Man of Steel, an opinion

I think that Man of Steel was a good movie, i preferred it over the 'has some nice moments but really needed more work' Superman Returns, and it's interpretation of Superman was actually really nicely done. My biggest complaints are more with minor things in the plot and things such as the 'back and forth in time' storytelling, which while it suited Batman, ill fits Superman somehow as well as the slightly confusing grasp on how Supermans powers function.

The idea that the combination of Earths atmosphere and solar radiation making him strong is fine, different but fine, yet the idea that coming into contact with Kryptons atmosphere would rob him of his abilities felt a little odd. I mean i liked that Kryptons atmosphere or one like it had Superman feeling ill and gasping for air, that was fine, since Superman should have to breath and a change of atmosphere should affect him, but the idea of it robbing him of his strength and durability even with 30 years of solar radiation pumping into him felt peculiar and unneeded. Also Zod and his crew gained control over their superpowers curiously quick, but again, minor quibbles with the writing that could ( and should ) have easily have been all ironed out.

Anyway lets look at the moment where it seemed to divide a lot of fans, his action of breaking Zod's neck. I have no problem with it. It was done in desperation, there is no elation in his actions, no quip or joke, instead there is regret, more regret than 'i don't kill' Batman expressed for leaving his former father figure/teacher Ra's Al Gul to die in 'Batman Begins' with the line "i won't kill you, but that doesn't mean i have to save you" ( Funny thing is back in the mid 1990's comics, Batman was very critical of his replacement Jean-Paul Valley having that very attitude ).

It's also worth noting Superman killed Zod years ago in the comics back in the late 1980's, only that time it was a calculated if reluctant execution by Kryptonite for Zod and his followers for wiping out all life on an alternate Earth and threatening to do the same to Supermans own Earth. With no witnesses to his act and no one to confide in about what he had done, the personal failure to live up to his own standards tore at Superman's mind, resulting in him leaving Earth for a time until he finally resolved to in future always find another way regardless of who he faced. Now the movie version handled it differently, since it pretty much gave him a Lois Lane who knew he was Superman to confide in, so he wouldn't have to leave Earth to reach that same 'never kill again' policy.

Another thing that bothers some was the level of destruction ( which was a bit much, i want to see Superman try and prevent that sort of thing in the next movie ), but this does explain why he becomes the guardian of specifically Metropolis, a city that in the film he had zero link to and had never even been to until the battle with Zod's forces. After the destruction wrought in Metropolis, the city is arguably now his responsibility, he owed it to the cities people to atone for his fellow Kryptonians actions. As for why Superman kept punching people through and into things, it's worth noting that he has had very little actual practice with his powers, and has never been in an actual fight with anyone until Zod's forces attack. It is practically the second day on the job of wearing the tights for Superman.

This inexperience contrasts with the horridly characterised animated Justice League War movie ( his first New 52 animated appearance ) where an almost smugly superior Superman with far greater control of his abilities ( such as precision heat vision and super speed ) behaves in an arguably irresponsible manner as he punches the outclassed Green Lantern and Batman around a populated area that he could have avoided.

Another plus point for Man of Steel was in the casting, Amy Adams made a pleasant Lois Lane ( although with her striking hair colour you might have thought she should have been cast as Lana Lang but i like her as Lois) and Russle Crow made a very likeable Jor-El. In fact most of the cast were pretty good, with even Kevin Costner playing Johnathan Kent as a concerned -to a worrying fault- father about his sons safety. As for the Man of Steel himself, Henry Cavill was excellent. Whereas Brandon Routh seemed to give a slightly awkward vibe when in the costume, Henry Cavill seems completely comfortable wearing the 'S' as much as he was in jeans.You could see it in his performance, whenever his Clark Kent was 'Superman' he almost resonated a reassuring and certain presence to everyone, even though we the audience knew he was completely winging it and was clueless and doubtful about himself, which provided a very likeable, very human Superman that to me felt much like the comics John Byrne reboot of 1986/87 ( which as far as i know first brought up the point that while it was his Krypton heritage that made him 'Super', it was his life on Earth that had made him 'Human' ). Even when he brought down a drone that had been spying on him in front of the military guy in a dramatic fashion towards the end, instead of coming across as intimidating or threatening he was polite, reasonable, and personable.

In fact Man of Steels Superman seemed at times more like the old modern era DC Superman than the Current New 52 version.