Man of Steel review

On Friday, 15 June 2013, I met Ken G., Michele L.D. & Paul D., Beruk A., and Josh C. at the Landmark Embassy Cinema in Waltham, Mass., for Man of Steel. The latest Superman movie featured solid acting and spectacular fight scenes, if shaky direction and plot.

Superman movie poster — Superman soars again

Plot: I’ll try to avoid “spoilers” here, but note that several of the reviews I’m linking to will have some. Man of Steel is a reboot/retelling of Superman’s origins. Most of the traditional elements are present from the 75-year legacy of DC Comics — to quote All-Star Superman: “Doomed planet. Desperate scientists. Last hope. Kindly couple.”

Man of Steel shows the political and scientific stagnation of Krypton. Megalomaniacal General Zod and hopeful researchers Jor-El and Lara-El realize that the end is near for their world and come to different conclusions. Jor-El and Lara send their infant son Kal-El to Earth, where he is raised by Midwestern farmers Jonathan and Martha Kent.

After wandering the world, trying to use his amazing powers to help people, and keeping his identity secret, Clark Kent must face his destiny when Zod and his ruthless followers escape their exile and arrive on Earth. Plucky reporter Lois Lane and the U.S. military have many questions for him, as does a fearful public….

Script: As a longtime comic book fan, I didn’t need to see Superman’s backstory again, but I appreciated that scenes of Clark’s childhood in Smallville, Kansas, and his adult search for direction were handled through flashbacks rather than told in linear fashion. This is not surprising, given writers David S. Goyer and Christopher Nolan’s past works.

I also liked Man of Steel‘s allusions to past Superman comics, films, and TV shows. The dialogue was a bit stiff, with little of the humor of other superhero movies (I’ll compare Man of Steel with some of these below). The cast made the best of it, however.

Acting: Englishman Henry Cavill did a good job of conveying Clark’s everyman charm and Superman’s physicality. His expressions of grief and hope showed how Kal-El was torn between Jor-El and Jonathan Kent before combining their best qualities. Cavill is a worthy successor to the actors who have worn the red cape and blue tights.

Russell Crowe and Ayelet Zurer get a surpising amount of action as strong-willed Jor-El and Lara Lor-Van, and Kevin Costner and Diane Lane are good choices to represent Middle American decency as the Kents.

As determined and curious journalist Lois, I thought that Amy Adams was more credible than too-young Kate Bosworth was in Superman Returns. Laurence Fishbourne doesn’t get to do much besides argue with Lois and duck collateral damage, but he was appropriately paternal as Daily Planet editor Perry White.

Michael Shannon had a fanatical glint in his eye as General Zod, who was less regal than Terence Stamp in Superman II. Antje Traue is just as chilling as Zod’s follower Faora as Sarah Douglas was as Ursa in Superman II.

Even the minor supporting roles were filled by decent actors, such as Richard Schiff as Dr. Emil Hamilton and Christopher Meloni as Col. Nathan Hardy, who represent Americans initially distrustful of Kal-El but who learn to respect his patriotism. It was also nice to see ordinary soldiers, so often portrayed as antagonists or incompetent in superhero flicks, as professional and capable of making independent decisions.

Direction: I’ve enjoyed Zach Snyder’s action-packed movies, including the over-the-top 300 and Sucker Punch, fantasy Legend of the Guardians: the Owls of Ga’Hoole, and the surprisingly faithful adaptation of the Watchmen graphic novel, which deconstructed superhero tropes.

He was a good choice to reinvigorate the franchise after Bryan Singer’s Superman Returns, which was overly reverential to the Christopher Reeve/Richard Donner films. Unfortunately, some scene transitions in Man of Steel are very abrupt, and the Krypton’s apocalypse, Clark’s idyllic but troubled adolescence, and huge battles in Metropolis and elsewhere don’t hang together very well.

As with the long-running TV series Smallville, I understand the desire to get away from the campy adventures of past decades, but Superman should be bright and heroic, unlike many of the costumed vigilantes he inspired.

Man of Steel is still clearly in the shadows of 9/11 and Christopher Nolan and Christian Bale’s Batman trilogy. I think Warner Bros/DC has swung too far in the direction of grim and gritty, even as Disney/Marvel’s Avengers embraced four-color action and fun character moments.

Like Star Trek: Into Darkness, the producers have gone back to a popular sequel villain rather than take a truly fresh approach to recapturing a franchise’s essence while winning new audiences.

Cinematography: Not surprisingly for a Snyder film, the visual effects were top-notch in Man of Steel. We saw more of Krypton than in previous adaptations. It’s no longer a sterile ice planet as in 1978’s Superman but more of a baroque world as in more recent science fiction. I liked the alien technology, armor, and creatures, even if I still miss Superman’s red shorts and less overdesigned costumes.

The fight scenes were very impressive, as Kryptonians pit their super strength, speed, and heat vision against the U.S. military and one another. I was pleased to see full-body, tracking shots in daylight, and I had no difficulty tracking who was fighting whom, unlike many other superhero flicks.

With so much violence and destruction in the real world, it was upsetting to see Smallville and Metropolis get so thoroughly trashed in Man of Steel. Even though we didn’t see civilian casualties, tens of thousands would die as skyscrapers collapse. I would have liked to see Superman make more of an effort to protect innocents, but his feelings of guilt late in the movie were believable.

Score: Hans Zimmer is no John Williams, but his moody and classical soundtrack is a good fit for the Nolan-influenced Man of Steel. There were no memorable musical themes, as in Superman or most of the TV series.

Ratings: Warner Bros. and DC have a long way to go to catch up to Disney/Marvel’s popular movies. Man of Steel is less self-contained than the Nolan/Bale Batman trilogy, but the issue of tone will still need to be fixed if Batman, Wonder Woman, and Green Lantern are to be reintroduced as peers of Superman in an eventual Justice League movie.

I like Man of Steel as much as Iron Man 3 and more than Superman Returns, but not as much as the first two Christopher Reeve films or The Avengers. I’d give Man of Steel about a 7.5 out of 10, three out of five stars, or a solid “B.” The consensus of my group was closer to a 7.

I would recommend Man of Steel, which was rated PG-13 for unnecessary language and lots of violence, to fellow superhero fans and to those who hope that DC’s iconic characters will eventually receive their due in modern movies. A new generation has yet to learn what makes Superman the first and finest. Warner Bros. has green-lit a sequel, so let’s hope the next one is better.

Here’s how I’d rate the Superman films, from best to worst:

Superman II (1980) ****
Superman: the Movie (1978) ****
Serials with Kirk Alyn (1948) ***
Man of Steel (2013) ***
Superman Returns (2006) ***
Superman III (1983) **
Superman IV: the Quest for Peace (1987) *

After the movie, we went to Lizzy’s on Waltham’s Moody Street for dessert and discussion. After meeting Josh and Rich C.G. for Free RPG Day at the Compleat Strategist in Boston this morning, Janice and I returned to downtown Waltham for the Waltham Riverfest.

The next movies I’m looking forward to are Pacific Rim, Elysium, and Thor 2. In the meantime, may Superman continue to inspire hope and courage….

Star Trek: Into Darkness review

On Saturday, 18 May 2013, Janice and I went with houseguest Byron V.O. to the Apple Cinema/Entertainment Cinemas Fresh Pond in Cambridge, Mass., There, we met Beruk A., Bruce K., Rich C.G., Rich’s friend Darryl, and Thomas K.Y. & Kai-Yin H. for Star Trek: Into Darkness. We all enjoyed the sequel to the reboot of the long-running space opera franchise.

Into Darkness wallpaper — J.J. Abrams’ latest space opera prequel/sequel

Story: The movie opens with the starship Enterprise saving the inhabitants of the planet Nibiru from a volcano that’s about to erupt. This violates Starfleet’s Prime Directive, which requires noninterference with societies that have yet to develop Warp (faster-than-light) capability.

Adm. Christopher Pike tells Capt. James T. Kirk that he’s relieved of duty, but terrorist attacks on Earth call the intrepid crew of the Enterprise back into action (the trailers have mostly focused on these, in an echo of 9/11 and even the recent Boston Marathon bombings). Kirk, his first officer Mr. Spock, Dr. Leonard “Bones” McCoy, and friends must overcome physical and personal challenges to save the United Federation of Planets from an internal threat.

Director J.J. Abrams and company created a parallel universe in 2009’s Star Trek to be more accessible to a generation of moviegoers not familiar with the 1960s television show and its numerous spinoffs. However, viewers who are “Trekkies” or “Trekkers” and know the rich history of Gene Roddenberry’s fictional universe will recognize many elements of Into Darkness, including Klingons, Tribbles, and references to characters such as Harry Mudd and Christine Chapel.

I had worried, based on early reviews, that Abrams and Paramount had “gone back to the well” once too often by rehashing familiar plot points, but the acting, pacing, and twists mostly made up for this, and the ending of the movie — don’t worry, I’ll avoid “spoilers” here, but be aware that the links in this review lead to some — leaves the fictional future wide open for more adventures.

Acting: I have fond memories of watching reruns of the original Star Trek TV series back in college, and the actors who first took on those roles have become pop culture icons. Still, I think that the returning cast of the new version has been well-chosen, from Chris Pine as the cocky but good-natured Kirk, Zach Quinto as the (mostly) logical Vulcan Spock, and Karl Urban as the irascible Dr. McCoy. They continue to be worthy successors to William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, and the late De Forrest Kelley, respectively.

Just as in the original series and the first half-dozen Trek films, the supporting cast is smart and fun. Zoe Saldana is back as strong-willed communications officer (and Spock’s girlfriend) Lt. Nyota Uhura, comedian Simon Pegg is a hoot as engineer Lt.Cmdr. Montgomery “Scotty” Scott, and Anton Yelchin is Russian wunderkind Ensign Pavel Chekov.

Helmsman Lt. Hikaru Sulu, as played by John Cho, doesn’t quite ooze charisma the way George Takei does, but he does get a key scene in the captain’s chair. Bruce Greenwood is back as Adm. Pike, lending gravitas and fatherly guidance to impetuous Kirk and repressed Spock.

The latest additions to this iteration of Star Trek are just as good. The comely Alice Eve plays science officer Carol Wallace, and RoboCop and Buckaroo Banzai‘s Peter Weller is Adm. Alexander Marcus, who tasks the Enterprise with taking on mysterious torpedoes. There’s also a cameo that actually helps the story along.

As expected, Benedict Cumberbatch (the lead of the BBC/PBS Sherlock and Smaug and the Necromancer in Peter Jackson’s Hobbit adaptations) is formidable as John Harrison, the terrorist scientist of this movie. He’s both strong and clever as a foil to both Kirk and Spock and is a better villain than Romulan miner Nero in its predecessor flick.

Script: The dialogue is fast, witty, and filled with catchphrases from the ’60s series. I suspect that casual viewers or those who aren’t science fiction fans won’t find the banter as entertaining as we did, but this is a sequel that doesn’t talk down to its viewers. There is some dodgy physics, such as a “cold fusion” bomb, odd rates of acceleration and descent, and sound in space, but Trek is part of a long tradition of science in service to character-based stories rather than a lesson in realism.

While I’d prefer that a Star Trek film occasionally focus on exploration and diplomacy rather than military space opera, at least the script mentioned those concerns.

Direction: Abrams keeps up a brisk pace and gets emotive performances from the cast of Star Trek: Into Darkness. I might disagree with his addiction to lens flares and the choreography of a few fight scenes, but Abrams has injected vitality into the franchise, and I hope that Disney’s recently acquired Star Wars universe is in good hands.

Visual effects: Other than the science quibbles above, Into Darkness is spectacular, as its crew faces off against hovering aircraft, hostile Klingon vessels, and a monstrous Dreadnaught-class starship. I liked seeing more of Earth in the 23rd century, and the sleek interior of the Enterprise seems larger than any of the other renditions of the famous starship, including the NCC 1701-E of First Contact onward.

Soundtrack: The classical score, while still not as memorable as that of earlier movies, continues the themes from the ’09 Trek. My favorite part is closing credits of Into Darkness, with its peppy recap of the music from the 1960s show, despite the movie’s grim title and premise.

Ratings: At an early dinner at Bertucci’s, the consensus was about an 8 out of 10, with Rich being the most critical at a 7 and Bruce being most generous with a 10. I’d give Star Trek: Into Darkness, which is rated PG-13 for violence and unnecessary language, 8.5, a B+/A-, or four out of five stars.

As usual, there are mixed to negative reviews out there, but I’d recommend that potential fans keep their expectations in check and go in with an open mind. We were pleasantly surprised to find that Into Darkness, for all its modernizations and minor inconsistencies, still felt like classic Trek. I’d like to see Star Trek return to television, where it can focus more on idealistic social commentary rather than villain-driven fisticuffs.

Of the trailers we saw, I’m still most interested in Neil Blomkamp’s dystopian Elysium and least interested in Jerry Bruckheimer’s campy Lone Ranger. Man of Steel is the next big summer movie I’m looking forward to. In the meantime, live long and prosper!

Iron Man 3 review

On Sunday, 5 May 2013, Janice and I met Beruk A., Sara F. & Josh C., fellow blogger Ken G., and Ken’s friends Carly and Nick for Iron Man 3 at the Entertainment Cinemas Fresh Pond in Cambridge, Mass. We all enjoyed the superhero sequel. I’ll try to avoid “spoilers” in this review, but note that some of the links enclosed below may lead to story details.

Plot: Iron Man 3 picks up shortly after the events of The Avengers, Disney/Marvel’s blockbuster team-up movie. Genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist, inventor Tony Stark is still tinkering on his suits of armor and has a steady relationship with Pepper Potts, but storm clouds are gathering on the horizon.

A flashback to 1999 shows us Stark’s more narcissistic ways, as well as the roots of some of his current problems. He hooks up with scientist Maya Hansen but ignores her research, as well as Aldrich Killian, the then-geeky founder of Advanced Idea Mechanics (AIM). The pseudoscience is based on Warren Ellis’ “Extremis” storyline from Marvel Comics.

In the present, Stark is suffering from panic attacks after fighting aliens in The Avengers. A mysterious man calling himself “the Mandarin” takes credit for terrorist attacks on U.S. soil. (These were uncomfortable to watch so soon after the Boston Marathon bombings.) Hansen’s Extremis technology is involved, as are the Mandarin, AIM, and a plot to attack Air Force One.

Soon, Tony must deal with personal attacks on him and those closest to him, including Pepper, security chief Happy Hogan, and Col. James “Rhodey” Rhodes, a.k.a. War Machine/Iron Patriot. The armored Avenger must rediscover his strengths and stop his enemies.

Acting: As in the previous Iron Man films, Robert Downey Jr.’s performance as the cocksure Tony Stark is the big draw. Downey’s high-strung, wisecracking persona is nearly indistinguishable at this point from Stark’s. He is ably supported by Gwyneth Paltrow as the cool executive Pepper Potts, former director Jon Favreau as Happy Hogan, and Don Cheadle as stalwart Rhodey.

They are joined by newcomers Rebecca Hall as troubled Maya Hansen, Guy Pearce as the sketchy Aldrich Killian, and Ben Kingsley sporting an odd accent as the Mandarin (who has been altered from a racist Asian stereotype to an Osama bin Laden-like figure). Ty Simpkins plays a bratty youngster who helps Tony when he’s at his lowest. The supporting characters’ motivations aren’t completely explained, but who’s good and who’s bad does become clear.

Direction: I enjoyed Shane Black’s noir comedy Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang, which helped revive Downey’s career. He allows the cast to trade witty banter and relax into their roles, despite the dire circumstances the characters find themselves in.

A few reviewers recommended approaching Iron Man 3 as a comedy that happens to involve superheroes rather than as a straight superhero movie. I agree — if you’re able to enjoy the relationships and not worry too much about political commentary or plot holes, you’ll like Iron Man 3.

The pacing flags a bit when Stark must rebuild his machinery and track down his enemies, and the movie becomes more predictable about two-thirds of the way through. On the other hand, the end and postcredits coda are still satisfying. I haven’t seen the China-only footage (no doubt designed for major audiences and investors).

Visual effects: Adi Granov’s designs for Stark’s suits see several variations, and the attacks on Stark’s California mansion and Air Force One are impressive, even if they’ve been spoiled a bit in trailers and commercials.

The final battle — between Iron Men, Iron Patriot, and Extremis-powered goons on an abandoned oil rig — is explosive, but it suffers from length, too many parties flying around too quickly, and the fact that it takes place at night (as with many other superhero flicks, so that computer-generated imagery is less noticeable).

Score: The soundtrack is decent, and like the 1970s-style closing credits, it harkens back to the previous Iron Man films. There isn’t a memorable theme, but Iron Man 3‘s music does heighten the suspense.

Rating: I enjoyed the quieter character-driven moments and some of Downey hamming it up more than the set-piece scenes, even though, as a comic book fan, I would want to see him suited up more often.

Overall, I’d give Iron Man 3, which is 130 minutes long and rated PG-13 for violence and innuendo, an 8 out of 10, three and a half stars, or a B+. I liked it more than Iron Man 2, if not as much as the first Iron Man or The Avengers.

I’ve been pretty busy for the past few weekends, but I’ll report on them separately. In the coming weeks, I look forward to Star Trek: Into Darkness and Man of Steel (the latest Superman movie, not to be confused with Iron Man). As Stan “the Man” Lee says, Excelsior!

Storm season, 2013 edition

Just over a week ago, the U.S. Northeast was hit by a blizzard after a relatively mild winter so far. “Nemo,” as some dubbed it, dumped about two feet of snow on Boston between 8 and 9 February 2013. Fortunately, we had ample warning, and Janice and I were able to work from home on that Friday.

Found Nemo — Clearing up after February blizzard

It took several rounds of shoveling to clear our patio and cars, especially since Janice’s car got buried in the 12-foot-tall pile at the end of a row in our apartment complex’s parking lot. Still, hardy New Englanders were back to work on the following Monday, even if my face-to-face tabletop role-playing game was postponed again because of narrowed roads and difficulty getting quorum.

On Friday, 15 February 2013, Janice and I traveled to Chicago for the wedding of a daughter of one of my maternal cousins. We had visited them a few years ago. At Logan Airport, we had breakfast at Potbelly Sandwich Shop. Janice and I had an uneventful flight, picked up our rental car, and checked into the Hyatt Place in Hoffman Estates, Illinois.

We then joined my parents and my brother’s family for a filling lunch at the Lucky Monk brewpub. After a brief rest (since large gatherings usually involve eating), we went to Margie & Joe’s wedding rehearsal and the rehearsal dinner at Bankok House & Shanghai Restaurant in downtown Elgin, Ill.

The next morning, I watched cartoons with my brother and nieces, who also follow the strong but underrated lineup of Young Justice, Green Lantern: the Animated Series, and Star Wars: Clone Wars. We returned to Lou Malnati’s for proper deep-dish pizza.

My second cousin’s wedding was conducted at the Highland Church of the Brethren. The groom’s step-grandmother officiated at a ceremony that Margie & Joe designed themselves, gathering a diverse set of traditions. The reception was held at the Seville, a large hall that can apparently host several such celebrations simultaneously.

We ate, conversed with fellow guests and family members, and danced (even if we didn’t join the younger folks for “Gagnam Style“). The partying went on late into the evening, and a good time was had by all in Chicago. I’ll try to share some photos when they get uploaded.

Our return to Boston was delayed by only an hour by the latest snow. I finished reading Redshirts, which I enjoyed — it’s similar to the movie Galaxy Quest as a loving riff on Star Trek, but it was a little meta for my taste. On the way home, Janice and I got sandwiches at Charcoal Guido’s, a new eatery on Moody Street in Waltham, Mass., for “linner” (lunch+dinner).

After a few weeks’ interruption, the games resumed last night with Jason’s “Barsoomian Adventures: the Tenth Ray of Mars.” I’ll try to post an update for the planetary romance session soon.

Tonight, I’m meeting some former co-workers for dinner at Little India and the latest “Escapists” book club meeting. We’ll be discussing the magical realist graphic novel Daytripper, which I enjoyed. So much to do, so little time!

Animation nation suffers some casualties

I’ve been enjoying much of the latest wave of animated television series this past year, but nothing last forever. This week, the Cartoon Network announced turnover among its “DC Nation” lineup of superhero shows, and Disney XD and Nickelodeon weren’t far behind.

Both the team-oriented Young Justice and computerized cosmic Green Lantern: the Animated Series have recently developed more intricate and mature plots, and both have been fairly faithful to the pre-“52” continuity of DC Comics. Unfortunately, both will be ending.

Season 2 Young Justice lineup — Young Justice, as of Season 2

On the Marvel side, I’ve already mourned the departure of the fun Spectacular Spider-Man and movie precursor Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. Disney XD’s Ultimate Spider-Man is decent, but I still prefer “DC Nation’s” interstitial shorts to the “Marvel Mashups.”

Tron: Uprising is also rumored to be canceled after being moved to various time slots. Not only did that show expand on the setting and designs of the live-action movies, but it also built its own strong plots. At least Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles seems to be doing well, both in terms of writing, voice, and art as well as ratings.

I still need to catch up on direct-to-video releases, including Superman vs. the Elite and Batman: the Dark Knight Returns, and I’ve enjoyed the occasional episodes that I’ve caught of Futurama, Archer, Metalocalypse, and Motor City.

Many of the TV shows that are continuing are fantasy-flavored rather than based on comic books, and I recommend Avatar: Legend of Korra, Dragons: Riders of Berk, and Kung-Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness. It’s too bad that the short-lived ThunderCats revival or SymBionic Titan didn’t get a chance to join them.

Janice and I also like the Seinfeld-style Looney Tunes Show, even if we long ago stopped watching Fox’s Sunday night comedies, such as The Simpsons or Family Guy. In addition, there are other popular franchises I haven’t kept up with, including G.I. Joe, Transformers, Ben 10, or Adventure Time. I have caught the cute Lego Star Wars one-shots, of not Ninjago.

Speaking of Star Wars, the Clone Wars has also featured impressive character development, spectacular settings, and a gathering darkness, remedying many of the flaws in the live-action prequel trilogy. If the show gets renewed, it will likely move from Cartoon Network to Disney XD following the Mouse House’s purchase of Lucasfilm.

I’m not especially optimistic that the upcoming Beware the Batman, Teen Titans Go, Avengers Assemble, and Hulk and the Agents of SMASH will be as good as the departing Young Justice, Green Lantern, or Tron. Enjoy them while they last, or catch up on the best of recent cartoons on video!