MAN OF STEEL

Man of Steel is the reimagining the story of the most famous superhero by Christopher Nolan who has written this along with David Goyer who was his collaborator for The Dark Knight trilogy. The film is directed by Zack Snyder who is a master in creating stunning visuals (300, Watchmen, Sucker Punch). So, it is quite natural that the output has shades of The Dark Knight with the protagonist having to lug some emotional baggage of his past despite being a superhero.

The story basically has Superman trying to save earth from a misguided General Zod who was banished from their home planet of Krypton before the planet's core collapsed destroying the entire planet. Zod wants to build a new Krypton on earth even if it means that the present inhabitants of the planet would have to be exterminated for that purpose.

The film works only in parts especially where a young Clark Kent has to get a grip on his superpowers as a young kid as well as in his youth. He is guided by his adoptive parents played by a wonderful Kevin Costner & Diane Lane. Russell Crowe also does a competent job in the initial sequences as the chief scientist of Krypton as well as in several appearances strewn through the film in guiding his son. The film also benefits immensely from a rousing score from Hans Zimmer.

Henry Cavil fits the part beautifully though he could've added further dimensions & depth besides the grey & sombre moods. It might well be because the writers haven't provided him with such scope.And, that is a major issue with this movie because for, what I am sure is, a first installment of a franchise, it almost completely shuns the lighter shades and humour and seems to revel in its dark tones. Even the part of Lois Lane played by Amy Adams seems incomplete. Yes, she seems to be a capable, Pulitzer winning investigative journalist. But, little else....

My next & biggest grouse is that the action sequences though awesome in all their CGI wizardry have a very chaotic & noisy feel to them and appear more from that dull & jarring junkyard rampage, Transformers. The last half hour is almost completely mired in sequences where almost an entire city is ground to dust. While Michael Bay might feel happy to find this carnage & may even feel inspired, it is such a put off.. Wonder when these guys would learn from Cameron or even Joss Whedon ...

This appears even more of a criminal waste when you consider the first part of the movie seemed to be in a tearing hurry of a runaway freight train and throws so much at us including the backstory of Krypton, the growing up of young Clark Kent, his youth, his discovery of his origins, etc. All that for this crescendo of chaotic madness... Oh, how we wish they had dwelt more on building characters with more shades & depth.....

Overall, while the movie is definitely a good watch & might be THE BIG BLOCKBUSTER of the season, one feels SUPERMAN deserved something more SUPERlative than this ! Hope they do a better job with the sequel !!