Durf Reviews: MAN OF STEEL

Durf Reviews: MAN OF STEEL

Zack Snyder's highly anticipated take on Superman has finally arrived! Will it live up to all the hype, does it disappoint? Read on for my take on the highly anticipated Superman reboot...(SPOILERS AHEAD!)

Review Opinion
By Durf - Jun 18, 2013 03:06 PM EST
Filed Under: Superman

It has been an extremely long time since we got a truly satisfying Superman film. That’s why when the trailers for Man of Steel came out and it looked good, everyone got very excited. There was still some apprehensiveness about the film though as the previous Superman film, Superman Returns, was more than a little disappointing. Nonetheless excitement continued to build among the fans as the trailers continued to come out, and the anticipation grew to a frenzy. Now that the film has finally arrived, is it the film we have been hoping for, or is it another colossal disappointment? Well, let’s find out…

WARNING: THERE WILL BE SPOILERS FROM HERE ON OUT


The cast of the film is very good and there really aren’t any truly bad performances. Laurence Fishburne turns in a decent performance in a limited role as Perry White. Richard Schiff and Christopher Meloni turn in serviceable performances as Dr Emil Hamilton and Colonel Hardy respectively. Although being severely underused in their roles, Diane Lane and Kevin Costner turn in good performances as Clark’s loving parents Martha and Jonathan Kent. Surprisingly, Russell Crowe puts in a very good performance as Clark’s biological father Jor-El. He is a very important part of the story and does a good job of coming across as a wise, caring, and helpful character, even if he is a bit overused. While not particularly riveting, Amy Adams turns in a good performance as Lois Lane. She mostly has the mannerisms of the character down and seems like a good fit, but does come across as slightly bland. This problem could be partially due to problems in the script however. Antje Traue is intimidating and merciless as the cold villainess Faora-Ul. Our main villain, General Zod, is played expertly by Michael Shannon. Much like his lieutenant Faora, Zod is intimidating, brutal, and merciless. However there is an intelligence about the character and he isn’t just some dumb thug, but rather an intelligent and cruel general. There is even a bit of sympathy to be felt for the character, as not only is his main goal the survival of his people, but it’s his designed purpose. When his plans are foiled he loses his purpose in life and essentially has no real reason for being alive. Although the way he was going to go about his plan was terrible and what the plan entailed was genocide, you could understand why he would do such things. Also you do feel bad for him when he loses his entire purpose for living. This brings us to our main character and focus of the film, Clark Kent/Superman. Superman is played brilliantly by Henry Cavill and it appears that he was the perfect choice for the role. Not only does he look exactly like the character, but he nails pretty much every aspect of the character. The virtuous nature of Superman is expertly conveyed through Cavill’s performance and you really do believe it coming from him. He develops continuously throughout the film by learning from his experiences and the teachings both his fathers have given him, and eventually becomes the hero we know and love. His struggle with deciding what the right thing to do is, is very compelling and culminates in his ultimate decision to be the great protector of the Earth from all threats and to be the ideal for the people of Earth to strive towards.



Besides the cast, there are many things to like about the film. Although very simple, the story is decent and works pretty well for the film. As stated above the character of Superman was very well done and Henry Cavill IS Superman. It was also nice to see that he was not completely invincible and that it was possible for him to get his butt kicked a little bit by his villains. The villains are very good and believable as a legitimate threat to Superman and the planet. The scenes on Krypton are very well done and even very exciting, making for a good opening to the film. Krypton’s science and technology was also very interesting and well done. Overall, the film is very pleasing to look at. The suits of Superman and the other Kryptonians are very good and the visuals showing the effects of the unfocused powers of the Kryptonians are amazing. However, the highlight of the film is of course the action. It is the best action of any Superman film and some of the best action in any comic book movie to date. Each action scene has a very large scale to it and the destruction is massive. The battle in Smallville and the final showdown with Superman and Zod are the obvious highlights of the film.

However, the film is far from perfect. Despite his direction for the most part being very good, Zack Snyder’s decision to use a large amount of “shaky cam” was not a good one, as at times it was very distracting. Also there seems to be strangely high amount of spotlighting and lens flares used throughout the film. The CGI, despite being good for the most part, is sometimes a little odd and occasionally pretty bad. At times the film can take itself a little too seriously and could use a little lightening up. Some of the religious allegories are a little too on the nose, such as the talk of being the savior of mankind and some poses that are very Jesus like. Character development in the film is also very brief and for certain characters almost non-existent. Jonathan Kent dies in a very dumb way and the death is glanced over pretty quickly, leaving the question of why they would do it in that way. Some items require more discussion such as Jor-El’s role in the film, the flashback scenes, and the pacing of the film.



Jor-El is in the movie a ton, and this is kind of a blessing and a curse. He obviously is very important in the beginning of the film as he is a huge part of Superman’s origin. Also it was very important that he play a role in Clark discovering who he was after visiting the fortress through the coded hologram/consciousness he programmed into the ship. It would have been perfectly fine for him to just be in these scenes and maybe another one later in the film at the fortress or something, but this is not the case. He is in several more scenes in the film and is used as essentially a plot device. In just about every complex or dangerous situation he is there to provide his help to the main characters and give out important information to them. There are even parts of the film where he has full on conversations with characters somehow through the program. This leads to him being way too important to the plot and overstaying his welcome. It would have been much better if he wouldn’t have been in the film so much and the other characters were allowed to solve things for themselves instead.

The flashbacks in the film are also kind of a mixed bag. They are an interesting way to tell the story of Clark’s younger years without having to do a complete rehash of the story in a long chunk of the movie. This was actually a clever way to tell that story and I actually appreciated it. The last flashback was also quite possibly the most powerful scene in the entire film and was just beautiful. However, there are some problems with using the flashbacks Although they for the most part had good content, some of them (such as the death of Pa Kent) had content that either wasn’t very good or seemingly pointless. Also, they tended to grind the pace of the film to a screeching halt at times, taking momentum away when the film was moving along at a good pace.

Pacing is a big problem for the movie. While it’s good that it doesn’t feel like a 2 and a half hour move, the film does move a little too fast at times. This leads to a lack of great character development as the film seems to just fly by things. There are also huge jumps in the story, such as when we go from Clark arriving on Earth as a baby to being a full grown man on a fishing boat in a matter of seconds. Things like the relationship between Clark and Lois as well as Clark’s “secret identity” reveal at the end are rushed and essentially come out of nowhere. It also leads to a glancing over of the death of Jonathan Kent, which really should have had more time devoted to it so it could have more of an impact. Plot points seemed to be barely explained in favor of just moving on to the next action scene at times. However, it’s not just too quick of a pace that’s a problem. At times the flashbacks to Clark’s past grind the pace to a halt when we have good momentum going in the story. These problems would seem to stem from David Goyer’s script mainly. It seems like he was trying to tell the story as quickly as possible to get to the next action scene without really taking time to make the events have a little more weight.

Despite its flaws, I really enjoyed this movie a lot. The action and acting were fantastic, and the story was just good enough to give it meaning. This by far the best Superman movie in the last 30 years and is the movie we have been waiting on for a long time. Zack Snyder did a very good job for the most part directing the film and definitely should be given a chance to come back for the sequel. It was a very good Superman film, and is hopefully the stepping stone to finally getting a shared DC movie universe.

8.7/10

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MiVigilante
MiVigilante - 6/18/2013, 3:08 PM
its nice to see a review that isnt biased either way
Durf
Durf - 6/18/2013, 3:09 PM
thanks man. I try to be fair and balanced when I review movies
Durf
Durf - 6/18/2013, 3:10 PM
@Steve: my guidance? that's a recipe for disaster. lol
Durf
Durf - 6/18/2013, 3:20 PM
@world: I see what you're saying about the director thing. But, I think Snyder kinda has a reputation of following the script really closely so that's kind why I thought a lot of the problem of was the script.

Also, yeah I got that he wanted to keep the secret, it's just I think Clark could have done it without using his powers being a strong young man and all
Durf
Durf - 6/18/2013, 3:24 PM
@world: yeah the dialogue at times was pretty weird
Durf
Durf - 6/18/2013, 3:27 PM
thanks man, I appreciate it
Durf
Durf - 6/18/2013, 3:41 PM
@cipher: thanks man. :)
TheAmazingSpidey63
TheAmazingSpidey63 - 6/18/2013, 3:43 PM

;P



Lmfao, nah, nah, braddah! I wouldn't do that to ya, bro! But anways, braddah, this is a great write-up you going on. And really, man, to be honest, you pretty much said it word for word for me, really. Well, maybe in some cases, but overall, yeah. Here's what I got:


First off, LOVED this film. I honestly did. This has to be the first DC film that's gotten me so amped and pumped to go and see it. And it delivered for me, despite a few minor (and I do mena MINOR) gripes for me. The highlights for this movie was these things:

Henry Caill as Clark Kent/Superman

&

The visually appealing VFX and action in this film.

Now, I didn't find the story of this film to be half-assed or poor in anyway, but as you've mentioned, dude, the pacing of the filnm felt.... odd, in some places. That and the editing. And I think it's gotta do with the flashbacks. Now I'm not hating on it at all, it was actually a clever way of telling the younger years of Clark and his path of discovering who he is and where does he come from. But, again, this is just what I think, I felt as though that they were placed randomly throughout the film, except for that last flasback sequence. THAT was neatly place in the last minutes of the film. Also, the death of Pa Kent. First off, I must commend Costner for his performance as Pa Kent. To me, it really felt like he had a big impact on the character Clark. But when it came to his death in the film, it really felt as though it was just rushed and for us to get it over with. If they had spent a little more time dedicating their time to make it a bit more memorable and more impactful, then that would've been fine with me. But as you've said, that's mainly on Goyer's script as it seems as though he wanted to get straight to the action.

Okay, well, enough the MINOR gripes and to the goods. The cast for this film was amazing, despite having a few of them with limited screen-time for their roles. But, really, Cavill and Shannon COMPLETELY stole the film, without a doubt. I was really pleased with Shannon's performance with Zod and what he's brought to the character. And the fact that they didn't just make Zod this villain who just simply wanted to take over the planet, but instead this individual who's willing to take drastic measure(s) for the good and benefit of his people. As for Cavill, I have nothing to say except that he was truly amazing with his performance and how he made it his own while not deviating that much from the aspect of the character. He really made Superman believeable when it's his time to shine on the screen, and I dare say he did it flawlessly. Oh, and the fight sequences in Smallville and Metropolis were stunning. The direction and vision that Snyder had for this movie really paid off, and for that, I honestly left the theater looking like this.....



Heheh, all in all, THE BEST Superman film in CBM history, BY FAR, bro. Man of Steel delivers and is definitely on my top 5 list of CBMs. I CANNOT wait for MoS 2 and what Snyder brings to the table for us nerds. Awesome review again, Durf, my man! ;)
thewonderer
thewonderer - 6/18/2013, 3:50 PM

LP4
LP4 - 6/18/2013, 3:50 PM
I just thought it was dumb that Jonathon Kent died saving the dog lol. Besides that though [frick]ing epic film
Mike89
Mike89 - 6/18/2013, 3:52 PM
Good Review. I agree on the flashback scenes. Although i liked the fact that they went for a more Nonlinear way to tell the story some of the flashbacks came up randomly. It could've worked well without some. The movie was still awesome though.
jessepostal
jessepostal - 6/18/2013, 3:53 PM
Micheal Shannon's acting was horrible
GSpawn
GSpawn - 6/18/2013, 3:55 PM
LOL....here comes wonderer again with ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WORTH OF RELEVANCY TOWARDS the article at hand.....surprise surprise
MarkV
MarkV - 6/18/2013, 3:56 PM
LOL @ thewonderer

My only real problem is the Kryptonion beginning. They should have cut it down to 5 minutes.

Would have been nice to have more Pa Kent. Those were the best scenes.
MarkV
MarkV - 6/18/2013, 3:57 PM
"You are my son!"

*sob*
TheAmazingSpidey63
TheAmazingSpidey63 - 6/18/2013, 3:58 PM
@Spawn - Heheh, now we wait....



:P
MiVigilante
MiVigilante - 6/18/2013, 3:58 PM
jessepostal....nah, not even gonna dignify that with a response
jonnytheshirt
jonnytheshirt - 6/18/2013, 3:59 PM
Good review agree with all of it I guess. Just saw it a second time and enjoyed it more because I was a lot less critical and just sat back. The only thing that ended up jarring my enjoyment was that shaky cam, plus it could have given some set pieces an emotional swell by not rushing them so much and maybe throwing in a more cinematic shot. The Cgi could be too fast paced simarly looking messy at times. Still loved it though.
jessepostal
jessepostal - 6/18/2013, 4:01 PM
@pasto, drunk would have made his performance better, I don't get the love for that guy
jessepostal
jessepostal - 6/18/2013, 4:03 PM
@mi, please do I'd like to see what you thought was good about him
MrCBM56
MrCBM56 - 6/18/2013, 4:07 PM
Thewonderer

You are literally to stupid to insult. Why the hell would one hero stop a invasion when the movie clearly has to feature a team? I'm sorry but you are just dumb. While we're on the subject though lets get a little more into it...

Superman gets arrested- The Avengers doesn't

Superman gets his ass kicked multiple times- The Avengers basically fought the aliens with ease, it was just that the aliens kept coming, the avengers were overwhelmed

Superman was being a little bitch about becoming a hero- Minus hulk The Avengers love doing what they do

And plus, in MOS it was barely an alien invasion. He only fought a handful of kryptonians while The Avengers had tons to fight. Think before you comment again M'Kay ;)


Anyways nice review man, my only real complaint about this movie was too much action. But I stilled enjoyed it nonetheless. The perfect movie for me, 10/10!



MiVigilante
MiVigilante - 6/18/2013, 4:08 PM
he conveyed the emotion that the character needed. i felt for the dude, he wanted to save his race, but at the cost of the genocide of another. at the end was where i thought he was best, cause he just didnt give a shit anymore. shannon pulled it off great imo. now that is just an opinion, but just coming out and saying that it was terrible acting without any reason, i dont get it. to each their own i guess.
bagadoosh
bagadoosh - 6/18/2013, 4:08 PM
 photo c9d867c56e0e5e4b1172ee68cffd6512_zps2ff54282.png
Enki
Enki - 6/18/2013, 4:11 PM
@Durf, thank you for an excellent and unbiased review. I haven't had the chance to go watch the film yet, but I can tell that many of the negative reviews are based on Donner/Reeve nostalgia.

It's great to read a review without any comparisons, and that sticks to analyzing the film as an independent take on the story.
BlackPhillip
BlackPhillip - 6/18/2013, 4:12 PM
@wonderbra

You do know that the JL movie will have an alien invasion plot.

At least in the Avengers movie, Cap, Hawkeye, and Widow were rescuing trapped civilians unlike Supes who got thousands killed.
Durf
Durf - 6/18/2013, 4:12 PM
@blackandyellow: lmfao, number 3 should have totally happened though
thewonderer
thewonderer - 6/18/2013, 4:13 PM
*sigh* to everyone


JerseyJoker
JerseyJoker - 6/18/2013, 4:14 PM
What separates something from being an "8.5" from an "8.7"?
GeekyCheekyChic
GeekyCheekyChic - 6/18/2013, 4:14 PM
Easter Eggs update from my third viewing:
Clark watching the LTI vs Kansas St football game- Stone runs for five yards is said by the announcer. Cyborg's name is Victor Stone and he was a football player.

Zod sheds his power suit at a LexCorp construction site

The girl who says Superman is hot- her name is Carrie Ferris...Lt Carrie Ferris. Maybe or maybe not a Star Sapphire nod

The signature 3 glowing dots of Brainiac- look underneath the World engine right before Superman does his Superman thing :)

There are 5 LexCorp references I found.
The building,the tanker,the 18 wheeler,the construction site and a sign.

Cheers.
Durf
Durf - 6/18/2013, 4:14 PM
@Enki: thanks man. I just tried to go in to the movie to watch it as it's own thing and review it as such. I still have love for the Donner/Reeve movies, but this is a different thing all together
batesmotel
batesmotel - 6/18/2013, 4:14 PM
Just saw the movie for the second time and i think i found the chris reeve easter egg. When Supes is about to destroy the kryptonian world engine there is a close up of his face
GoILL
GoILL - 6/18/2013, 4:17 PM
Nice unbiased review as always Durf.
GeekyCheekyChic
GeekyCheekyChic - 6/18/2013, 4:17 PM
Oh and when the World engine and Zods ship start terraforming 1/3 of Metropolis is leveled and nearly everyone starts evacuating...when Superman and Zod face off its basically a wasteland so....NO SUPERMAN DOESN'T KILL THOUSANDS WHILE FIGHTING ZOD.
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