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Eager fans will likely thrall to the film's many overlong action set pieces, as Superman battles with Zod and his minions. There's little creativity to the fight sequences, though, which plow across countless building facades. But Snyder doesn't have the material or the inclination to make "Man of Steel" as thought-provoking as Nolan's "Dark Knight" trilogy. Superman wrestles with his allegiance to humans or his home planet, but the quandaries of a superpowered man betwixt worlds doesn't have any real resonance. The gravity that cloaks "Man of Steel" is merely an en vogue costume. While Snyder has succeeded in turning out a Superman that isn't silly (not a small feat) and will likely lay enough of a bedrock for further sequels, it's a missed opportunity
-- particularly with a bright cast of Shannon, Adams and Lane -- for a more fun-loving spirit. Cavill's performance is less memorable for his introspective brooding than for his six-pack (a fetish for Snyder, the director of "300"). He's handsome and capable, but one can't help missing Christopher Reeve's twinkle. At least he smiled. The awkward acrobatics to modernize "Man of Steel" are most evident with its explanation of Superman's shield. The "S" doesn't stand for Superman, but is a Krypton glyph (an element first introduced in the original 1978 film) now defined as representing "hope." But if "S" doesn't stand for "Superman," "Man of Steel" is the one with the identity issues. "Man of Steel," a Warner Bros. release, is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence, action and destruction, and for some language. Running time: 144 minutes. Two stars out of four. ___ Motion Picture Association of America rating definition for PG-13: Parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.
[Associated
Press;
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