Man of Steel [2013]
Directed by: Zack Snyder
Written by: David S. Goyer (story by Christopher Nolan and David S. Goyer; based on characters by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster)
Starring: Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Michael Shannon, Russell Crowe, Diane Lane, Kevin Costner, Laurence Fishburne, Christopher Meloni, Ayelet Zurer
I’m liking 2013. In less than 3 months, the year has presented us with a string of films that collectively achieve blockbuster greatness, something we’re used to seeing only every other year. Huge-budget actioners Iron Man 3, followed by Star Trek: Into Darkness and now Man of Steel have made the first half of 2013 a damn great semester to spend at the movies. Who says mass appeal and quality storytelling can’t go hand in hand?
America’s most iconic superhero gets a brand new, darker treatment, courtesy of director Zack Snyder (300, Watchmen) and producer Christopher Nolan (The Dark Knight, Inception). Aided by a cast that should have Oscar geeks (like me) drooling from the sheer number of nominations and wins among them, Snyder and Nolan ensure a really fun, albeit far from flawless, time at the cinema.
In the words of one Derek Zoolander, “really really ridiculously good-looking” Henry Cavill is very solid in the title role, but even Superman can’t help his scenes being stolen by his nemesis (naturally) and his loving mother, in the form of a justifiably over-the-top Michael Shannon and a restrained Diane Lane, respectively.
Expectedly, the score by Hans Zimmer is rousing and the visuals are breathtaking. But surprisingly, for a movie with so much hitting, this one packs a strong punch of the emotional kind.
It’s a damn hard thing to achieve a balance between the goofy, preposterous nature of a comic book -especially one that thinks that a pair of glasses is enough to conceal one’s superheroic secret identity- with heavier, deeper themes like fascism, discrimination and the difficult task of raising “someone else’s” child, but these guys do the trick.
Outstanding review, really awesome stuff. Glad to hear you enjoyed the film as much as I did. A terrific reboot for the all-time superhero.
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Thanks, Joseph! Glad you enjoyed both the film and what I had to say!
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Nice Fernando! Very Nice! I always enjoy your straight-to-the-point approach. I’ve heard this and that about this film but I think I like your outlook most. I know what I’m getting here. 😉
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Thanks a lot, Mark! It’s certainly proved a bit divisive but I hope you agree with my POV once you see the film. Cheers!
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I thought it was good too, Fernando, but I was a little disappointed in Michael Shannon. I didn’t think he was “Over the top” enough. 😦 At the end of the day, though, yeah. It was your big budget “Epic” superhero movie that is so in vogue these days 😉
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I’ve never wanted a sequel so much! I think the next one could be pure greatness. Nice review. 🙂
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Well, I don’t know about “never”, but you get what I mean, I think.
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Thanks. And yeah, I’m curious about the imminent sequel as well!
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Great, concise review as always…we mostly agree, particularly I thought Diane Lane was great.
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Thanks, P! And glad we agree on Lane. Really liked her in the role.
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You’re welcome…she so easily could have gone overboard but she was right on 🙂
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Good review Fernando. It was a good movie, but I can’t say that I really enjoyed it as much as I had originally intended to with the way things looked from the first couple of previews and posters. Still, a solid superhero movie.
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Thanks. Glad that, even if it didn’t fully meet your expectations, you still enjoyed it!
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Nice review dude. It’s definitely been a good start to the summer so far with this and Star Trek. Glad to see another positive review of Man of Steel…there’s just so much going for it that make up for what it lacks in other areas.
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Thanks, Tom! And yeah, it’s easy to forgive its shortcoming because it’s just so entertaining. 2013 has been a great year for blockbusters!
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It’s so odd to me you hated The Avengers, a movie that got phenomenal reviews, but adored Man of Steel, a film that got negative reviews. Glad you were able to enjoy a blockbuster at least. I know how much you hated The Hobbit and the original Star Wars.
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To each his own, right?
However, even though I really enjoyed Man of Steel, I can understand why it was not everybody’s cup of tea. But I honestly don’t get why Avengers was so revered. I really don’t.
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We’re in agreement here, Fernando! I had a great time with this one. You brought up some points that I completely forgot in my review, i.e. Hans Zimmer’s score (loved it, and I’m a HUGE fan of John Williams, who scored the original movies).
This is my #1 for the year as of yet, and I’m sure there’s no one who’d agree.
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Yeah, I don’t think many would agree with that, but whatever. It’s YOUR list!
Glad you had fun and that we agree 🙂
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Yes 😀
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Good review! I’m ready to hop into the discussion myself. Hope you’ll check out my take when it goes up tomorrow.
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Thanks! And of course I’ll check it out 🙂
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Nice review. Glad you enjoyed it but I was very disappointed. Shannon’s one of my favorite actors but he went far too over-the-top like you said, and I never felt engaged in the story.
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Thanks! And aw, that’s too bad! Being disappointed by a movie sucks! I know that feel, bro.
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North America’s most iconic superhero…remember Superman was co-created by a Canadian! lol. Nice one Fernando, glad you liked it. 🙂
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LOL. I actually didn’t know that! So thanks 😉
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“really really ridiculously good-looking” Hahaha loved that bit xD
Good review, I loved this film and think they did a great reboot and can’t wait to see this films version of a Dark Knight style top noche sequel 😀
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Like that poster as well 😀
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Pretty cool, huh? Saw it at Ruth’s blog. If you click the poster, you’re redirected to the designer’s Twitter page
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Cool, i’ll drop them a compliment 😀
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🙂
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LOL, I had to quote Zoolander on that one!
And thanks! Glad you loved the film. I’m very excited for the sequel as well.
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Nice review sir! I still haven’t seen this, which irks me greatly! Good to see you had a good time with it though, can’t wait to check it out.
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Thanks! Hope you see it soon. It’s pretty damn fun, I’d say.
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Fernando, this film sort of lost me after the excellent origin and young Clark section of the film. Too much punching of things and explosions for my taste.
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Yeah, I can understand that. It usually is, but this time it wasn’t an issue for me.
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Love the poster! Cavill is ridiculously good looking, I can’t believe how much he’s improved since The Cold Light of Day (which was terrible). Glad you enjoyed it so much Fernando, I wasn’t quite as impressed as you unfortunately. Great review!
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Thanks! Pretty cool poster, huh? And yes, Cavill is offensively good looking! Glad to see he’s also talented and not just some pretty face.
I had a lot of fun and didn’t mind its flaws. Really anxious for the sequel with Batman!
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Great review right here. But maybe it’s just me, I didn’t exactly feel it really lived up all the way to my expectations. But I definitely didn’t hate the movie, but I just don’t love it.
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Yeah, I don’t think you’re alone there.
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