Man of Steel

Man of Steel

Rated PG-13 and Released in Grand Rapids 6/14/13

Reviewed 6/5/13 at Cinema Carousel Theatre in Muskegon, MI

with Gary, Leigh and Denny

3 1/2 out of 5 Js in QUIET Rating System

This one lived up to its expectations. In spite of the 143 minutes, we all really liked it and are willing to admit we didn't notice the excessive length...too much. This is definitely the new era in Superman, similar to how we felt with the new Batman's of late. The special effects add to the excitement and bring it to a whole new level. Clark Kent, played by Henry Cavill, was adorable and got cuter as the movie went on. :) :)

The rest of the cast was splendid, with the exception of Amy Adams. I think she is normally a fine actress and I like everything she's been in, but maybe they missed the mark by casting her as Lois Lane.

The planet Krypton is rapidly coming to its catastrophic end and the inhabitants are all doomed. Russell Crowe is amazing as Jor El, the father to a miraculously born infant, Cal El. As the planet is about to implode, Cal El is sent into space inside a pod by his parents, in order for him to survive and preserve the race. A mere task for an infant. Just as baby Cal is cast off to space, the hell bent nemesis and outlaw General Zod (Michael Shannon) shows up to try to stop this from occurring. Spiral ahead in time and a great distance to Earth, and Clark (as the baby is now called) is being raised by his adoring adoptive parents played by Kevin Costner and Diane Lane. Clearly his powers are a concern for his dad, and he wants Clark to lay low until the world is "ready".

After escaping their sentence and drifting for countless years, General Zod and his band of criminals eventually find Earth and want an unfair face-off. Apparently though, only the U.S. Army comes into play while Zod demands that Cal El, or Clark, surrender to him or Earth suffers the consequences. After they get through battling for either capture or freedom, it doesn't look like much is left of a city or two. Bring your earplugs because with the sound they pump out in the Hi-Def theatres now, you might leave with a little less hearing than you started with. Summing it up, we expected this wasn't going to be a perfect film. There are holes in the storyline and while there is lackluster chemistry between Clark and Lois, we have to remember this is a superhero blockbuster, not Argo. Take time to go see Man of Steel and you will agree that this is entertaining and fun and the right summer blockbuster movie to see.

QUIET Rating system: 3 1/2Js

Quality: JJJj

Understood story:  JJJ

Interest: JJJJ

Entertainment:  JJJJ

Time:  JJj