THE MAN OF STEEL
If one has seen the trailers then one has seen the plot. However the 3 minute preview still does not do the movie justice. We already know the story, he's an alien from a doomed planet and its only survivor. He was raised on a farm in the midwest and embodies the American values of truth, justice, and justice for all. He has a really big heart and kicks major ass.
This is the Superman that we all know and love. The one we haven't seen since the 80's. This isn't the Superman of Smallville who was unsure of himself and his mission. This Superman is bigger than life.
The characters were just as they have been portrayed in the DC universe. Russel Crow did a splendid job as Superman's dad, Jor-el. He had no superpowers yet he upheld the hero creed nicely. General Zod was very menacing, while Faora was serial killer scary. The Kents were nurturing. Lois Lane was annoyingly tenacious but supportive. Perry White was Black and a stickler for the facts.
The movie did not disappoint. The scenes were epic and in amazing 3D. In a sense it was a 2013 version of the best one, Superman II. If you liked that, you'll love this.
Some of the scenes were a bit over the top like when Faora knocked Superman through about 10 buildings. We could see him plowing through each one from close range. In some of the scenes we could see the expressions on his face while he was getting his head beat in.
However, this Superman was calm, cool, collected and confident. This writers only complaint was the suit. It was way too dark for Superman and the cape could have been much better. It looked a bit flimsy. Other than that, I think it was a great movie. It was a bit excessive, but that makes for a great Superman. I give it 4 1/2 stars due to the wack costume. Not sure if it will be a classic like Superman II was. We'll have to wait and see.
But in the meantime, the movie was great.
Go See It!
UPDATE Month Later: ☆☆☆☆☆
It looks like the critics where mistaken. REAL Superman fans LOVED Man of Steel and are giving it five stars. They are saying that this is the best Superman Movie ever. Some are saying that it is even better than the Avengers movie which is debatable. I would argue in favor of that opinion based on the evolution of the culture of Superman universe. However this is due to my own appreciation for further development in the richness of the history of the character as apposed to the actual movie.
The subtleness and symbology in the movie has to be mulled over before it can be fully appreciated. The layers in the movie cannot be understood without foreknowledge of the dynamics of the character. There are some idiosyncrasies in the Superman universe that are resolved by the movie. For example: Why is Kal-el so important that he gets to escape the destruction of Krypton while the rest of the people on the planet are obliterated? Then the question is also raised of Why do we have to spend so much time on Krypton with Superman's father Jor-el who doesn't even have superpowers? The answer to this question is two fold: First the answer is found in the opening scene where Laura is giving birth to Kal-el. The scene subtly suggests that this is a "New Birth" or a "Re-boot" of the character and that we need to pay attention to some of the context clues if we hope to understand and get the full impact of the symbology used in the movie. Secondly, the excessive time spent on Krypton exemplifies the point that Superman is not super because he has extraordinary powers. Conversely, he is Super because he has extraordinary HEART. His father Jor-El moved the whole planet, perhaps even the universe not because he had super powers but because did what he believed was right and then died for it. Thats a HERO. Kal-El comes from hero stock.
Previously it was stated that the movie did not deserve the full five stars due to fact that the suit was too dark. However, after going back through my Superman collection I realized something; True fans can understand where I am coming from when I state that its BLACK S SUPERMAN! This is the depressed and disturbed Superman. This is the grieving Superman who is an orphan and who like many orphans has abandonment issues. He feels like an outsider with no home, no family and no friends. He has no understanding of himself or why he has super powers. He feels like a victim who fears everything including himself. He doesn't want to be super, he just wants to be normal, regular and accepted.
His mission is to find himself, however he is racked with negative emotions that appear to have no resolution. These negative emotions are what holds him back. In order to solve the problem, he comes up with a simple solution: DO THE RIGHT THING. Don't think, don't ponder the results or the opinions of others. Don't look down just JUMP and do what is RIGHT. Therein he finds peace. This is why he comes off as an obnoxious boy scout with a God complex. Superman is not God but a emotionally disturbed being who came up with a solution that brought him peace of mind: DO THE RIGHT THING and don't worry about the rest.
In conclusion, I was mistaken. Superman Black DESERVES a full FIVE STARS. Its a classic.
Best Superman EVER!
RASTARMAN
© 2013 ADAM EL DAOUD THE FATHER KING™
