‘Man of Steel’ is what fans have been waiting for. It is action packed and full of destruction. It made some risky moves, but it’s time that films begin to take them again.

The riskiness stems from scenes that the filmmakers didn’t shy away from. For instance, there is a deadly tornado sequence that made the cut. Considering the nation just had a devastating series of tornadoes, generally, filmmakers remove those types of scenes from their films to be sensitive to the situation. But it’s time for filmmakers to stand behind the product they’ve made.

The film also contained the ultimate taboo in the post-9/11 world; an airplane was used as a weapon. It was shocking to see and it’s good that people are beginning to lose the “too soon” mentality.

A newly rebooted origin story that takes place on the planet Krypton which shows the government being confronted with the knowledge that its planet is doomed, and the respected, but ruthless, General Zod starting a civil war against the government that failed its people.

The scenes on Krypton are amazing and Russell Crowe as Jor-El was an excellent choice. Crowe never disappoints with a performance.

The section on Krypton which show the beginning of Zod’s rebellion through Jor-El’s launching of his son, Kal-El, takes about 15-20 minutes. Once on Earth, the film has Clark Kent already as an adult, and as the film plays out, Kent has flashbacks of his childhood from being a boy to growing into the man he is. It’s worth noting that Kent is not a journalist at The Daily Planet in this film.

The character of Lois Lane, played very well by Amy Adams, is an investigative journalist. Although it’s quite possible that in the past, “Superman” writers intended on giving Lane the role of a serious journalist, it always seemed a bit hokey. “Man of Steel” successfully takes Lane seriously for a change.

Henry Cavill is Kal-El (Superman); an alien trying to find his place on Earth. The role is well played and is a darker version of the character than seen in previous films. He has the look of Superman and, more importantly, the heart of Superman. The movie demonstrates why Kent is the person that becomes, the hero of Earth. Cavill should be commended for his performance.

Michael Shannon as General Zod was a great casting choice. In previous “Superman” iterations, Zod always seemed like an evil dictator. In this film, although he was harsh in his methods, you never doubt his resolve that he is a patriot of Krypton and he is doing what he thinks is best for his people’s survival.

The film’s climax takes place in the city of Metropolis, and the destruction the filmmakers were willing to bring to a large city is awe-inspiring. Supporting cast members like Laurence Fishburne, and “Law and Order: SVU’s” Christopher Meloni round out this great comic book film.

The only criticisms for this film are that they stuck with the cheezy city name Metropolis, which should be updated, and that Laurence Fishburne’s character of Perry White, the editor-in-chief of The Daily Planet, was drastically underused; Fishburne is capable of so much more.

Grade: A

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