Man of Steel Mighty Entertainment!

…UP IN THE SKY!!!!

Yes, another superhero movie juts it’s chiseled jaw into our theaters, and once again, stalwart sidekick JC from Earthworld is here, with crew in tow, to sprinkle a little extra excitement on the night with costumed heroes and giveaways.

Earthworld has sponsored Free Comic Book Day giveaways at Regal Crossgates Cinemas for years, and extends that promotion to numerous other nights when film and comic themes coincide, as they did last night. The events promote Earthworld, Comics, some really exciting blockbuster films, and the Regal Stars of Hope charities, all while providing a chance for some cool free swag for the audience.

Not that Man of Steel needs any of this, mind you. Despite grave concerns about DC’s movie track record, early June releases in general, the costume alterations, rumors of sacrilegious assaults on Superman canon, the selection of a British lead, blond Lois, no kryptonite or Lex Luthor, oh, and anything else you might want to complain about… Nonetheless, Man of Steel proves to be every bit a spectacular summer blockbuster as anyone could possibly hope for. Only the hardest of Superman purists could complain given how deftly the film has been handled. And this is especially good news for Warner Brothers, which hasn’t hit any homeruns so far this year.

Superhero films must continuously up the ante, and this year’s crop has proven no exception. In order to fit in all the elements viewers demand, Man of Steel clocks in at 2 hours, 28 minutes. You better like superheros, action, special effects, the military, moms and apple pie, Amy Adams, or small towns, America, earth, gravity, breathing air, outer space, Alaska, or alien planets, because you get a face full of all of that and anything else you can or can’t think of. If you are still skeptical, check out the trailer below.

The film begins with an unusual amount of time dedicated to Kryptonian back-story, but given one of the most amazing battle sequences put to film, you wont mind. Considerable information whizzes by, along with the action, illuminating viewers on Superman’s parents, their friends, Kryptonian politics, social structure, military and scientific abilities, and excess – all which collide in the impetus for Kal-El’s migration to Earth.

33 years in the future…on earth, Director Zack Snyder introduces us to Clark Kent, a young man not yet comfortable in his very large shoes. Snyder wisely intersperses Clark’s childhood throughout the film via flashbacks, rather than spending 45 contiguous minutes with little Clark. Each expands our understanding of which experiences most heavily influenced the man he becomes, and those values that matter most given the conflicts at hand.

This question of identity is central to the story. Writers Nolan (Memento,Dark Knight) and Goyer (Blade, Call of Duty (the video games), Dark City) know well that an all powerful alien isn’t terribly interesting, and so themes of family, responsibility, self control and community are the issues Clark wrestles with. Man of Steel provides a genuinely different and unexpectedly refreshing take on the Superman story, without offending the core principles.

Did I mention the special affects? As the one who helmed 300, Watchmen and Sucker Punch, Snyder is someone who takes style to a whole other plane, and can do so on a budget. Man of Steel’s is just $225 million, but easily out dazzles anything you’ve seen in a long, long time. To quote one audience member, “It wasn’t at all what I was expecting it to be, which I’m really happy about.”