Man Of Steel

Director: Zack Snyder

Starring: Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Michael Shannon, Russell Crowe, Lawrence Fishburn, Diane Lane, Kevin Costner, Ayelet Zurer, Antje Traue, Christopher Meloni

Distributed By: Warner Bros. Pictures

Release Date: June 2013

----------------------------------------------------------------------

No matter how familiar I am with Superman's story, each incarnation continues to impress and flesh out who he is and what he means to us.
What I particularly like about this version is that we get to linger on Krypton; of course we know that the planets hours are definitely numbered but here we get to see what they are like as a race. Zack Snyder and his writers do a great job of making their civilisation intelligent and with a definite sense of their own importance as most fail to realise their way of life is at an end.
Russell Crowe plays Jor-El and I really like his performance and was pleased he was in a great deal of the movie, he and wife Lara played by Ayelet Zurer embody all that is good about Krypton which shows us why their son will be a hero.
There are some brilliant ideas throughout the Krypton scenes, in particular the moving computer/intercom that helps Jor-El and also the 'nursery' which is very interesting!
My favourite baddie General Zod is wonderfully played by Michael Shannon and we get to see why he and some select others escape Krypton's fate.
Henry Cavill dons the red cape this time around and proves that he can take on this role with the perfect amount of vigour and charm, but I like that the first we see of him is as a roughed up sailor. There are lots of flashbacks which give glimpses as to why he's hiding in plain sight and all the familiar stories are there.
Diane Lane and Kevin Costner both give lovely understated performances as Clark's parents Martha and Jonathon and again shows us why Clark is a force for good.
I really like Lois in this version, who is not content with getting a story by easy means and I love the way she meets Superman for the first time which definitely explains her infatuation!
Lawrence Fishburn brings a fatherly quality to the Daily Planet Editor in Chief Perry White and I also really like Christopher Meloni's performance as Colonel Hardy.
Zod's accomplice Faora is very intriguing; played by Antje Traue, she doesn't say a great deal but absolutely kicks ass and is very menacing, she and Michael Shannon's Zod are a great double act against Superman and both actors seem to relish their roles!
I'm not sure if I've ever seen more action in a Superman movie to date and at certain points it's a wonder that the Earth can survive the onslaught of the various battles throughout!
My absolute favourite scene is as the world engine starts terraforming the earth, which has truly amazing effects and sound and gives us the touching CGI moment as Christopher Reeves face is merged with that of Henry Cavill.
Two and a half hours literally flies by as every scene is played out to a wonderfully rousing score by Hans Zimmer which gives its own unique feel for a much loved group of characters for a new generation.
This movie was worth the wait and I'm very excited about a sequel!
~~Nikki~~