"Man of Steel" Review Roundup: Can Zack Snyder Successfully Rewrite American Myth? [Trailer]
The brand new adaptation for the classic superhero story of Superman hits theaters this weekend and is expected to drawn in fans by the millions. We take a look at what some of the experts are saying about the new movie, "Man of Steel."
The new reinterpretation of the seminal modern superhero tale by director Zack Snyder has been highly anticipated for some time. Fans are eager not only to be able to engage in another chapter of Superman's life, but are equally intrigued by what Snyder (of "300" fame) will bring to the table.
Though it's still uncertain how the movie will play out in the eyes of the mass audience, early movie reviews certainly have their high points. Several critics have stated that Snyder seamlessly interweaves Superman's past and present through deft usage of flashbacks throughout, creating a far more relatable character.
Towards that end, Christopher Nolan certainly agrees. Nolan, who just finished his own superhero saga after the last installment of his "Dark Knight" trilogy for Batman, believes that Snyder's insight will provide a truly unique and engaging version of Superman.
"Zack being able to see through the iconography to the human being underneath -- or, in this case, to the alien underneath -- he's able to really be faithful to the spirit of [screenwriter David S. Goyer's] original pitch: Let's understand this guy. Letting the audience access his personality, his psychology, his struggles."
Though that was a ringing endorsement by one of Hollywood's premier directors, not everyone is so convinced that Snyder was able to succeed in his reconstruction of the hero Clark Kent. There has been an overall consensus that while the beginning of the movie was solid, the end suffers from a certain grandiosity and lack of believability that is beyond saving.
"If this version of Superman is to have a future-as Warner Brothers seems convinced he will, having already green-lit the sequel-I hope Snyder will dial back both the casualty count and the Krypton mythmaking and instead focus on establishing a fictional Earth that's rich enough to be worth saving," concludes Dana Stevens of Slate.
Indeed, the last hour or so of the film is an absolute barrage of sensorial overload, with the city of Metropolis crumbling all around. Though it doesn't take a genius to figure out who will eventually prevail, some have concluded that the ending didn't feel justified. Still, for the introspection into who Kal-El is as a person (or alien, rather), the movie is worth the price of admission.
"Mr. Snyder isn't capable of mythmaking, but in his sometimes poetic, sometimes crude way, he has given Superman a new lease on franchise life by affirming that this most American hero is also an alien yearning to breathe free," observed Manohla Dargis of the New York Times.
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