"Man of Steel" is a spectacle in search of a soul, and it's not for want of trying. This Superman origin story is highlighted by action set-pieces that palpably depict superhuman fighting but Zack Snyder's heavy-handed attempts to milk his material for emotional resonance (be it in the scenes between Clark Kent's Kryptonian parents or in his earth-bound dad's self-sacrifice) fall flat, creating a pretty weird, unreal kind of vibe that fortunately isn't quite oppressive enough to overshadow the movie's entertainment factor. It helps that this cast is pretty nice too, with Amy Adams a welcome presence as Lois Lane, Michael Shannon doing good work as antagonist General Zod, Kevin Costner making the most of his few scenes as Clark Kent's one-note human father, and Henry Cavill putting in a good shift as Superman. I kinda feel like "Man of Steel" should have had a bigger climax than it does, but since it is essentially the first part of a trilogy (or so I'm told) I guess I can forgive a somewhat sedate conclusion. Worth a watch for action movie fans, but nothing truly spectacular, except maybe for that incredible scene that's basically a bunch of giant dicks blasting into space.
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