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Movie Review: Man Of Steel

rottentomatoes.com

What's the point of reviewing Man of Steel beyond saying it is, one, typical of the comic book genre; and, two, disappointing in all aspects except special effects?

Although the only reason it is generally disappointing is that we might have expected a movie that is supposed to start a new franchise to have something new and original about it.

Superman's backstory is expanded to fit somewhat into the renewed fascination with conspiracies, with his father's secret plans going back before the destruction of the planet Krypton. But the additions to the plot are ineffective, beyond adding one more spaceship for the effects people to design.

With an invulnerable superhero, you have to go to outer space to provide an opponent he can get into fistfights with-- and fistfights between invulnerables add up to a lot of flying off in all directions without a bruise, eventually ending up with one more big explosion (either orange for color, or black and fuzzy for variety). Fights are endless, with repetition of the same old uppercuts and body slams, but it doesn't take long to learn that no damage can be done.

No excitement there.

And not even talent like Russell Crowe, Amy Adams, Diane Lane and Kevin Costner is given much chance to do anything with characterization, with each given precisely one attribute to fill one stereotype: noble father, good mother, loving lover, and, with Laurence Fishburne, shouting editor.

Our hero looks noble, our villain looks angry, our soundtrack is loud, our visuals busy, and our time is wasted.

Man of Steel will probably be a hit.