7.7 | / 10 |
Users | 4.3 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.3 |
A young boy learns that he has extraordinary powers and is not of this Earth. As a young man, he journeys to discover where he came from and what he was sent here to do. But the hero in him must emerge if he is to save the world from annihilation and become the symbol of hope for all mankind.
Starring: Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Michael Shannon, Diane Lane, Russell CroweAction | 100% |
Adventure | 91% |
Sci-Fi | 74% |
Comic book | 67% |
Fantasy | 62% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 MVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.40:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
French: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
Portuguese: Dolby Digital 5.1
Portuguese Track is also 640 kbps.
English SDH, French, Portuguese, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Four-disc set (3 BDs, 1 DVD)
UV digital copy
DVD copy
Blu-ray 3D
Slipcover in original pressing
Region free
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 5.0 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
With newly anointed DC Comics-to-film saint Christopher Nolan declining offers to helm Man of Steel, Warner Bros. turned to another studio visionary responsible for two entirely different comicbook adaptations: Zack Snyder, who, in 2006, gave audiences the stunning slow-mo spectacle that is 300 and, just three years later, worked nothing short of a miracle with the long-in-hiatus Watchmen. Both of which suggested the Nolan-produced, Snyder-directed superhero epic in the making would surely be the Superman to end all Superman movies. Man of Steel's breathtaking three-minute theatrical trailer -- one of the most invigorating genre previews in recent memory -- only made the inevitable blockbuster's success as a film that much more inevitable. There was just one little problem; something more of us should have anticipated and only a few of us seemed willing to accept. Unlike Nolan, storytelling isn't Snyder's forte. 300 remains a gorgeous, hypnotic spectacle. No argument here. But it's also light on plot and heavy on visual pomp and circumstance, without much in the way of complex characters or iconic superheroes. Watchmen certainly offers more in the way of story, but much of its success traces back to Alan Moore's original text and David Hayter, Alex Tse's reverent screenplay, and Snyder's faithfulness to the comic that spawned the film. Nolan revitalized the Bat. Snyder comes oh so close but falls oh so short of greatness.
To soar or not to soar?
Man of Steel tosses yet another 3D conversion into the superhero fray and, like many valiant efforts before it, the resulting 3D
experience is too hit or miss to emerge from the battle victorious. Depth is reasonably convincing as conversions go, particularly in wide shots
of Kansas farmland, the opening Krypton prologue, and flyovers of the Metropolis cityscape. Skyscrapers loom large, massive warships larger,
and clashing titans larger still... not that there's much time to admire any of it with the Kryptonian super-beings so ferociously punching and
pounding their way through the foreground. Snyder's dark, Earthbound action hits hard and fast, without the slow motion flourishes that grace
his past films. In 3D, the split-second, hyper-hitting chaos is almost too chaotic. Had it all been filmed in 3D, and more importantly with a
3D presentation in mind, the effect might be more satisfying. As is, though, the action is flat and somewhat one-dimensional, without much in
the way of pop or dazzling dimensionality. On a positive note, the presentation doesn't suffer from the dreaded "pop-up storybook" layering
that spoils many a conversion, making for a more naturally enveloping experience free from glaring artificiality. It certainly helps that significant
aliasing and other anomalies are nowhere to be found, and, for those with displays prone to crosstalk, ghosting is largely absent save a few
problematic shots in the third act that feature swirling debris.
2D is really the way to go here, and Warner's 1080p/AVC-encoded beauty definitely doesn't disappoint. Jeffrey Kauffman writes: "Whatever
qualms some may have with the dramatic content of the film, few are going to have even slight quibbles with the stunning visual allure of
Snyder's latest opus. The film seamlessly blends live action and lots of CGI, something that surely should come as no huge surprise to fans of
Snyder's previous films. Some of that CGI is just slightly soft looking, as tends to be the case, but it also gives the film some amazing set
pieces, both Earthbound (when Clark rescues workers off of an exploding oil rig) and in space (courtesy of both the long Krypton sequence as
well as Zod's incursions later in the film). The image here is sharp, precise, and full of superb fine detail (just take a look at that weirdly rubbery
lizard like suit Superman wears, or the close-ups of faces, where every pore is visible). As is the standard operating practice these days, things
have been variously color graded. The Krypton sequence is kind of amber-brown, while the final act featuring the wholesale destruction of
Metropolis is largely made up of ice cold blues and slate grays, but never is fine detail compromised. Contrast and black levels are rock solid
and consistent throughout the presentation. Some may have passing qualms with the brief moments of softness, or even mere seconds of
murky shadow detail here and there, but given the overall excellence of this presentation, which I personally would rate as reference quality, I
don't think anyone is going to have major issues with the video presentation of Man of Steel."
The same five-star quality extends to Warner's impressive lossless audio track. "You don't have to wait long at all for Man of Steel's incredibly forceful DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 mix to announce its very visceral presence. As soon as the seemingly endless series of production entity logos starts unspooling, the listener is greeted with an almost chthonic rumbling gurgling up from the subwoofer, in an approximation of what being in a live volcano probably sounds (and feels) like. That's just the opening salvo in what is a nonstop barrage of artful surround activity. Both the opening half hour as well as the final half hour-plus of the film are incredibly loud and sonically hyperbolic, which will no doubt delight those who like their home theater setups pushed to their limit. But even in quieter moments, there's great attention to detail. Listen to the rush of the water when a school bus the young Clark is riding in crashes into a river, or even better, the simple ambient environmental noises —quiet, but very present—in the Kansas farmhouse scenes. Dialogue is cleanly and clearly presented, even in the busiest aural environments, as are the ubiquitous foley effects, which effortlessly create nonstop immersion with a wealth of both discrete channelization and fantastic panning. This is certainly one of the most impressive soundtracks in recent memory. It frankly bludgeons the listener quite a bit of the time, but it's an incredibly visceral experience from the first moment until the last."
Note: I had a more favorable reaction to the film's supplemental package than my colleague. Our special features scores are different, but
the same extras are included on both the 2D and 3D releases.
Man of Steel shows tremendous potential throughout but squanders its dramatic promise on action that spills from one kinetic act to the next, sometimes with barely a breath between beatdowns. It's all thrilling stuff; visually it's as rousing as Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy, not to mention one of the more effective realizations of what it might look like if superpowered beings went toe to toe on Earth. The Kryptonians' speed alone is a sight to behold. But these rather empty thrills lack the impact of more refined superhero adaptations. Fortunately, Warner's Blu- ray release is stronger all around thanks to a stunning 2D presentation, a decidedly decent 3D experience, a thunderous DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 surround track, and a host of special features that include a Maximum Movie Mode in-film track (on a separate Blu-ray disc to boot). All told, Man of Steel skims the superhero surface but its Blu-ray combo packs fly high.
WBShop
2013
2013
Limited Collector's Edition | Metal “S” glyph Case Packaging
2013
Bonus Content
2013
Lenticular Slipcover / Bonus Content / Photo Book
2013
2013
w/ Panoramic Theatrical Poster
2013
with Bonus Magnetic Lenticular Card + VUDU Exclusive Content
2013
2013
2013
2013
2013
2013
with Justice League Movie Money
2013
with Justice League Movie Money
2013
Justice League Movie Money
2013
2013
2013
2013
with Lego lenticular slipcover + The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part Movie Money
2013
Extended and Theatrical versions
2011
Cinematic Universe Edition
2018
Extended TV Cut & Special Edition
1978
Cinematic Universe Edition
2019
2014
The Richard Donner Cut 4K
1980
Cinematic Universe Edition
2012
2007
2013
2015
2013
2019
2014
2009
2006 Original Release
2006
2015
plus Theatrical Cut on standard Blu-ray
2016
2017
2017
1977