Man of Steel

I've never been to a Superman movie; the capes, red panties, and blue leotard... well, it's not my cup of tea. So I went into it expecting nothing, and didn’t really get anything – just a nice guy acting like a savior. The effects didn't blow me away, the story didn't either, but in a way it was watchable (not so much to listen to, sometimes those speeches sound better on paper) and you were really interested in a scene here and there. I don't know why, but I enjoyed Kevin Costner the most. I must be getting old. A weaker 3 stars. (2014-12-28)

Man of Steel doesn’t follow the path of Whedon’s Avengers or Nolan’s Batman, it goes its own way with a tone that is very different from other major comic book films in recent years. I can’t express in words how much I liked it. It has an incredible pace, spectacular action scenes, perfect casting and even pretty interesting storytelling. The only thing that disappointed me is that it’s not at least an hour longer so there wouldn’t be so many plot jumps, which would slow down the intergalactic pace, but also would allow time to get deeper under the characters’ skin. Regardless, Man of Steel is hands down the best blockbuster of the year (proof of which are also the mixed responses – exceptional films never satisfy everyone), it’s far better than the third Iron Man and the second Star Trek… and though this afternoon I was still convinced that the “biggest” film of the year would be Pacific Rim, now I’m not so sure. Nothing will prepare you for this level of >super< action. Zack Snyder has my admiration and with this movie, he’s probably the best action director alive. 10/10, I hadn’t left the cinema so happy in a very long time. PS: Hans Zimmer also hits all the spots with his soundtrack. (2013-06-18)

All pleasant memories of this film in the future will only be connected with the first half, when Clark is finding his place in the world, discovering his abilities and some emotions are thrown in. The rest of the runtime can be described in two words: Digital mess. Nevertheless, Henry Cavill is a likeable guy and the real Superman, I wouldn't be opposed to a more sober sequel with him. The potential is there. (2013-06-22)

I have to admit that the Man of Steel made me quite happy. At a time where every other franchise gets a restart, I would expect anything from this film except for proper filmmaking craft. Although, in the end, it is pretty logical – what else should they use to interest the audience, if not a quality camera, action and great shots, right? However, there is always a but. In this movie it is the story, which was sometimes difficult to handle. While Henry Cavill is a good Superman, I can’t help it, but his transformation into Superman took a hell of a long time. For example, I was really angered by the fact that he takes flight for the first time only after half of the movie. The creators did not explain a lot of things and simply stretched the script as they deemed fit. Well, okay, I enjoyed the film as a whole, but I won’t necessarily watch its second instalment as well. It doesn’t change the fact that there has been too many of these movies recently. Unnecessarily too many. (2014-06-21)

Whereas the Avengers movies are targeted at nerds and the Batman movies appeal to a broader audience that otherwise doesn’t go for comic-book flicks, Man of Steel is a superhero movie that tries to tread a path that is entirely atypical of the genre. The new Superman is conceived as a chick flick. In addition to the expected shots in which the handsome hero appears topless, this is demonstrated primarily by the narrative, which focuses exclusively on relationship motifs (the family and the hero’s roots, protectiveness, responsibility and sacrifice, as well as the relationship with Lois Lane starting on the basis of mutual respect and transforming into love). Lois Lane herself was characteristically conceived as a truly professional reporter, so this time she isn’t a fragile beauty waiting to be rescued, but an emotionally engaged character representing the ideal role model for today’s girls. The film’s targeting at a female audience is further evidenced by the form of the usual blockbuster shots, which have the purpose of confirming the appropriateness of the target audience’s reaction to the events being shown. Whereas in Transformers we have a boy who comments on the battle between giant robots by shouting “wow”, in Man of Steel we find a number of shots in which Lois Lane and, in particular, Air Force officer Carrie Farris dreamily gaze at Superman and comment directly on his attractiveness. The narrative is basically not arranged chronologically, but thematically, and Snyder’s opulent advertising aesthetics, with which he stylises every shot in order to have the maximum emotional impact on viewers and to stimulate their senses, which corresponds to the targeting of women, transform the comic-book story into an impressive spectacle aimed mainly at the heart. (2013-06-29)