Season 1, Autumn 2013, Movie Review #6: Superman: Man of Steel

   Hello again! I have watched more movies this year than I think I ever have in one year, so I have a lot of reviews to write, starting with another superhero movie, Superman: Man of Steel.


PART ONE: THE PLOT

   As the planet Krypton destroys itself from the inside out, a single pod escapes the destruction, holding the first and last naturally-born child of Krypton.
   Young Kal-El crashes on a farm in Kansas and is raised as Clark Kent by the  farm owner and his wife. Struggling to control massive power he doesn't understand in a world he does not belong, Clark longs for the answers of his existence, and of his past. Yet to get them, he may bring the planet and its inhabitants to their knees before self-convinced savior of Krypton, General Zod.
   As strangers pry into his secrets and answers come out of the shadows, Clark finds himself at the center of a struggle for the survival of mankind.


PART TWO: THE REVIEW

   While visually entertaining and full of comic-inspired, skyscraper wrecking action, as with many superhero movies, the main character seems underdeveloped and at times boring. Although Kal-El certainly has his own past, his own hurts, his own ideas, I feel like the moment he got his suit, his emotions lost all impact on the story, and his doubtful side was replaced by a macho guy in tights and a cape.
   Be that as it may, the movie achieves what all movies should: it was entertaining. The fight to save planet Earth was as always full of suspense, and the visual effects were very impressive.
   Clark's willingness to sacrifice himself for others and general goodness is shown over and over, sometimes almost to the point of me wanting to call him a goody-two-shoes. But as a good, strong, planet-saving guy, you can't really complain about him.
  

PART THREE: CONTENT REPORT

D's, S's, H's and A's, OMG's, along with slang words and someone saying 'F-ing' without filling in the middle words constitute the movie's language.
   Violence includes necks being broken, people being choked, skyscrapers toppling and general mass destruction, along with guns and weapons being shot nonstop...People die, things explode. You get it.
   A woman's rear is flicked, and she is rudely talked to by a man at a bar. People drink.
   Clark and Lois kiss, hold hands and make googly eyes at each other.
The movie is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence, action and destruction, and for some language.


PART FOUR: RATING AND CONCLUSION

I dub the movie three stars, for 'ok' and 'just worth watching'. While entertaining visually and in its fight scenes, the underdevelopment of the main character himself, along with a very rushed romance and slow pacing at times, made me not want to watch it a second time. I'll just say it was a bit lackluster, not what I was expecting, but worth watching.

So give it a try and see what you think!
Peace,
Matt~