Man of Steel

As the planet Krypton faces both exhausted resources and a military coup, leading scientist Jor-El (Russell Crowe) places his infant son Kal, the last naturally born Kryptonian, on a craft headed for earth. The alien is raised by Jonathan (Kevin Costner) and Martha (Diane Lane) Kent as their son Clark and strives for a normal existence. But the superpowered Clark (Henry Cavill) is anything but normal, and his heroic exploits attract the attention of both enterprising reporter Lois Lane (Amy Adams) and recently released Kryptonian war criminal General Zod (Michael Shannon).

Superman’s cinematic history is a tangled web of revision. What two films (Superman III and Superman IV) do, one film (Superman Returns) undoes. And when that doesn’t meet expectations, it’s back to the drawing board for a complete reboot. Such fleeting fortunes inspire a healthy amount of skepticism, but Man of Steel at least comes with a vaunted pedigree. Director Zak Snyder, screenwriter David Goyer, and producer Christopher Nolan have all contributed to successful comic book adaptations. That, plus the talented cast, should have been enough to silence many doubters. Unfortunately, the results, while far from abysmal, failed to do for the title character what Batman Begins did for the Caped Crusader.

Pacing is the biggest culprit. Man of Steel clocks in at 142 minutes and feels even longer. The film does not lack action – Superman actually gets to do a fair amount of fighting, for a change – but much of that action is backloaded. The middle of the film feels weighted down by bloviating on the nature of acceptance, hope, and responsibility. These scenes, mostly involving Clark and his adoptive family, could have given the film some emotional gravitas, but they instead come across as heavy-handed space-fillers. In contrast, the Lois-Clark relationship, a key aspect of the franchise, isn’t given enough time or opportunity to properly develop.

These narrative inequities nearly sink what is otherwise a solid film. Cavill is a much stronger and more assured presence in the lead than his predecessor Brandon Routh, and he hits the right notes when exploring Clark’s struggle to accept his true nature. Adams is an upgrade from the too-young Kate Bosworth as well: she gives Lois courage without exhausting credibility. As the villainous Zod and the valorous Jor El, Shannon and Crowe offer refreshingly new interpretations. The former is granted a loftier motive (the restoration of a dying world) and unyielding determination; the latter has a greater presence even after death.

Man of Steel also offers superior sights and sounds. Everything from the classic Superman costume to the appearance of Krypton has been revamped and looks far less cartoonish than in the Donner/Salkind films. Hans Zimmer does not try to foolishly replicate John Williams’ iconic score; instead, his title track succeeds on its own merits.

If all goes according to plan, Man of Steel will kickstart an integrated DC cinematic universe that will also include Batman and Wonder Woman. As a debut, it doesn’t set the world afire, but fittingly given the character, it does inspire hope.

7.5/10