Movie Review: Man of Steel
After years of harvesting of Krypton’s natural resources, Krypton is faced with its imminent destruction. The chief scientist Jor-el has warned the council about repercussions of harvesting the natural resources which caused the planet’s core to be unstable. General Zod has staged a coup to gain the leadership of the planet. Jor-el and his wife Lara has decided to send their son Kal-el to earth after infusing his cell with the genetic codex of the entire Kryptonian race. Zod killed Jor-el but was unable to stop the spacecraft that would bring Kal-el to earth. He and his followers were captured and were sent to the Phantom Zone as their punishment. After the destruction of Krypton, Zod was free. Since then they travelled to different colonies that were previously controlled by Krypton but found no survivor. They instead salvage what they could use include a world engine.
On Earth, Kal-el was found in Smallville Kansas by Jonathan and Martha Kent who raised him as their own and named him Clark. He discovered his abilities as he grew older. Jonathan warned Clark not to use his abilities in fear of humans discovering his true nature. Even in his death, Jonathan refused to be saved in order to keep his secret. Years after, Clark was wandering and has taken several identities to keep his secret. He learned of a discovery in the Artic of an Alien Spacecraft and joined the team that is investigating it.
The ship allowed him to communicate of a preserved image of his father Jor-el. He explain that the reason for his abilities. Also in the Artic, Lois Lane was part of team investigating the spacecraft. After seeing Clark sneaking in to space craft, she followed him. She was injured and Clark was forced to use his heat vision to cauterize the wound to prevent her from bleeding out.
The Spacecraft has sent a distress signal which Zod use to locate Clark. He demand that the Humans handover Clark or face the consequence. Clark agreed to have the Military surrender Clark. After learning of Zod’s planning repopulating the planet and changing the planet’s atmosphere using the world engine Clark refused and decided to oppose his fellow Kryptonians.
Clark was able to destroy the World engine but was unable to prevent the damage that it caused to Metropolis. Clark was able to defeat Faora and Nam-Ek and was able to send them to the Phantom Zone again with the help of Lois Lane. Only Zod was left and able to adapt to Earth’s atmosphere and learn how to use his abilities the way Clark can. They engaged in a fierce battle that caused more destruction. In the final moments of the battle, Zod was about to kill a group of civilians using his heat vision. Left with no choice, Clark snapped Zod’s neck and killed him.
The military is still trying to find out more about Clark. A sent a drone crashing and told General Swanwick that he is willing to help but it would be on his own terms. Clark then took a job with the daily planet as a reporter as part of his cover.
Like most people, I found that the movie is lacking. It was a good movie but it was not great. The characters were underdeveloped. The fact that Lois Lane learned of Clark’s identity took away a lot of mystery. And it was too easy for Lois to put the puzzle together. Clark’s cover in the end doesn’t really mask his identity. Unlike the previous movie, Superman returns, they provided an Alibi by showing that Clark was clumsy.
Also I found it odd that Superman killed Zod in the end of the movie. Generally Superman does not kill. There are versions of superman in Comics that he does but generally he doesn’t. In TV series version, Smallville, Clark has gone to great lengths to prevent from killing. I think that part of Superman is what keeps him apart from other superheroes. We all know that he is flawed and at times has fallen prey to his dark side but killing is something that most viewers and fans would not approve. The battle scene was good but I think it was too excessive. It seems that he did not mind all the destruction and the people getting hurt.
What I enjoyed about the movie was the first part in Krypton. It is something that Movie makers really dwell upon. We all know that the sun is the source of his abilities but the idea that his cells absorbs them, the gravity is lesser in earth than Krypton and the atmosphere is more nourishing is somewhat refreshing.
The ship allowed him to communicate of a preserved image of his father Jor-el. He explain that the reason for his abilities. Also in the Artic, Lois Lane was part of team investigating the spacecraft. After seeing Clark sneaking in to space craft, she followed him. She was injured and Clark was forced to use his heat vision to cauterize the wound to prevent her from bleeding out.
The Spacecraft has sent a distress signal which Zod use to locate Clark. He demand that the Humans handover Clark or face the consequence. Clark agreed to have the Military surrender Clark. After learning of Zod’s planning repopulating the planet and changing the planet’s atmosphere using the world engine Clark refused and decided to oppose his fellow Kryptonians.
Clark was able to destroy the World engine but was unable to prevent the damage that it caused to Metropolis. Clark was able to defeat Faora and Nam-Ek and was able to send them to the Phantom Zone again with the help of Lois Lane. Only Zod was left and able to adapt to Earth’s atmosphere and learn how to use his abilities the way Clark can. They engaged in a fierce battle that caused more destruction. In the final moments of the battle, Zod was about to kill a group of civilians using his heat vision. Left with no choice, Clark snapped Zod’s neck and killed him.
The military is still trying to find out more about Clark. A sent a drone crashing and told General Swanwick that he is willing to help but it would be on his own terms. Clark then took a job with the daily planet as a reporter as part of his cover.
Like most people, I found that the movie is lacking. It was a good movie but it was not great. The characters were underdeveloped. The fact that Lois Lane learned of Clark’s identity took away a lot of mystery. And it was too easy for Lois to put the puzzle together. Clark’s cover in the end doesn’t really mask his identity. Unlike the previous movie, Superman returns, they provided an Alibi by showing that Clark was clumsy.
Also I found it odd that Superman killed Zod in the end of the movie. Generally Superman does not kill. There are versions of superman in Comics that he does but generally he doesn’t. In TV series version, Smallville, Clark has gone to great lengths to prevent from killing. I think that part of Superman is what keeps him apart from other superheroes. We all know that he is flawed and at times has fallen prey to his dark side but killing is something that most viewers and fans would not approve. The battle scene was good but I think it was too excessive. It seems that he did not mind all the destruction and the people getting hurt.
What I enjoyed about the movie was the first part in Krypton. It is something that Movie makers really dwell upon. We all know that the sun is the source of his abilities but the idea that his cells absorbs them, the gravity is lesser in earth than Krypton and the atmosphere is more nourishing is somewhat refreshing.
There are references to Wayne Enterprise and Lex Corp in the movie. Is this a set up to future superman films? News has already emerged about the possible sequel which would involve Batman. I would guess that Lex Luthor, Superman’s greatest nemesis, would soon be part of the sequels. What are your thoughts?
