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Director: Zach Snyder
In my opinion Superman has a people problem. Most of us identify with the Waynes, Starks, and the Parkers of the comic book universe. Kent on the other hand is near impossible to sympathize with because we see him as perfect. Snyder spends the first hour of the film trying to make us connect with Superman. To his credit it was working. Seeing Kent as a boy trying to cope with being different then everyone else, nonhuman, was pushing all the right buttons. Unfortunately not enough time was spent with this aspect of his life and before we know it we are thrust into chaos that we have next to no investment in.
A lot of Kent's relationships are thrown at us as well, probably too many for one film. We see significant relationship arcs with two fathers, a mother, a schoolmate, co-workers, and of course Lois Lane. Most of these were done well enough, but the one that fell the most flat is the one that we should care the most about going forward and that is his relationship with Lois Lane. If they took this character out of the film entirely I don't know that I would even noticed, I certainly wouldn't have cared.
The acting in Man Of Steel is good enough, but a lot of characters are wasted because of trying to cram too much into one film. We don't get to know Cavill too well, he really looks the part, and I think he will be fine going forward. Shannon and Adams are wasted as the villain and Lane. Shannon especially could have been saved for a future film. All other players are doing exactly what they are asked, and that is good enough for a summer blockbuster.
My biggest disappointment in Man Of Steel comes in the last hour or so. Snyder goes Bay on us and we are treated to countless explosions, unprecedented destruction, and God only knows what kind of body count. I would have much rather spent this time getting to know our characters further. I think that Snyder could have even done an entire film ending around Kent's teen years. That of course could never happen because every summer movie is trying to make a billion dollars at the expense of having a franchise that people would be truly invested in. So Man Of Steel will go down for me as another ho-hum spectacle. One that I enjoyed most of but will have no lasting effect.
Director: Zach Snyder
In my opinion Superman has a people problem. Most of us identify with the Waynes, Starks, and the Parkers of the comic book universe. Kent on the other hand is near impossible to sympathize with because we see him as perfect. Snyder spends the first hour of the film trying to make us connect with Superman. To his credit it was working. Seeing Kent as a boy trying to cope with being different then everyone else, nonhuman, was pushing all the right buttons. Unfortunately not enough time was spent with this aspect of his life and before we know it we are thrust into chaos that we have next to no investment in.
A lot of Kent's relationships are thrown at us as well, probably too many for one film. We see significant relationship arcs with two fathers, a mother, a schoolmate, co-workers, and of course Lois Lane. Most of these were done well enough, but the one that fell the most flat is the one that we should care the most about going forward and that is his relationship with Lois Lane. If they took this character out of the film entirely I don't know that I would even noticed, I certainly wouldn't have cared.
The acting in Man Of Steel is good enough, but a lot of characters are wasted because of trying to cram too much into one film. We don't get to know Cavill too well, he really looks the part, and I think he will be fine going forward. Shannon and Adams are wasted as the villain and Lane. Shannon especially could have been saved for a future film. All other players are doing exactly what they are asked, and that is good enough for a summer blockbuster.
My biggest disappointment in Man Of Steel comes in the last hour or so. Snyder goes Bay on us and we are treated to countless explosions, unprecedented destruction, and God only knows what kind of body count. I would have much rather spent this time getting to know our characters further. I think that Snyder could have even done an entire film ending around Kent's teen years. That of course could never happen because every summer movie is trying to make a billion dollars at the expense of having a franchise that people would be truly invested in. So Man Of Steel will go down for me as another ho-hum spectacle. One that I enjoyed most of but will have no lasting effect.