Man of Steel is a 2013 superhero film directed by Zack Snyder, starring Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Michael Shannon, Kevin Costner, Diane Lane, Laurence Fishburne, Antje Traue, Ayelet Zurer, Christopher Meloni, and Russell Crowe.  Man of Steel is a reboot of the Superman film series following Clark Kent learns that he is a superpowered alien from the planet Krypton and assumes the role of mankind’s protector as Superman, but finds himself having to prevent General Zod from destroying humanity.

Positives:

• Great characters
• Great performances
• Great cast
• Great action
• Great visuals
• Terrific score
• Great costume design

Negatives:

• Some issues with the script
• Lacks character development

Plot: This store is actually pretty compelling and as a retelling of the Superman origin it’s actually pretty good. There are a lot of great elements that make it very good such as the dramatic elements the emotional elements as well as the action. (3 out of 5)

Characters: The characters are just awesome. Clark Kent (Cavill) is the main protagonist and is looking for the answers to his purpose on Earth. This along with his want to help others makes him a very likable character. And the complexities of being the only one of his kind on Earth gives him depth. Lois Lane (Adams) is a strong female protagonist who’s likable and well-rounded. She has a good bit of layers to her character also and the chemistry she has with Clark makes for some very compelling sequences. Zod (Shannon) is actually a pretty good character as well as the main antagonist. He has personality and he isn’t the typical villain who is self-centered or just wants to destroy out of own personal reasons. He has depth to his character also actually making him somewhat a sympathetic character. (4 out of 5)

Cast: The film has a terrific cast all the great performances. Henry Cavill completely kills the role of Superman.  He has the look and the attitude and brings a certain uniqueness to the character. Amy Adams does portray a well-rounded, strong Lois Lane that is inquisitive but not annoying. Michael Shannon does play a great Zod.  The cast includes Russell Crowe, Laurence Fishburne, Kevin Costner, Diane Lane, Antje Traue, Ayelet Zurer, and Christopher Meloni. (5 out of 5)

Visuals: Visually the film is just beautiful. Not only are the costume designs practical and actually look tactical and more realistic, especially the armored appearance, but the special effects are just phenomenal. The use of super powers looks awesome. Not only is it a beautifully appealing film but it’s also well shot. There are a lot of great shots in this movie. There is a bit of overuse when it comes to the CGI in some sequences more specifically the fights. But there is a terrific blend of practical and CGI effects. (4 out of 5)

Score: Hans Zimmer does a phenomenal job with the score. The music is just beautifully crafted and emotionally impactful. (5 out of 5)

Writing: The script is just on point as well as the directing. One of the best sequences in the film is Superman’s first flight is not only well shot but the musical score just hits home on so many levels. One of the scenes that shouldn’t have been in the film is the sequence where Superman first is in contact with Zod and he has that one nightmare with the skulls.  Zack Snyder does a phenomenal job as director and definitely does a great job with the film visually. (3 out of 5)

The Verdict:  In the end, Man of Steel is not only a good superhero film but a great movie overall. Despite some of the pacing issues as well as certain scenes that probably should have been left out, the film does feature terrific performances, great characters, awesome action sequences, a badass soundtrack, and great visual effects as well as a pretty good story. Man of Steel definitely deserves 4 out of 5.