Starring: Henry Cavill, Amy Adams & Michael Shannon
Directed by: Zack Snyder
Written by: David S. Goyer and Christopher Nolan
Genre(s): Sci-Fi, Comic Book, Action
No spoilers here!
I was a bit reluctant to see this movie considering I am not a fan of director Zack Snyder’s previous films (300, WATCHMEN, LEGEND OF THE GUARDIANS: THE OWLS OF GA’HOOLE, SUCKER PUNCH). DAWN OF THE DEAD (2004) is the only exception. Also considering the mix reviews of MAN OF STEEL, I kind of had an idea of what to expect.
My recommendation is based on three reasons: 1) the spectacular visual effects (CGI), 2) Russell Crowe’s performance as Jor-El and 3) Michael Shannon’s dynamic performance as General Zod, probably the most memorable villain since Heath Ledger’s portrayal as the Joker in THE DARK KNIGHT (2008). Without Crowe and Shannon, MAN OF STEEL would have lost my interest and earned a discommendation instead.
Even though the action sequences were visually stunning, I found them to be too long winded. Like many recent movies, MAN OF STEEL could have been edited down to under two hours. This could have helped making the emotional elements of the story more impactful. Instead, they got upstage by all the explosions and collapsing buildings. Too much for me! In addition, as other reviews have commented, this reinvention of Superman lacked charisma and charm on screen. MAN OF STEEL needed more light-hearted moments to balance the dark tone of the entire movie.
Overall, I liked of MAN OF STEEL better than THE AVENGERS (2012) which was over-hyped and overrated. My reviews can be found here: THE AVENGERS and
Where Have All the Heroes Gone?
Now back to Zack Snyder… I do have to admit the opening title sequence of WATCHMEN is one of the best I’ve ever seen. Using Bob Dylan’s Times They are a-Changin’ was a brilliant choice. Kudos!
