# Man of Steel - Blu-ray Review



## Mike Edwards (Mar 10, 2011)

[img]http://www.hometheatershack.com/gallery/file.php?n=13634[/img] 
*Title: Man of Steel* 

*Movie:* :3.5stars:
*Video:* :5stars:
*3D:* :3.5stars:
*Audio:* :5stars: 
*Extras:* :3stars: 

*HTS Overall Score:*91




[img]http://www.hometheatershack.com/gallery/file.php?n=13635[/img]*Summary*
Superman is one of the oldest and most well-loved superheroes in all of comic book history. He has been an American icon for almost a full century and along with Batman, is the most popular of DC’s lineup. With the rash of super hero origin stories floating around it was only a matter of time until the Man of Steel got his chance at a reboot. With a mediocre showing for Brandon Routh’s “Superman Returns”, we get a story that takes us back to the drawing board and revists Kal-El’s first outing, but with a much different flair. With Zack Snyder at the helm directing you can be assured of a visual stunner here, the man can’t do a film that ISN’T engorged with fantastic visuals. Also with Christopher Nolan co-writing and producing you can also expect some of the dark, gritty “realism” that Nolan likes to employ in his films. With the wildly kinetic Zack Snyder and the reserved and cerebral Nolan behind him you can expect a film that is unique, and unfortunately a bit of an up and down ride.

Instead of starting with Clark/Kal-El’s (Henry Cavill) young days, start out with Jor-El (Russell Crowe) trying to talk some sense into the ruling body of Krypton, begging them to escape the dying planet while they still can. Realizing that it’s useless Jor-El steals the coded, a dna encode for the ENTIRE planet of Krypton (It appears that natural birth is a thing of the past and that every Kryptonian is genetically created in a lab to serve a purpose on Krypton), and runs off with and sends it with his newborn son Kal-El on an escape vector from Krypton. Kal-El barely escapes the planet, with the brutal General Zod hot on his tail. Zod (Michael Shannon) has been staging a coup on the planet and wants that Codex that Jor-El stole from the council. Killing Jor-El in a failed attempt to retrieve the codex he is captured by the loyalists and sentenced to eternal damnation in the phantom zone. 

Fast forward to a young Clark Kent, grown up and struggling to deal with his powers, he moves from place to place, working blue collar jobs until sooner or later he’s forced to display his powers helping people and moves on to protect his identity. This attracts the gaze of one Lois Lane (Amy Adams), who is determined to find this mystery savior. Tracking him down to Antarctica she is privy to him finding a crashed Kryptonian ship (which becomes his fortress of Solitude) and subsequently spies a glimpse into the truly alien nature of Kal-el. Throughout the film the only glimpses we see of Clark’s childhood is through flashbacks, little glimpses into that past that act as exposition rather than spending half of the movie watching the young days of Superman in Smallville. To make matters worse, it appears that General Zod has escaped the Phantom zone and come searching for the codex. Holding Earth hostage, he demands Kal-El give himself up or he’ll destroy Earth. Clark/Kal-El sees that even if he gives himself up Zod is not to be trusted, but being the man that his parents taught him to be, he surrenders himself in hopes that Zod will leave. Once Zod’s duplicitousness is clear it’s all-out war between the renegade Kryptonian’s and Earth’s mightiest warrior. 

[img]http://www.hometheatershack.com/gallery/file.php?n=13636[/img]
I was REALLY stoked when I saw the trailers for “Man of Steel”. “Superman Returns” was all right, but I was looking forward to a new take on the oldest super hero in the books. I was really impressed with how ALIEN they made the Kryptonians. In the past they seemed very human with just shiny outfits, but here the culture, the art, the way of thinking, it’s all definitely alien to our modern culture, giving Clark a really unique dual loyalty. Part of his being is Kryptonian by nature, but the other half is a direct result of his upbringing by Martha (Diane Lane) and Jonathon (Kevin Costner) Kent. Not only that the mythology of Supes is toyed with and changed around a lot with his introduction to Lois and the Fortress of Solitude. No longer the ice crystals in the North Pole we have an alien space craft that is hidden up there to act as the fortress and his training grounds. Not only that Jor-El’s hologram presence is embellished a lot and given a lot more presence in the film (although that’s not exactly a bad thing since Russell Crowe’s portrayal of Jor-El is one of the film’s highlights for me). Now what brings the film up and down on a roller coaster ride of good and bad is the film’s uneven nature between action oriented super hero and angst ridden melodrama. There are some fantastic sequences of action thanks to the loving hand of Zack Snyder and then there’s times where you can see Nolan’s writing coming through. I’m a fan of the old superman so this new angst ridden superman tends to be a bit weary. I was tired of it by the end of Nolan’s Batman series and it rides across into this one as well. I’m all for a bit of darkness to a film, but many times we want to see Superman leaping tall buildings in a single bound and saving some poor human without wondering why Clark is torn up emotionally etc. the film seesaws between great action pieces and some chuckle worthy humor only to have him moping about later in the film and remember how he couldn’t save his dad (which was a cringe worthy scene logic wise).

Now I’m going to say something that may come as a shock to some people, but sometimes there can be TOO much action in a film. With the third act there comes a giant 40 minute long battle between Zod’s forces and Kal-El that just goes on…and on…and on… and “oh my goodness look at the time. It’s STILL going on”? By the end of the major battle I was holding my head in my hands going “wait! They’re STILL going at it?” the mess and noise of the final act may be off putting to some and has created QUITE a controversy over this superman’s caring about collateral damage (some of the controversy quite justified in my opinion). However there is one absolutely beautiful easter egg/scene in the film where Kal-El is about to destroy the world machine and you see a fantastic CGI shift/waver where Christopher Reeves face replaces Henry Cavill’s face for just the barest of seconds (it actually looks a LOT cooler than it sounds on paper) that is simply stunning and tear inducing. It completely brought back that happy feeling as a child when I grew up watching Christopher Reeves playing the iconic hero. 

Now the film is one that is going to split audiences. Many of the fans of old may have issues with the licenses given to the mythology and some of the character changes, while the newer fans, of fans of the 52 reboot series may have a better time with it. I’m not one of the rabid fans who hate everything about the “Man of Steel”, but I’m not in the camp that loved it either. It had its good points, and it had it’s bad points and unfortunately it was either really good, or really bad so my score kind of hovers in the middle. It had a lot of potential and was still a solid flick, but some of the angsty parts drew the film down a lot and hampered my enjoyment of the film.



*Rating:* 

Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence, action and destruction, and for some language



*Video* :5stars:
[img]http://www.hometheatershack.com/gallery/file.php?n=13637[/img]Did you really think that one of the biggest Warner Brothers films of the year was going to have a subpar transfer? Warner gives us a beautifully done 2.39:1 AVC encode for the 2 and a half hour super hero epic. As with most films of today there has been some heavy color grading to the film. The beginning of the film in Krypton is saturated in browns and yellows while the earth scenes are covered in deep icy blues and greys, giving it a rather bleak look. The CGI is present throughout the film is copious and almost perfectly seamless. Every once in a while some of the CGI shots look a bit soft, but that is completely natural when you’re trying to blend real life with green screen effects. Snyder shot the movie on actual film stock instead of going digitally so we have a very nice, natural layer of grain covering the entire film, giving it that raw, earthy look that so many digital films can’t replicate. Contrast is spot on and I had no complaints with the skin tones. The detail throughout the film is mind-blowingly excellent with copious shots of nature and close ups that are equally jaw dropping. Superman’s leathery, scale like suit so beautifully textured and Henry Cavill’s razor burn is easily scene (which begs the question. How DOES superman shave? Kryptonian razor blade?). Black levels are exquisite and show just as much detail as the lighter scenes. Overall a fantastic transfer by Warner Brothers. Bravo, bravo.





*3D* :3.5stars:
“Man of Steel” wasn’t a natural 3D film, as one would have hoped, but rather a post converted 3D film. This isn’t to say that post converted films can’t do some decent 3D, but usually they do suffer from the conversion. Here the results are mixed, the opening Krypton scenes are done beautifully, but after that the 3D effects kind of peter out and are less copious. Even when they are there, the 3D just isn’t that immersive, with only a few scenes of true added depth and dimensionality to the picture. Overall I would say it was just fairly lackluster in the 3D department and not something to be used as a buying incentive in this release. 






*Audio* :5stars:
[img]http://www.hometheatershack.com/gallery/file.php?n=13638[/img]Now the audio for the “Man of Steel” is no slouch either. You can literally feel the commanding presences that the 7.1 DTS-HD MA track DEMANDS from the moment you pop the disc in with the opening score. The LFE makes its presence known from the get go and doesn’t let up the entire film. Powerful and a juggernaut of a track it’s aggressive, but not overpowering, which is a nice feature. LFE is powerful, but never bloated and roaring in your ears. Dialogue is crisp and clean, but still forceful along the front soundstage, and the surrounds, oh boy the surrounds are engaged right out of the starting gate and never let up till the end of the film. I can’t say enough good things about this track. It’s well balanced, and powerful, yet never so aggressive that it becomes an annoyance. Simple fantastic from beginning to end.








*Extras* :3stars:
[img]http://www.hometheatershack.com/gallery/file.php?n=13639[/img] 
• Strong Characters, Legendary Roles 
• All Out Action 
• Krypton Decoded
• Superman 75th Anniversary Animated Short 
• Journey of Discovery: Creating "Man of Steel"
• Planet Krypton 













*Overall:* :4.5stars:

Now as I mentioned earlier, this film has been highly polarizing among fans, and is definitely one that I HIGHLY recommend that you see for yourselves. The movie made almost a billion dollars and was so loved on one end and so hated on the other that it’s literally IMPOSSIBLE for me to not recommend watching it. Even if you end up not liking the movie as much as you like I can guarantee that you will be in for one explosive roller coaster of a ride. With the stunning audio and visual presentation of the film you can be assured that this will be one of the next demo discs available, add in a solid disc worth of special features and you have a must watch if you haven’t seen the film, and a certain MUST BUY if you have an enjoyed it. 


*Additional Information:*

Starring: Henry Cavill, Michael Shannon, Russell Crowe, Amy Adams
Directed by: Zack Snyder
Written by: David Goyer, Christopher Nolan
Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1 AVC
Audio: English: DTS-HD MA 7.1, French, Spanish, Portuguese DD 5.1
Studio: Warner Brothers
Rated: PG-13
Runtime: 148 minutes
Blu-Ray Release Date: Nov 12th, 2013
Own "Man of Steel" on Blu-ray combo pack, DVD and Digital Download


*Buy Man of Steel 2D Combo Pack Blu-ray on Amazon*
*Buy Man of Steel 3D Combo Pack Blu-ray on Amazon*



*Recommendation: Watch It​*







More about Mike


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## Nec (Oct 1, 2013)

Just brought the 3d combo like it.


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## tripplej (Oct 23, 2011)

Another great review. I was waiting for this review. I heard so many good things about the movie but never had the time to check it out when it was in the theater. Thanks for the review. This confirms my idea that the movie is worth buying.


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## Mike Edwards (Mar 10, 2011)

tripplej said:


> Another great review. I was waiting for this review. I heard so many good things about the movie but never had the time to check it out when it was in the theater. Thanks for the review. This confirms my idea that the movie is worth buying.


glad you liked it. if you feel the movie's something you'll like than the buying the disc is a no brainer. Warner knocked it out of the pall park again for the presentation


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## Jon Liu (May 21, 2007)

As always, great review, Mike! I actually liked "Superman Returns" despite it being a flop. I am one who really liked this one, too. My wife, on the other hand, didn't think this one was all that special and also thought the action was too much. I thought Henry Cavill was fantastic for Supes and I really loved Amy Adams as Lois. I will be getting this one day-one, especially given the technical merits you gave this release!


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## gregsdouglas (Feb 20, 2013)

Thanks for the review! Can't wait for this. Liked the Superman series as a kid but really have NOT been into the last few releases. This Christopher Nolan reboot looks like JUST what The Man of Steel needed! Excited to pick this one up!


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## Todd Anderson (Jul 24, 2009)

Agree with Greg... I totally missed this one in theaters. Based on this review, I'm looking forward to giving it a spin.

Thanks, Mike!


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## ericzim (Jun 24, 2012)

I am looking forward to a viewing on my home system. My wife on the other hand is not.


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## typ44q (Apr 7, 2008)

I went to see this in theaters which is becoming fairly rare for me and I enjoyed it very much, looking forward to picking this up on blu ray though I think I will skip the 3D on this one.


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## ShawnMc (Sep 4, 2009)

Great review Mike.

I skipped this one over the summer, but am very excited about watching this one in my home theater soon. I've got a couple of movie nights scheduled with neighbors and co-workers over the next couple of weeks.

Thanks for setting my expectations about the last third of the film. 

Shawn


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## ALMFamily (Oct 19, 2011)

Thanks for the review Mike!

Missed this one at the theater, but this is a blind buy for me. The review sums up exactly what I have heard about it - you will love it or hate it - but it is worth an own for the audio/video alone IMO.


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## Savjac (Apr 17, 2008)

Yup, I had to order this movie and will watch tomorrow.:T


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## JBrax (Oct 13, 2011)

Thanks for the review Mike. This was a blind buy for me today and like you said it appears there are two camps on this one? Talk about an all star cast! Given your high marks on both the audio and video side I'm even more excited to sit down with the wife to watch this one.


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## JBrax (Oct 13, 2011)

We watched this tonight and I thought it was great! I'd say Mike nailed the audio side and talk about surround usage. The surrounds seemed to get as much usage as my front L&R. Great story with some true reference sound and I'm pleased to have added it to the collection.


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## Savjac (Apr 17, 2008)

I cannot add anything that Mike did not mention really, awesome sound and video from start to finish. I really did not detect any misteps in this regard. Powerful but never too powerful, enveloping surround field that kept the entire room involved. Made me move and duck in the chair several times.

The story and stars, I am not quite sure on that yet, may take a bit to mull that over. It was good to be sure, just different that what I guess was expected by me. I should have known better, not everything is about me 

None the less, Mike is right and I loved it, even for a blind buy.


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## Mike Edwards (Mar 10, 2011)

Savjac said:


> I cannot add anything that Mike did not mention really, awesome sound and video from start to finish. I really did not detect any misteps in this regard. Powerful but never too powerful, enveloping surround field that kept the entire room involved. Made me move and duck in the chair several times.
> 
> The story and stars, I am not quite sure on that yet, may take a bit to mull that over. It was good to be sure, just different that what I guess was expected by me. I should have known better, not everything is about me
> 
> None the less,* Mike is right* and I loved it, even for a blind buy.



you need to come and tell my wife the bolded part... she's still not convinced on that all the time


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## Jon Liu (May 21, 2007)

I watched it last night and loved it just as much as I did when I saw it in theaters. Sound was incredible on this one. Thanks again for the spot-on review, Mike!


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

WooHoo! this was a fun movie to watch. It gave my SVS pb13u a good workout. The 2 main fight scenes were a bit long but who really cares LOL it was just fun action.


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## Prof. (Oct 20, 2006)

I agree. I watched this the other night and it was a great fun movie..
The horn sub got a real workout and I heard rattles in the theatre I hadn't heard before!
It reminded me of the "Batman Begins" movie, inasmuch that that was a complete breakaway from all the other Batman movies and a real standout..Likewise with "Man of Steel"..


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