Man of Steel (2013)
Certified: PG
Duration: 143 minutes
Directed by: Zack Snyder
Starring: Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Michael Shannon, Kevin Costner, Laurence Fishburne, Russell Crowe, Antje Traue, Ayelet Zurer, Harry Lennix, Christopher Meloni, Richard Schiff
KRS release

Jor-El (Russell Crowe) is one of the leading scientists on the planet Krypton. He is happy that his son Kal-El is born; Kal-El is also the first baby born on the planet in a natural way.

Both he and General Zod (Michael Shannon) are nervous about their world’s future as its natural stability is threatened. When Zod and his henchman embark on their own, devious plans, Jor-El decides to send Kal-El to Earth, a planet which is inferior in its evolutionary process.

Jor-El ends up dead, Krypton explodes and General Zod and his gang are frozen in space.

Kal-El He lands in the small town of Smallville, Kansas, where he is raised by Martha and Jonathon Kent (Diane Lane and Kevin Costner). He adapts to Earth’s atmosphere with its unique, molecular structure which makes him nearly invulnerable. But Jonathon tries to convince the youngster that showing his powers will only bring trouble.

The film skips years and we see Kal-El (Henry Cavill) as a wanderer looking for his origins. At one point he saves Lois Lane (Amy Adams), a reporter for the Daily Planet.

She immediately realises that there’s something extraordinary about this mysterious man and when her editor, Perry White (Laurence Fishburne), tells her he is not publishing her story of how she was saved, she make it a point to learn the truth about Kal-El.

Meanwhile, General Zod has been freed and has set his sights on Earth – he wants to use our planet as the new habitat for his race.

Man of Steel can be compared to The Batman Begins of the Dark Knight trilogy. One only hopes that this is followed by a suitable film equivalent to The Dark Knight.

When I had heard that a Superman movie was in the pipeline, directed by Zack Snyder and produced by Christopher Nolan, I thought that no one better than this duo could pull it off.

Snyder delivers the right visuals as usual, but he has also been greatly influenced by Nolan. This is felt in the solemn and serious tone that bathes the central character and the world he lives in.

However, the director shows he is maturing well and handles the film with care, taking time to build his hand, plays it well and lets everything explode in the action-packed glorious finale.

If this is the film that will also serve as the launching pad for the long-time-in-the-making Justice League movie, then I am even more game.

In Hollywood’s world of reboots, some may be unnecessary and others a necessity.

Superman’s last outing had been interesting but not pulse-pounding.

The problem with Superman is that he is the most recognisable superhero ever, but, even more than that, he has an incredible collection of superpowers: super strength, flight, invulnerability and heat vision, among others.

This movie succeeds in most counts: the main character is palatable and is put on an equal footing with his adversary General Zod.

Man of Steel is also inspirational in its approach and it is here that Snyder and Nolan manage to succeed as they meld together inspiration with action.

Cavill delivers a nicely played-out Superman, has the requisite chiselled features and lives well under Christopher Reeve’s shadow. Shannon delivers a good villain, while Crowe is a huge surprise as he acquits himself well and is not under Marlon Brando’s shadow at all.

Overall, this is a movie that is fresh, respectful and intelligent to boot, despite being a blockbuster. Now let’s start the countdown to the sequel!