Well, that's me seen Man of Steel. Visually, the film is absolutely stunning. From the Krypton-set prologue that left me breathless to the climactic battle that will surely remain a standard of epic superhero fight scenes for as long as the Superman/Zod fight in the original Superman II was, this film is just packed with awe-inspiring imagery. 3D IMAX was the perfect way to experience it, as this was a film that played out on that canvas. Sadly, the plot was a bit lacking, with the pacing making some unusual jumps, and settings like Metropolis and Smallville feeling a bit barren and functional rather than fully-realised locations with their own distinct atmosphere. That sadly kept the film in the "very good bordering on great" category instead of elevating it to the classic top tier of the genre.
But the film's main strength was its characters, even when the script didn't always serve them well. Henry Cavill embodied Clark with an inherent decency and thriving humanity, and an emotional fragility we're not always used to seeing in Superman, while avoiding straying too far into "dark and brooding." The biggest compliment I can give him is that I never felt like I missed Cristopher Reeve while watching his performance. Michael Shannon was also excellent as Zod, giving us a more nuanced, conflicted antagonist than Terrence Stamp, while still posing a formidable physical threat. Russell Crowe, Kevin Costner and Laurence Fishburne brought gravitas to relatively small roles, though Clark's mother figures have more to do than marketing gives them credit for. But perhaps the best part of the whole movie is Amy Adams as Lois Lane. She's presented as a strong, resourceful heroine in her own right here, rather than a damsel in distress, and the film gives her the kind of agency and potency you'd expect from a world-renowned journalist.
Overall, the film has flaws, but it was a highly enjoyable cinematic experience. Most of all, I see it as the groundwork for a superior sequel, and possibly a whole new DC movie universe.
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