Home Movie News Review: Man Of Steel DVD/Blu-ray

Review: Man Of Steel DVD/Blu-ray

by Dave Elliott

Man Of Steel on DVD & Blu-ray

Man Of Steel on DVD & Blu-ray

With Man Of Steel released this week on DVDBlu-ray 3D, and Digital Download this week, this was a nice opportunity to re-watch the movie in 2D (not having a swanky 3D TV at home), and to see if my opinion had changed in the intervening months since my original review.

Using a similar approach exec producer Chris Nolan and writer David S. Goyer took with Batman, they take the origin story we know, but mix it up adding a modern twist. Although they do start with Krypton exploding, we get far more of Jor-El’s (Russell Crowe) back story, and his conflict with General Zod (Michael Shannon). If you’re a fan of the more recent Superman comic books, this should be a world your more comfortable in than previous big screen outings for the man in red, yellow and blue, and I think a lot of that is down to director Zack Snyder.

As much as I love Nolan’s take on Batman, it wasn’t really ‘my’ Batman. By that, I mean, I’ve still not seen a good on screen representation of the current Batman comic book world. For me, Nolan pushed a little too far away from the comics, making the movies a brilliant, but rather serious affair. Snyder seems to have much more of a comic book sensibility about him. He’s a fan of the source material, as much as he is a movie director. I’m not sure how Nolan would have coped with the rather more fantastical world Superman, by his very nature, has to inhabit. Having said that, i’m also not sure Snyder, left to his own devices, would have created the movie he did. What makes it work is the team of Nolan, Goyer, and Snyder, who seem to have found a reasonable balance of comic book and realism, and come out with an interesting movie that still retains a lot of it’s comic book roots. It’s not perfect – Superman could still could do with lightening up a little… I can’t help feeling that it’s missing the zinginess that Whedon brings to the script of that ‘other superhero franchise’. The realism does help the DC movies stand apart from Marvel, but… I would like just a few more laughs in there… To quote the Joker, “Why So Serious?” ;)

What has become rather more apparent since Man Of Steel’s cinematic release, is that DC’s seem to be prepping their own ‘phase 1’, and, like many fans, i’m really hoping DC are finally getting their act together and heading towards a Justice League movie. We already know that Batman Vs. Superman will be the follow up, with Ben Affleck donning the cape and cowl. That film will also introduce Dick Grayson/Nightwing (as yet uncast), and Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman. With DC’s Trinity (Superman, Batman & Wonder Woman) now all getting big screen time, and Green Arrow, and The Flash appearing on the small screen, it does look like things are finally coming together.

Affleck has taken some flack for taking on Batman, but personally I’m looking forward to seeing him in the role, and it seems Henry is too…

He also goes on to talk about his thoughts on Batman Vs. Superman…

Overall, Man of Steel is a good solid reboot of the Superman mythos, and also a great starting point for future DC movies. Roll on 2015!

DVD/Blu-ray Extras

  • Strong Characters, Legendary Roles – Explore the legendary characters of the Superman mythology and how they have evolved in this new iteration of the Superman story.
  • All-Out-Action – Go inside the intense training regimen that sculpted Henry Cavill into the Man of Steel and Michael Shannon and Antje Traue into his Kyptonian nemeses.  Includes interviews with cast and crew.
  • Krypton Decoded – Dylan Sprayberry (Clark Kent, age 13) gives the lowdown on all the amazing Krypton tech, weapons and spaceships featured in “Man of Steel.”
  • Exclusive to UltraViolet – Journey of Discovery: Creating “Man of Steel” – This immersive feature-length experience allows you to watch the movie with director Zack Snyder and stars Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Diane Lane and others as they share the incredible journey to re-imagine Superman.
9/10 – Great, if a little too serious superhero movie.

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