Man of Steel (2013)

I've been mulling over Man of Steel for a few weeks since I've seen it.  This one has really gotten a split reaction from the Superman fans out there, and I wanted to take time and consider what my impression really was.

So here it is: I'm a fan of Man of Steel.  It's not because the writing is fantastic -it's not.  It's full of too-obvious metaphors, over-dramatic speeches, and one-note forgettable characters (even most of the main ones).  I mean, Man of Steel begins with what amounts to a reverse virgin birth, and lays on the Messiah complex rather strongly in almost everything that follows.

Nor did I love Man of Steel for the settings.  Smallville is basically "typical small midwest town #4," and Metropolis is simply a collection of nondescript buildings.  But I guess that's ok, since both are pulverized to non-recognition anyway.

There are other things not to love.  There is nothing memorable in the acting, nor remarkable in the way the story is put together and executed.  And since I hate shaky-cam cinematography during non-action scenes I was not impressed with the camera work either.

But let's not forget what the movie does right.  This is a film about Superman, and it shows us a vision of the character not seen before yet still consistent with him.  I loved how we were shown a young Clark just beginning to discover his powers -and that he is terrified by them rather than happy.  I loved how Clark is shaped by the vision and wisdom of two fathers, trying to hold their ideals in tension as he faces a threat to what he holds dear.  I liked that Lois Lane tracked down Superman's secret identity.  I loved the way Superman's flying felt new and fresh and powerful, despite the fact that we've seen flying heroes in many other films now.  On the other hand, the special effects often suffered due to some poor execution (like how he jumped unnaturally on the oil rig) or simply because at times far too much was happening for the audience to understand the action.

Overall I just plain found the movie fun.  It was a fresh take on the mythos, and an enjoyable beginning to what hopefully becomes much more.

Entertainment:  10/10
Artistic Value: 4/10
Technical Merit: 7/10

Overall: 7/10