MAN OF STEEL (B)

Bottom Line: Not in the least bit mild-mannered, this thunderously action-packed and yet often overstuffed blockbuster falls decidedly short of the implied greatness teased at by its trailers…  Within we have a fairly confident reexamination of our hero’s familiar origin that does away with some of its predecessors late 70’s cheese and charm for manufactured, big budget guts and grit.  Much of it works brilliantly in the moment – as a superbly cast Henry Cavill (Superman) is at the paternal pull between Crowe’s (Jor-El) be-a-God-to-these-people ‘ying’ and Costner’s (Pa Kent) down home, just-blend-in-until-you-find-your-purpose ‘yang’.  This is where the movie gets its dimension and depth.  The rest, virtually subtle-free, is an occasionally effective whirligig of self-discovery, chaotic destruction and visually explosive splendor – and every now and then, as if hindered by fragmented shards of ‘scriptwriting Kryptonite’, the story buckles and wheezes to the pressures of generically uninspired storytelling and drastically underwritten character apathy (Adam’s Lois Lane does little more than distress as a damsel and Fishburne, as Perry White, was apparently paid to just stand around for a few scenes).  More often than not though, this lightly flawed iteration of the popular franchise soars…  Both dazzlingly bold and deafeningly boisterous, this epic reentry to the big screen mostly makes good on the promise of exhilarating, summertime, popcorn-munching fun!

 

Starring: Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Michael Shannon, Russell Crowe, Laurence Fishburne, Diane Lane and Kevin Costner

Directed by: Zack Snyder (300, WATCHMEN and SUCKER PUNCH)

Rated: PG-13

Running time: 148 minutes

Story: A young boy learns that he has extraordinary powers and is not of this Earth. As a young man, he journeys to discover where he came from and what he was sent here to do. But the hero in him must emerge if he is to save the world from annihilation and become the symbol of hope for all mankind. -- (C) Warner Bros

 

Trailer: www.manofsteel.com