'Man of Steel' Delivers Exhilarating Action and Thrills

This is the initial review of the 2013 movie Man of Steel that I worked on for the Examiner back when the film first came out! Still can't believe that 2013 is almost a DECADE AGO!!!

The "Superman" film franchise became a huge success with the 1978 Christopher Reese-starring film "Superman." The Richard Donner-directed film was beloved by critics and Superman fans everywhere. It was then followed by two successful sequels and a fourth installment that killed the franchise.

After the dismal 1987 release of "Superman IV: The Quest for Peace," the Superman film franchise took a little break. In 2006 Warner Brothers released "Superman Returns" hoping to breath new life to the franchise. The 2006 "Superman" didn't fare as well as the studio hoped. A few years ago, the producers of the "Dark Knight" trilogy teamed up with "300" director Zack Snyder to bring Superman back on the screen.

Now, the anticipated "Man of Steel" finally hits the big screen and is filled with great action and brings the franchise back to life.

In the Warner Brothers/Legendary Pictures presentation of "Man of Steel," the planet Krypton is facing destruction due to its unstable core. The scientist Jor-El and his wife Lara secretly launches their newborn son on a spacecraft to Earth so the baby can survive.

After being taken care of by Jonathan and Martha Kent, a now adult Kal-El (now named Clark Kent) realizes what life has in store for him when General Zod, who was banished from Krypton before it was destroyed, travels to Earth looking for him. Now, it is time for Clark to reveal to the world who he really is and take down Zod.

"Man of Steel" is an action-packed film that delivers a lot of great action sequences and amazing visual effects. The actor Henry Cavill is the perfect actor to portray the latest incarnation of Superman. His performance as Kent/Superman really reminds me of the earlier Superman movies featuring Christopher Reese.

The third act of the epic film really keeps the audience on edge with its fast-paced excitement and great thrills. Also there are a couple of small references to other DC Comics properties, so see if you can catch them! If you have enjoyed the first couple "Superman" features, and really enjoy the "Superman" comics, then "Man of Steel" is highly recommended!

Actor Henry Cavill is the latest actor to play Clark Kent/Superman. Cavill has recently appeared in "The Cold Light of Day," "Immortals" and "Stardust". Amy Adams plays Lois Lane, "Daily Planet" reporter and Kent's love interest. Adams has recently starred in "Trouble with the Curve," "The Master" and "The Muppets."

Other cast members include: Michael Shannon (Premium Rush) as General Zod, Kevin Costner (Hatfields & McCoy) as Jonathan Kent, Diane Lane (Secretariat) as Martha Kent, Laurence Fishburne (Contagion) as Perry White, Russell Crowe (Broken City) as Jor El, Antje Traue (Pandorum) as Faora, Ayelet Zurer (Angels and Demons) as Lara and Christopher Meloni (42) as Colonel Hardy. "Man of Steel" is directed by Zack Snyder, who also directed "Watchmen," "300" and "Sucker Punch."

Plans for another Superman reboot has been in development for years. The studio had been actively pursuing writers and directors looking for the perfect way to re-start the film franchise. Producer Christopher Nolan and writer David Goyer was working on the "The Dark Knight Rises" when they pitched their idea to Warner. Just a couple weeks ago, the Warner Brothers studio announced that a "Man of Steel" sequel is already in development.

The main cast members and a few supporting ones also have contracts for possible sequels. It is also speculated that "Man of Steel" will possibly lead into the "Justice League" movie that Warner has planned for either a 2015 or 2016 release.

"Man of Steel" opened with mixed-to-positive reviews from critics. During the opening weekend, the anticipated Superman epic earned an estimated $125 million. This is sure to become an incredible summer hit.

"Man of Steel" is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence, action and destruction, and for some language and has a running time of 143 minutes.