Starring Henry Cavill, Amy Adams
Directed by Zack Snyder
Though its not as fun as Richard Donners 1978 original, the latest Superman reboot packs an emotional punch that introduces a grittier, darker origin story to modern audiences.
British actor Henry Cavill dons the red cape for this update, which opens on the alien planet of Krypton when Supe is just a baby and his world is on the brink of environmental catastrophe while under attack from the menacing General Zod (Michael Shannon) as his father (Russell Crowe) devises a plan to save his bundle of joy. Director Zack Snyder wastes no time in world building and demonstrates a keen eye for detail, strongly marrying imaginative conceptual work and striking production design blended with the very best in todays visual effects technology.At the risk of a bloated introduction, Snyder soon fast forwards to present day when young Kal-El has grown into a hunky earth man working on a fishing vessel and lays out his upbringing in a series of effective flashbacks. Amy Adams does her best as intrepid journalist Lois Lane; unfortunately there is so much narrative already happening the iconic love story gets a bit lost in the shuffle.
The films dramatic tone is more in line with The Dark Knight than any of the Marvel properties (thanks to Christopher Nolans producing and David S. Goyers script) and the results are extremely satisfying. Though Man of Steel contains a few too many sequences of chaotic city destruction, it also ushers in a bold revision of a beloved hero.
