Man of Steel Review

Theatres are awash with superhero movies these days. Batman, Spider-Man and The Avengers all had their go. It was only a matter of time before the one and only real superhero returned to the silver screen. Last time we saw him he was played by Brandon Routh in the unjustly maligned 'Superman Returns'. Now Henry Cavill dons the cape in 'Man of Steel'; a bold new take on the biggest hero of them all.

After struggling to reboot 'Superman' Warner Bros. decided to bring on board Christopher Nolan, whose 'Batman' films made a killing at the box office. The studio hoped Nolan would be able repeat his trick and make Superman cool again. They hired Zack Snyder, known for '300' and 'Watchmen', to direct. The approach would be as gritty and as realistic as possible. And thus, 'Man of Steel' was born.

The most striking aspect of this film is its exceptional cast. Henry Cavill had his work cut out for him. Christopher Reeve pretty much owned the role since 1978. Fortunately, Cavill makes for a good Superman despite lacking the Reeve's charisma. This time around Super's enduring love interest Lois Lane is played by Amy Adams. She's also a good choice but somehow there's a lack of chemistry between the two of them. You never feel quite convinced of the relationship between Lois and Clark.

The real power comes from the supporting actors. Russell Crowe and Kevin Costner in particular make a lasting impression as Superman's biological and adoptive father respectively. Both are most frequently seen in flashbacks and these moments are where 'Man of Steel' excells. By exploring various moments in Superman's past (both as Kryptonian born Kal-El and the All-American Clark Kent) the film manages to give the character some much needed depth.

Another high point is the film's villain. General Zod, played by Michael Shannon, is a classic bad guy. Like Superman, Zod is a survivor of the planet Krypton. He is determined to save the legacy of his people by taking over Earth. Shannon imbues his character with a maniacal intensity, this is one guy you don't want to piss off.

'Man of Steel' is filled with many superpowered fight scenes. So many in fact that you'll leave the theatre feeling as if you've been on Space Mountain one too many times. It's too bad because the wow factor wears off fairly fast. After the first two confrontations you get kind of tired and everything starts to feel and look like a cheap video game. The action is definitely the film's biggest weaknesses. It's so chaotic that it's easy to get lost in the mayhem.

It's hard to say if 'Man of Steel' will have the same impact on popular culture as Richard Donner's early  films. It certainly isn't as iconic. A good example is Hans Zimmer's musical approach to Superman. The German composer uses his familiar industrial techniques and creates a dense wall of sound. Never is this score as instantly identifiable as John Williams his orirginal fanfare. The sense of adventure is certainly lost in Zimmer's interpretation and the movie suffers accordingly. Williams made Superman fly, Zimmer makes him lumber along.

Not that Cavill's Superman deserves much fanfare because he's particularly bad at his job. During his scuffles with Zod and his cronies Supes is indirectly responsible for an uncomfortable amount of death and destruction. To add insult to injury the characters don't seem to care about the tremendous loss of life all around them. Superman and Lois even find time for some smooching during the film's finale, because there's nothing as romantic as making out in the middle of a mass grave.

Aside from these complaints 'Man of Steel' is a successful reboot that is sure to strike a chord with audiences. An action-packed and surprisingly personal take on the most famous of all superheroes. Hopefully, some of the issues of this movie will be addressed in the sequel. (Especially the aftermath of Superman's actions, that part still doesn't sit well with me.) All in all, Zack Snyder delivered the goods and successfully reintroduced Superman to audiences worldwide.

Exclusive Early Review of A REPRISE

Lucky me! I was recently contacted by the American director Conrad Faraj. He's behind last year's 'The Shadow People' and the upcoming sci-fi thriller 'The Wind is Watching'. To my surprise the young filmmaker allowed me to be one of the first to see his latest short film 'A Reprise'.

'A Reprise' is an atmospheric film about a young man and his inability to interact with the opposite sex. A prisoner of his emotions, he tries to find a way to reach out to a girl he meets in a diner. The way Faraj finds his way around this story is sort of dreamlike. The cinematography and the music transform this above average short film into a stirring mood piece. 

Within eight minutes Faraj manages to impress upon us the troubled emotions of the main character. You can see he's growing as a filmmaker. As a result 'A Reprise' has a bigger impact than his earlier work 'The Shadow People'. This short film has me excited about Conrad Faraj's next project. 

Star Trek Into Darkness Review

The latest instalment in the long-running 'Star Trek' franchise has arrived. And much like its predecessor it's a disarming and solid sci-fi adventure. The polar opposite of 'Star Trek: The Motion Picture'. Director JJ Abrams once again uses the charms of his cast to great effect. This, mixed with great special effects, fast-paced action and a dazzling score make 'Star Trek Into Darkness' another winner for the new crew.

The first film chronicled the devastation caused by a time traveling villain. His actions led to the death of Kirk's father and the destruction of Spock's home planet. In this sequel we realize that these events have changed the nature of the 'Star Trek' universe. Gone is the optimistic urge to explore new galaxies. The change has brought Kirk and Spock's world closer to our own. Dominated by the fear of the unknown threats that lurk in the darkest corners of space.

It's all the more ironic that the villain of 'Into Darkness' comes from Earth. John Harrison is an enemy from within. A Starfleet agent turned terrorist. He bombs the heart of London and kills many high ranking officers in an attack on Starfleet HQ. Among the dead is Kirk's surrogate father Admiral Pike. Like any warmblooded human Kirk seeks revenge. With the blessing of Admiral Marcus (Peter ''RoboCop'' Weller) the young captain embarks on a manhunt.

The crew of the starship Enterprise is divided by the idea of killing a man without a trial. The issue is compounded by the arrival of 72 high tech torpedoes on board the ship, weapons developed by the fugitive himself. The game is set for a climactic confrontation with Harrison. But as you may have guessed, not all is what it seems. In their attempt to bring Harrison to justice the crew of the Enterprise is tested. Made to doubt their believes and the nature of their mission.

As anyone can see, the story reflects the world we live in today. A world in which fear still has a huge role. The way 'Into Darkness' explores the consequences of the previous film feels genuine and real. Fortunately, the movie doesn't dwell on these issues. It never forgets to have fun. The interactions between the main cast members are lighthearted but sincere. The use of warmth and humour makes some of the emotional blows all the more real.

For the first film Abrams assembled a great cast to play these iconic characters. Chris Pine plays up the arrogance without losing even an inch of likeability. Zachary Quinto seems more comfortable as the emotionless Spock than in the previous film. Karl Urban, Zoe Saldana, John Cho, Anton Yelchin and Simon Pegg are wonderful even though they have limited screentime. But the real revelation is Benedict Cumberbatch as Harrison. Underneath his calm and intelligent demeanor hides an exceptionally brutal villain.

There's one thing that will have many Trekkies foaming at the mouth. It's the way 'Into Darkness' mirrors the first 'Star Trek' sequel 'The Wrath of Khan'. Personally, I'm okay with it. Mainly because this movie is just so damn entertaining. Had the rest of the film not been so good I might have felt offended. However the way Abrams uses these borrowed elements makes some sense. They never stick out or feel ingenuous. However 'Into Darkness' is not as emotionally powerful as 'Wrath of Khan'.

Even though it is a straight out popcorn flick 'Into Darkness' manages to adhere to the tradition of the best 'Star Trek' films. There's still some intelligent ideas scattered throughout all the explosions, space battles and gun fights. Also, the interactions between the cast are a delight. All of them are slowly growing into their roles. This is a bunch of people you like to spend time with. That's why I already found myself anxiously awaiting the sequel from the moment I stepped out of the theatre. That's always a good sign.