A movie in 100 words or more: Man of Steel

[Author’s note: While I usually try to squeeze my thoughts about a motion picture into a scant 100 words because, hello, I’m Wordy McWorderson and can go on word rampages that’d make Godzilla’s time in Tokyo look like day camp, I thought too many thing about Man of Steel.  Sometimes you just have to know when to set the convention aside for once. Don’t worry, it won’t become a thing, I swear.]

So, yes, like many, many other people, I did squeeze out a few hours this weekend to see Man of Steel with my two oldest sons. Because, well, for one thing, I did say that seeing it was a moral imperative, didn’t I? I mean, it’s a Superman movie. For another, the Puddinette scored us a bargain on tickets somehow. Since going to the actual theater to see movies these days costs about as much as building a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, I was only more than happy to combine my moral imperative with the chance to save a few greenbacks.

Does anyone even say “greenbacks” anymore?  Am I even allowed to use it anymore?  Now I’m all worried I’m going to have an Old Testament-style plague of frogs and toads in my front yard later demanding an apology over my apparent insensitivity to species-ism.

Dang, let’s just forget I said anything.

Did you just hear a ribbit?  A croak or something? Man, this is no good.

But do you know what I thought was good? Man of Steel.

Man of Steel

This is not your father’s traditional Superman movie. And I say, fine. Some say they didn’t make a “Superman movie”. That it’s not fun, and that it shouldn’t be “dark” or portray our betighted hero with uncertainty. But I’ve seen that version (x5). I enjoyed this more personal view of Earth’s beacon of hope and found value in seeing him alienated and conflicted like we can be daily. Because if the Krypton’s Son can be unsure of himself and still be a force for good, then even as uncertain as I can be sometimes, maybe I can do it too.

So, yes, there’s plenty of Geek Rage out there about Man of Steel. But I say it’s a solid action movie with one of the best superhero fights I’ve ever seen in a movie. Where most traditional superhero fights are like Ali-Frazier trading punches methodically, this one is a schoolyard brawl.  A no-holds barred, hair-pulling, eye-scratching, who’s-going-to-be-left-standing contest of wills.

Was Man of Steel perfect? Of course not. And admittedly, I’m easy to please when it comes to summer movies. But it seems to me that a lot of the displeasure I’ve read in comments and reviews over the past two days is more about the people writing about the movie than the movie itself.

Which leads me to wonder, why do we complain more about variation in the adaptations of comic books to film than books to film? Or is that just me?

Anyway, go see Man of Steel, no matter how many greenbacks it costs you.

I want a sequel.

Pud’n