Man of Steel

Being one of the most straightforward superheroes, turning Superman into a relatable and successful movie character isn’t easy. So the logical solution was to involve the game-changers behind The Dark Knight trilogy. With Christopher Nolan and writer David S. Goyer, Superman turns fragile in a way that makes sense while keeping the character’s history intact. An origin story, Man of Steel follows the character, played by Henry Cavill, from his birth on Krypton to his big debut as Superman. Director Zack Snyder, known for his work on big comic book adaptations (300, Watchmen, Sucker Punch) provides compelling shot after compelling shot.

With Cavill taking on Clark Kent/Kal-El, he must be recognized for his performance that drastically alters a character that has been around for 75 years. Never have we seen Superman so vulnerable without kryptonite around. His relationship with both his adopted father (Kevin Costner) and alien father, (Russell Crowe) have such grounded moments that they could be misinterpreted as scenes from an art-house film instead of one of the biggest blockbusters of all time. Even when the property damage in the film reaches levels only possible in sci-fi, there is a sense of realism present that’s unexpected. Superman drives back any enemy with furor when his mother is threatened. Perry White (Laurence Fishburne) risks almost certain death to help a coworker trapped in rubble. A tornado threatens a group of people stuck in traffic. These are real moments presented by very real performances. There’s a lot more to it than Superman punching people super hard.

Many will find weaknesses in the film because there are weaknesses in every film. There is a heavy reliance on sci-fi elements to build high drama. The villain, General Zod, played by Michael Shannon, proves to be a bit of an enigma even though his motives are explained. But this is a comic book movie as only Nolan and his team can make it. The lighthearted fare of The Avengers isn’t here. Man of Steel presents an outcast whose big debut comes with countless deaths and damage. He is in a constant balancing act between his alien and human self with the epic results that play out on screen. I have never much cared for Superman because he was invincible and therefore boring. Henry Cavill’s Superman is not. He will be remembered for emphasizing that second part of the character’s name. Man.

Each film earns either zero, a half or a full arrow in five categories. The categories are Acting, Writing/Directing, Emotion, Innovation and Overall Impression. The arrows are added up to equal the full score.