following a failed coup attempt on Krypton, General Zod and his crew arrive on Earth in search of the Codex - and Kal El (Cavill) - that will allow him to create a new race on Earth, while destroying humanity in the process.

The world becomes a battleground for the inevitable confrontation between Zod and Superman. While huge swathes of cities are wantonly reduced to rubble and the scale of destruction is off the map, there are also tender moments in-between. The curvy Lois Lane's (Adams) chemistry with Clark Kent is moving, as is the bond Clark shares with his Earth-parents.

Many of the usual Superman tropes are deliberately avoided. In fact, he barely even smiles and the quips of past films are studiously avoided. The film is quite simply, a visual smorgasbord. It is grand, sweeping, epic and all the stops have been pulled out. Snyder and Nolan are a blockbuster machine with intensity thrown in too. Being a full-fledged reboot of the Man of Steel's story, it's an immersive film and it's also Superman's most violent outing yet.

While the dialogues might be devoid of the cheeky one-liners that pepper other superhero films we've seen of late, it blindsides everything with sheer enormity of scale.

This is a Superman film for today's audience. A hugely impressive and entertaining story of arguably the most powerful character in the superhero pantheon (and also one of the biggest pop culture icons), it's clear that the Man of Steel is here to stay.

Note: You may not like this movie if superhero films aren't what you go for.