If you have TikTok, it’s probably not uncommon for you to scroll past clips of movies or shows that catch your interest. I find this happening to me way too often, and one that caught my attention was a clip from Man of Steel (2013), where you can see Superman, played by Henry Cavill, handcuffed in an interrogation room with Lois Lane (Amy Adams). Something about an infinitely powerful man from another planet submitting to humanity had me urging to watch the movie—so I did. 

The beginning of the movie takes place on a planet called Krypton, which is facing anguish from a civil war, and the illegal birth of Kal-El, our main character, takes place to give the civilization a chance at a future. As a group of rebels led by former Kryptonian general Zod fight to take over the council, the newborn Kal-El is sent in a ship across several galaxies to Earth. These context-establishing scenes show a convincing display of CGI that gives an impressive convention of the threat that Krypton faced, and that our protagonist would eventually face in the story. This foreshadowing then leaves viewers wondering how this story will unfold on our own planet.

Baby Superman makes it to Earth, where he lands in a farm field and gets taken in by Jonathan (Kevin Costner) and Martha (Diane Lane) Kent. As the young man of steel, now named Clark Kent, grows up, it becomes apparent how perfect Costner and Lane were for the roles of Clark’s adoptive parents. Their passionate performances had me convinced that they really were the caring mother and concerned father of this alien child. As Clark begins to discover his unique abilities, his father reminds him about the consequences of using these powers, resulting in a heartbreaking scene where Clark watches him die in a tornado, signaling Clark to stay back so he wouldn’t reveal his powers to the world. This sad subplot fits well into a movie jam-packed with action, giving it some much needed diversity.

As you could expect from a DC movie, the story becomes crammed with intense fight scenes as the plot unfolds, including one on a simple town street where Zod’s crew, now having found Superman on Earth, wreak havoc and show no mercy to the US Military. These scenes include yet another stunning array of imagery and action, complementing this tight part of the plot as Superman must now fight for the things he’s learned to love.

If there’s one thing I’ve observed as common to every action movie, it’s that you can always expect complete chaos towards the end. In most cases, this attempt at a prodigious brawl to leave viewers shaking in their seats is often unsuccessful, the immense scale at which the violence is conducted no longer giving the intended effect. Unfortunately, this was also the case in Man of Steel. This disappointing fact became the main foundation for some things I found underwhelming in this film.

This movie’s detailed scenery and realistic display of alien ships, while initially intriguing, regrettably became its downfall. The over the top imagery and repetitive fight scenes showcased towards the end built a dry atmosphere around the once exciting plot and ultimately weakened its climax. For this reason, I feel that Man of Steel was an impressive film with a satisfying plot, simply held back by its slight lack in variety. Nevertheless, it is without a doubt still a film that can be enjoyed for its familiar, yet alluring story.