Man of Steel

I saw Man of Steel this afternoon, and it ain't your mom's Superman. This is an incarnation of Superman that is completely new and of the moment (or maybe not, since I have never read the comics, only seen the movies).

Let's just get this out of the way first: Henry Cavill is extremely beautiful. He's probably the most good-looking Superman of them all. Brandon Routh looked the part, certainly, but did not exude the same hotness as Cavill. He also sports a beard for part of the movie (which, honestly, was the reason I even became interested in seeing this movie). Superman has always seemed kind of vanilla to me, but the beard piqued my interest.

The trailers kept my interest.

Zack Snyder, the director, has a look that he uses in almost all of his films. For me it worked and it sort of didn't work. The color palette is grey and washed out; nothing is bright and sunny. I was fine with that. I don't think his visual effects were the best, though. Where Snyder really excelled was in the flashback sequences. He so perfectly captures the beauty and quaintness of Clark's growing up, from a shot of a swing seat to a field of grass to laundry blowing in the wind. It was these flashback sequences, so elegiac, that gave the movie its emotional core and they are the best parts of the movie.

What I really liked was Cavill's portrayal of Superman. He's beautiful, yes, but he plays the part so understated and sort of sad, really. He's good and kind, but isn't extreme or annoying about it. He's just a guy, raised in Kansas by good parents, who's trying to find his place in the world. The two dads, played by Russell Crowe and Kevin Costner, both give weight and substance to their roles and I liked their dichotomous views on how Clark/Superman should live. Amy Adams was fine as Lois Lane, but her introduction into Superman's life seemed a bit clunky and rushed, and led to one truly cheesy line. However, their romance is sweet and simple and I like that.

The movie isn't perfect, but it's good enough. It felt a bit more sci-fi than superhero-y with its spaceships and spacesuits. The destruction of Metropolis, and the people who live there, is a bit out of step with what Superman does at the end to save three people, but perhaps I'm splitting hairs. I actually think that the sequel will be better, judging from the end, and perhaps a bit more happy.

Also, when Superman says in the movie, "I grew up in Kansas," a few in the audience clapped. He also wears a Royals t-shirt in one scene, which I could tell many in the audience liked. Seriously, the man is just so beautiful.