Post by thomasallencummins on Jul 10, 2013 12:09:44 GMT -5
Superman has been a fixture in my life since before I can clearly remember. I enjoyed the Superfriends cartoon when I was very young. I dutifully watched afternoon re-runs of the Adventures of Superman television show featuring George Reeves. I was lucky enough to receive quite a few Superman comics when I was about 12 years old and only a year or so later I was very fortunate to see Superman the Movie when it premiered in 1978. With those experiences and many more the character of Superman has been cemented into my consciousness for all time.
However I have to confess that it was with some reservations that I finally decided to go to the theater this weekend to view Man of Steel.
I am a fan of the late Christopher Reeve's portrayal of Superman though the films he appeared in varied from great to miserable. When I think of the character or when reading a Superman comic I can't help but imagine the character speak in Reeve's voice.
Before continuing I should mention the Bryan Singer directed Superman Returns was an enjoyable film that upped the stakes in the special effects department and delivered some really impressive moments however overall the film was a bit bland and somewhat misguided in its plot and content which unfortunately makes the effort somewhat dismissable.
Now on to Man of Steel.
Like most fans with computers I had watched trailers and read online reviews of the film for weeks before its release. I tried to take in all of the information with a grain of salt but I did manage to develop an preconception of Man of Steel that bordered on the unfavorable.
Having finally watched the film I have to admit that I liked it very much, flaws and all.
The Kryptonian prologue was without doubt impressive and very entertaining, worthy of a feature length film treatment itself. It could have easily been developed as a seed film for the rest of the upcoming series. Russel Crowe's Jor-El is spot on. Krypton is depicted with texture and depth giving it a feel of authenticity never before seen. The motivations and characterizations for Zod, Jor-El and their complicated relationship are well developed and its easy to see how their actions will affect events in the future without seeming forced or manufactured.
The performance by Kevin Costner as Jonathan Kent was surprisingly effective and the film makers gave the character a twist of significance that I would not have predicted.
Michael Shannon as General Zod was a genuine highlight of the film. His portrayal was at times sympathetic, powerful and tragic.
Henry Cavill and Amy Adams as Superman and Lois Lane respectively were great casting choices. Both gave performances that were extremely effective, memorable and engaging. I felt the overall casting in general was excellent.
The flow of the story and the method of storytelling by Zack Snyder was for the most part very good, bordering on great. Visual effects were just about as good as can be achieved though I am growing weary of CGI taking over a story to the point where you feel as though you are watching an animated feature. However I don't believe the action depicted could have been achieved in any other way.
There has been talk about the excessive destruction, property damage and loss of life in the film and that it was not true to the character to make so little effort to take the battle away from innocents or how Zod's fate was also in congruent.
I would say that I would have to agree that any version of Superman would go to excessive lengths to protect bystanders and more could have been done to show that concern. Regarding Zod's death, given the circumstances I believe what happened was justified.
All in all Man of Steel delivered a spectacle that was worthy of the Superman legend and though flawed the film was extremely entertaining.
IMHO
However I have to confess that it was with some reservations that I finally decided to go to the theater this weekend to view Man of Steel.
I am a fan of the late Christopher Reeve's portrayal of Superman though the films he appeared in varied from great to miserable. When I think of the character or when reading a Superman comic I can't help but imagine the character speak in Reeve's voice.
Before continuing I should mention the Bryan Singer directed Superman Returns was an enjoyable film that upped the stakes in the special effects department and delivered some really impressive moments however overall the film was a bit bland and somewhat misguided in its plot and content which unfortunately makes the effort somewhat dismissable.
Now on to Man of Steel.
Like most fans with computers I had watched trailers and read online reviews of the film for weeks before its release. I tried to take in all of the information with a grain of salt but I did manage to develop an preconception of Man of Steel that bordered on the unfavorable.
Having finally watched the film I have to admit that I liked it very much, flaws and all.
The Kryptonian prologue was without doubt impressive and very entertaining, worthy of a feature length film treatment itself. It could have easily been developed as a seed film for the rest of the upcoming series. Russel Crowe's Jor-El is spot on. Krypton is depicted with texture and depth giving it a feel of authenticity never before seen. The motivations and characterizations for Zod, Jor-El and their complicated relationship are well developed and its easy to see how their actions will affect events in the future without seeming forced or manufactured.
The performance by Kevin Costner as Jonathan Kent was surprisingly effective and the film makers gave the character a twist of significance that I would not have predicted.
Michael Shannon as General Zod was a genuine highlight of the film. His portrayal was at times sympathetic, powerful and tragic.
Henry Cavill and Amy Adams as Superman and Lois Lane respectively were great casting choices. Both gave performances that were extremely effective, memorable and engaging. I felt the overall casting in general was excellent.
The flow of the story and the method of storytelling by Zack Snyder was for the most part very good, bordering on great. Visual effects were just about as good as can be achieved though I am growing weary of CGI taking over a story to the point where you feel as though you are watching an animated feature. However I don't believe the action depicted could have been achieved in any other way.
There has been talk about the excessive destruction, property damage and loss of life in the film and that it was not true to the character to make so little effort to take the battle away from innocents or how Zod's fate was also in congruent.
I would say that I would have to agree that any version of Superman would go to excessive lengths to protect bystanders and more could have been done to show that concern. Regarding Zod's death, given the circumstances I believe what happened was justified.
All in all Man of Steel delivered a spectacle that was worthy of the Superman legend and though flawed the film was extremely entertaining.
IMHO