Man of Steel has been a point of contention for a lot of movie fans for almost four years now. It still sparks constant debate and even people who just like the film might be deemed “haters” because they don’t love it. Today I want to review and talk about this film specifically because often in discussions I’ll be received as a “DC Hater”. To be quite honest I’m sick of it. I don’t see anything wrong with pointing out issues with something you care about. Especially when it’s something you care about, know can be better and was a part of your childhood. So come along with me on this journey as I talk about the incredibly divisive film Man of Steel.

WARNING The out come of this review might SHOCK you!

I remember the lead up to this film. I was so excited and ready to be blown away by what I hoped to be the best Superman film ever made. I loved the look and feel of the trailers. I really dug the somber tone, I thought Christopher Nolan producing a Zack Snyder film was a brilliant idea as it would keep Snyder from going too bombastic. So when I sat down in the theatre I was more than ready to have my socks knocked off, it was time to see a Superman I always wanted.

On the surface level this movie seems to misrepresent and misunderstand Superman. However I do think that underneath this film and at the very end we do get a proper representation of the last son of Krypton. Zack Snyder made a very bold choice of deconstructing Superman. The movie takes the approach of what is it like to have these incredible God-like abilities and not being sure if you’re able to handle the responsibility that comes with that. Throughout the movie we see a very unsure of himself Clark and we see his journey to becoming a hero. He struggles, he stumbles, he falls but in the end Clark finds who he is and shows us that he is the Superman we want and need. This is so well communicated in the final moment of the film when Clark explains to his mother that he’ll be going to work at the Daily Planet to be inconspicuous about his heroics. In these moments he is smiling, confident and sure of who is he. Clark in this moment becomes Superman.

I think Henry Cavill does a fantastic job portraying this iconic character and showing the struggle that he faces. In the end he also proves to me that he can be a perfect Superman with that heroic smile. Despite not having a lot of lines he accomplishes so much through facial expressions and body language, which I think is a really important aspect to Superman. Most of the other performances though are pretty standard. Nothing wrong with them just none of them stuck out like Cavill did. Except for Kevin Costner as Jonathan Kent. I thought he arguably gave the best performance in the entire film. Costner does an incredible job of communicating that he loves his son and wants what is best for him and doesn’t want him to be a hero just to be a hero. Throughout the film it is very clear that Jonathan doesn’t discourage Clark from being a hero, he wants to ensure that Clark makes the right choice, the choice that he wants to make. I think their relationship throughout the film is beautiful and is really the heart of the film.

Then of course there is the direction of one Mr. Zack Snyder. I think Snyder brings his A-game to this movie. He does a masterful job of crafting an, exciting block buster yet also maintaining the feel of a personal journey for Clark. It’s easy to get caught up in all of the action and think there’s not much substance but I think looking a little deeper you can see just how much substance there really is. Snyder balances character moments, action and drama all really well in this film and I was and still am impressed to this day with how well directed this film is.

In the end I think Man of Steel is a greatly misunderstood film. Sure we aren’t outright given a proper representation of Superman, but if you watch carefully you see a really great and powerful arc for the character. By the end of the movie you are rewarded with the promise the Superman we all know and love. Sure the movie has its faults like, the giant tentacle scene, or the scene where Jonathan Kent dies because it was important to let the tornado win I guess? Overall though I really enjoy this film a lot. I think it’s fantastic and it was a great way to kick of a DC Cinematic Universe.

9/10

What do you think of Man of Steel? Love it? Hate it? What’s your favourite Superman movie? Let me know by commenting here or by starting a conversation with me on twitter (@nerdycasual). Also be sure to go check out the articles I do over at GeeksGamers.com it’s a fantastic website where I cover movie news and occasionally do a review. I’d love for you to check it out. As always everyone thank you so much for reading and until next time, take care.