OVERVIEW: The fate of mankind is in the hands of one man when “Man of Steel”Ô arrives onto Blu-ray 3D Combo Pack, Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD 2-disc Special Edition, 3D Limited Collector’s Edition and Digital Download on November 12 from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment. In “Man of Steel,” Clark Kent is forced to confront his extraterrestrial past and embrace his hidden powers when Earth is threatened with destruction.

“Man of Steel” will be available on Blu-ray 3D Combo Pack, on Blu-ray Combo Pack, on DVD 2-disc Special Edition, and as a 3D Limited Collector’s Edition. The Blu-ray 3D Combo Pack features the theatrical version of the film in 3D hi-definition, hi-definition and standard definition; the Blu-ray Combo Pack features the theatrical version of the film in hi-definition and standard definition; the DVD 2-disc Special Edition features the theatrical version in standard definition; and the 3D Limited Collector’s Edition features the theatrical version of the film in 3D hi-definition, hi-definition and standard definition, and also includes a limited release metal “S” glyph with lucite glass stand. The Blu-ray 3D Combo Pack, Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD 2-disc Special Edition and 3D Limited Collector’s Edition include UltraViolet* which allows consumers to download and instantly stream the standard definition theatrical version of the film to a wide range of devices including computers and compatible tablets, smartphones, game consoles, Internet-connected TVs and Blu-ray players. 

SYNOPSIS: 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.

FILM REVIEW: Breath-taking. That is the only word that most can use to describe Warner Brother's new epic superhero film, Man of Steel. Many of us are familiar with the story of young Kal-El, the Kryptonian baby sent to Earth by his parents before the destruction of his home planet, whether it be from the old classic films, comic books, or simply general knowledge. This movie knows that the audience recognizes the story, and does not mess with the time tested origin, but does well to tweak the tale of Superman for a more modern crowd. This is a reboot, meaning it is not a sequel to previous Superman movies, but instead a reimagining of the story, and it is one hell of a reboot I'll tell you that.

The movie begins by providing the audience with a background story on the Planet Krypton through the eyes of Jor-El, Superman's father. For those of you who remember Jor-El from the 70's Superman film, you will be pleasantly surprised by Russell Crowe's badass performance as the Kryptonian scientist/rightful kin to the Man of Steel. While we are talking about badass performances, Henry Cavill does a fantastic job of reprising the role that so many other men have done well to play. To be honest, I was afraid that this young actor from "Immortals" would not live up to my lofty expectations, but he filled the red boots just as well as any of his predecessors, if not better. Cavill is able to bring raw power and presence to the role when he dons his cape, while still giving off a sense of human weakness and emotion when playing the Kansas boy Clark Kent. 

But get one thing straight, this is not your classic Superman film, and the director does well to show that to you. The theme that director Zack Snyder was attempting to portray to the audience was one of Superman as an alien. Unlike old stories where the flying boy scout is saving cats from trees or helping old ladies cross the street. Instead, Man of Steel sees Clark moving from town to town, hiding his identity and covering his tracks, and the world coming to terms with having an alien among them. Further extrapolating this predicament is the appearance of General Zod, a Kryptonian warlord played by Michael Shannon. Shannon does a great job of portraying Zod's utter brutality and disregard for human life, and showing that he is not a villain without a motive. Speaking of disregard for human life, boy oh boy is there a lot of it. This was my only trepidation when watching the film, the fact that Superman very willingly destroyed buildings and endangered human lives seemed too out of character to me. To be fair, this was an origin story with Clark only just coming to terms with his powers and moral compass, so maybe the blatant destruction can be overlooked for now.

This being said, the action was phenomenal. The director outdid himself crafting the fight scenes between opponents with near God-like powers; a simple scuffle would be too easy. These bombastic clashes are something to be remembered. The visual effects while on Krypton were absolutely stunning, making the audience turn their heads with open mouths at just how beautiful a sci-fi world the movie crafted. The musical composition by Hans Zimmer made every scene from a dramatic fight to a solemn moment powerful, using just the right score to highlight each scene and take it the extra mile. 

All in all, this was a fantastic, modern Superman movie. Man of Steel does well to introduce Clark Kent to a contemporary audience, without becoming a boring origin movie. Coming from a self proclaimed comic book nerd, I believe DC entertainment has made a smart move in counteracting Marvel's monopoly on the Superhero movie business (The Avengers), and may just give them a run for their money.

Review By J. James 

BLU-RAY: The film is presented in widescreen in a 2.40:1 aspect ration preserving its theatrical format. The picture is just flawless. Not only the picture looks great in this release, also the sound it is good, a 7.1 Dolby Digital in English that provides a good complement to the picture. It also includes  English, French  and Spanish subtitles.

VIDEO:
Widescreen (2.40:1) 16x9

AUDIO:
English 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital,  and English Audio Description

Subtitles - English SDH, French, Spanish, Chinese  and Brazilian Portuguese 

SPECIAL FEATURES:

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.

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.”

Planet Krypton – The world’s first exploration of Krypton and its lost society.

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DVD Copy