Man of Steel Part (2 of 3)

Man of Steel Part (2 of 3)

Despite some of the pacing issues I have with the story, the casting for this movie is brilliant with a few cast members being under-used. Here are a few notable people.

Henry Cavill as Superman: Surprisingly, Cavill did an outstanding job being the main man in the cape. He’s not as boy scout-ish as Christopher Reeve or soft spoken as Brandon Routh. There is a bit of an edge to his portrayal. I liked his performance for the most part because it is also understated.

Amy Adams: Other than the animated version of Lois Lane, this is probably the strongest version of her yet. Again, Adams seems to be an edgier version of Kate Bosworth’s Lois. Lois is a smart and snappy, but not mean like (78) version.

Michael Shannon as Zod: Kneel before Zod! Shannon is convincing as the bad guy. While nothing can compare to Terence Stamp’s version of Zod, Shannon’s Zod actually has a reason for doing what he does, even if it means the total destruction of Earth. Shannon does give a sharp performance as that iconic villain.

Russell Crowe as Jor-El: Two Words: Total Badass. Yes, Jor-El does more than actually talk, he totally kicks ass as Superman’s real father. Crowe has a much bigger role than I even predicted. Jor-El has an interesting character arc that I won’t spoil for you. But, Crowe is different but similar take on Jor-El. I loved watching him on screen.

Antje Traue as Faora-Ul: Again, she surprisingly steals the show as Zod’s main henchman. She is more or less a remake of Ursa. She holds her own against Superman.

Kevin Costner: He does okay as Mr. Kent, but there’s not that much screen time for him. I am sure there is another cut out there with more of Costner playing Clark’s Earth father. I didn't hate his performance, but I got a little annoyed with his message. “You were put on this planet for a reason,” speech. He kept saying in each flashback.

Special Effects

For the most part, all the special effects are amazing. Weta Digital did a great deal of the the effects for the movie. I find it strange that ILM wasn't involved in the effects. The third act with all the shots are truly an outstanding feat.

"Clark, have you ever been to the Matrix?"