Man Of Steel

Maybe it’s because I saw Pacific Rim so recently, but I can’t help noticing a few basic similarities here: powerful entities battling each other with fists, inter-dimensional travel, family members sacrificing themselves…

Plot and story details aside, why do these fights always involve people or creatures tossing each other around and smashing into things clearly made of material less durable than they are? For example: Superman punches a guy - some heavily armored Kryptonian dude - and yeah, that probably stings a bit, but then the guy hurtles through the air, and through a building, which crashes down on him...then he gets up and punches Superman. So the hurtling and crashing didn’t really faze him, and I wouldn’t expect it to - but apparently Supes wasn’t thinking that far ahead.

Both these movies are like that. It looks nice and all, the expensive effects achieve their money’s worth, but it’s essentially meaningless, and devoid of dramatic weight. Which is really what I’m looking for. I won’t get that, however, when Kevin Costner’s Jonathan Kent only dies because he and his family were too stupid to take the dog with them when running from a tornado, and he has to go back for it. The same thing nearly happened in Twister; did they not see that flick?

I have to admit I was never much interested in this movie, as I’m just not into the comic book spectacles - but I don’t object to them either, so I’m bound to see them eventually. The major draw for me, however, turned out to be the biggest disappointment: Michael Shannon as General Zod. The guy’s a compelling performer, but the character had nothing going for him. Apparently on Krypton, everyone’s genetically designed for some particular purpose; he got military training. But why does Krypton need a military? Whom are they defending themselves from, or at war with, besides each other? Maybe that’s why he’s so pissed off all the time - he’s got fuck-all to do but pick a fight.

Amy Adams didn’t have much to do either, but is always interesting. I did like Russell Crowe. And Henry Cavill, wherever he came from to star in this, was totally ripped. A decent actor, too, but let’s be honest, most of what he had to do was look super.

Maybe the next movie, which involves Batman, and possibly Lex Luthor, will have a better focus on story and character - because they are mere humans, and ol’ Kal-El can’t just go around super-punching normal folks like that. It also has Wonder Woman, but he probably won’t be smashing her into buildings and gas stations...probably. Hollywood does stupid things sometimes.