Man of Steel 
Starring: Henry Cavill, Michael Shannon, Amy Adams, Russell Crowe, Diane Lane, Kevin Costner, Laurence Fishburne
Directed by: Zack Snyder
Rated: PG-13
Run Time: 143 mins
Genre: Action/ Adventure/ Fantasy
Opens June 14th
By Lisa Minzey of The Reel Critic.com
Considering this is one of the most anticipated films of 2013, the latest film in the DC arsenal is under heavy pressure to perform to keep its superhero franchise films in the running against Marvel. It’s chances look good especially when you have a name like Christopher Nolan as an executive producer to offer a guiding hand. Will audiences re-embrace the beloved superhero or has Superman’s time come and gone? Read on to find out.
On the planet of Krypton, Jor-El (Russell Crowe) and Lara Lor-Van (Ayelet Zurer) have given birth to the first natural born child in centuries, Kal-El. Sadly, the planet is about to implode, politically, socially and ecologically speaking. As Jor-El is making an impassioned plea to the high council, General Zod (Michael Shannon) stages a coup to overthrow leadership. Quick thinking by Jor-El, he manages to save his son by shipping him off to a far off Galaxy before Zod can reach him, destroying the only hope of restoring the Krypton bloodline.
Before his sentencing, General Zod vows to find Kal-El and bring justice to the people of Krypton. As he is whisked away to another dimension, Krypton is destroyed, along with all lifeforms remaining.
On Earth, Kal-El is found and raised by a Kansas couple, Jonathan (Kevin Costner) and Martha Kent (Diane Lane) who raise him as Clark Kent (Henry Cavill). Clark is a most unusual child, experiencing difficulties with sensory problems, extreme strength and labeled as a social outcast. As he grows older, Clark takes on a solitary life, wandering from town to town, assuming various identities, helping those in need and then disappears after helping a dire situation.
The rouse is up when Daily Planet reporter Lois Lane (Amy Adams) arrives on site of a military excavation of an object trapped in ice somewhere in the Arctic Circle. Curious by nature, her instincts lead her to follow Clark one night where he finds a key in discovering his origins, triggering a chain of events that will put everyone on Earth at risk. Can Clark become the man he is meant to be and be accepted? Or will the world reject him out of fear?
DC Comics took a risk reviving the beloved superhero, re-branding him into a sleeker, modern version of the former versions, which pays off immensely. The smartest move was bringing on Christopher Nolan as an Executive Producer to work behind the scenes with Zack Snyder ("300", "Sucker Punch"). Not to put any doubt into the directing abilities of Snyder, but having the Dark Knight films under his belt gives a little more assurance that Man of Steel will be quality versus flashy. There are so many qualities about this film that make it a great film that discussion after viewing, the conversation may go on for a while. Henry Cavill is the perfect choice for the Clark Kent/Kal-El role for the sensitivity, brooding, physicality and depth he brings to the role. The supporting roles are equally fantastic as Amy Adams is fierce yet not too helpless as Lois Lane. It’s great to see Michael Shannon cast in larger roles as his talent for drama and action are showcased brilliantly as General Zod. The technology has finally arrived for the comic book/ superhero genre where it looks absolutely seamless and dazzles the senses between the flying, chase and fight scenes. Even the score is hauntingly brilliant giving the audience a sensory overload of delight, wonder and amazement of this movie going feat. How does it compare to films like “Iron Man”, “The Avengers” or the “Spiderman” franchise? Let’s just say that the fight scene in Metropolis makes what happened in the Avengers look like playtime. This is not to say “Man of Steel” is the superior film of the two, but that it holds its own in terms of cinematic excellence and entertainment. Be sure to check out “Man of Steel” when it opens in theaters starting Friday June 14, 2013.
