Man of Steel (2013) – Encore Review 2

“You will give the people of Earth an ideal to strive towards. They will race behind you, they will stumble, they will fall. But in time, they will join you in the sun, Kal. In time, you will help them accomplish wonders. ” – Jor-El

Number of Times Seen – 3 (24 Jun 2013 and 1 Dec 2015 and 19 Jun 2017)

Link to original review – Here and  Here

Brief Synopsis – A refugee from a destroyed world who was sent to Earth struggles on whether to keep his identity and powers a secret or try to defend his adopted home-world from an external threat.

My Take on it – I guess 3 times is a charm for me.

My third viewing of this film was my favorite because I finally watched this film after having seen the other 3 films in the newly formed DCEU.

It all really had to start with the origin of Superman because as the leader of the Justice League and being the most recognizable of the DC superheroes we first needed to understand his past and how he came to be the savior and protector of Earth.

I really liked the way they re-imagined the Superman mythos and by using newly thought of ideas of technology make things feel more up to date than the previous ideas.

Loved the way that this film places the question of identity at the forefront where we have Superman questioning it the whole time.

He is torn between thinking of himself as being from Krypton or from Earth.

The script aptly uses Oscar winners Russell Crowe and Kevin Costner superbly as his two fathers who each give him advice on how to try and discover who he is really meant to be and what his potential truly is.

This film is a superb introduction to the DCEU and helps us understand how he will come to make the decision of creating the Justice League in order to defend the Earth from both internal and external threats.

The special effects used here are superbly used to show all of the chaos of superhero battles and the loss of life is a perfect catalyst for Superman’s vow to defend all humans however he can.

Henry Cavill is a nice choice for playing the lead character and does so in such a subdued way that we can see him as both a powerful hero yet still humble enough to keep a low profile when he isn’t needed to defend the Earth.

Bottom Line – Great reboot of the Superman origin that adds so much modern technological ideas into the storyline while also still questioning to whom Superman needs to be loyal; his home world or his adopted home.  I liked the way that the film wasn’t shown in a linear fashion which helps us learn about his past while viewing the present.  This helps us to identify with Superman’s questions about his own identity. Crowe and Costner are both spectacular in the supporting roles of Superman’s father who both offer him important advice about his own nature. This is a great introduction to the DCEU because as Superman is the most well known superhero and the leader of the Justice League, we find need to understand where he is coming from and how his story fits into the realm of wanting to keep Earth safe from external and internal threats. Cavill is a great choice as Superman because he gives off a powerful aura as the man of Steel yet still feels humble enough to want to keep to himself when needed. Highly Recommended!

MovieRob’s Favorite Trivia –  Superman’s Kryptonian family name “El” is one of the Hebrew names for God, one of many savior allusions in the character’s mythos. This comes from the original comic writers Jerry Siegel and Joe Schuster, who, being Jewish, would have been familiar with this trivia as part of their cultural heritage.  (From IMDB)

Rating – Oscar Worthy (upgraded from original review)

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