One of the most controversial films of 2013, Man of Steel reinvented the Superman character and kickstarted the DC Cinematic Universe. Being a huge DC fan, I was incredibly excited for this release, and unlike some people, I loved this film. I thought Henry Cavill was super (get it?) as Superman, however the Clark Kent side was lacking in character development, but with a sequel well into production I’m sure this will be fixed. The story was solid, and I enjoyed the subtle references for the more attentive viewers (Codeword ‘Trident’, the Wayne Enterprises satellite and the Lexcorp truck), but there were some issues. Michael Shannon’s Zod was slightly too animated and lively, but he showed the pain the character felt over the destruction of Krypton very well. There was too much shaky cam in some scenes, which spoiled the moment, and I found issue with the flashbacks, due to their disorganisation, which, on the first viewing, was a pain. When I saw the film in cinemas, I thought there was far too much action, however on recent viewings, I felt the film was paced excellently. Although this film is very unlike the Christopher Reeve series, I think Man of Steel was a gripping and exciting adventure, and if the rest of the DCCU is anywhere near as good as this, viewers are in for a treat.

I give Man of Steel 8 out of 10.

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