Lara (Ayelet Zurer) is giving birth to a baby boy, the first of natural child birth on the planet of Krypton.  Her husband Jor-El (Russell Crowe) is by her side as he anguishes over the death of his planet and the choice that he and Lara must make for the safety of their newborn boy they call Kal-EL.  We don’t get to see much of Zurer in the film other than in the opening but she compliments Crowe well.  Crowe on the other hand is laced throughout the story by use of conscious images which works well to progress the dark drama that is riddled throughout the entire film.  General Zod (Michael Shannon) considers himself the protector of their species and will definitely not go down without a fight from the council nor his friend Jor-El.  General Zod knows that Jor-El has taken the Codex which holds the existence of their race but what he doesn’t know is what he has done with it.  General Zod and his followers are cast off into the phantom zone by the council for treason and soon thereafter the death of the planet takes place but not before Lara and Jor-El are able to cast Kal-El off into space to save his life as he is headed to an unknown planet called Earth.  Shannon definitely needs to make an appointment for anger management since he truly is able to project every ounce of his hatred for the human species from the beginning and hold on to it right to the end.
Through the use of flashbacks in the story we are informed that Kal-El was raised by Jonathan Kent (Kevin Costner) and his wife Martha (Diane Lane) on a small farm in Smallville, Kansas.  His human parents from the very beginning have tried to protect Kal-El now called Clark from revealing his special powers to the world.  His father fears that if the world found out it and the beliefs on this planet would change forever.  People are always afraid of what they do not understand and Clark holds the key answer to the question on whether we are alone in the universe.  Although in his younger years Clark had struggled with decisions and choices, always wondering where he was from and why he is so different, so different that he cannot act on his emotions and the powers he hides from the world even though some have witnessed Godly acts along the way.
Colonel Nathan Hardy (Christopher Meloni) is working on an icy expedition and has discovered some type of ship encased in 18,000 year old ice.  Meloni is a strong supporting cast member to the film and definitely brings a believable character to the story.  Lois Lane (Amy Adams) suddenly appears on the scene of the discovery to cover the story as a reporter for the Daily Planet but when she sees a man out late one night in the foothills she follows him into a cavern and from this point on her life would never be the same nor would Clark’s.  Clark has tried to keep his identity a secret, always on the move from one town to another, saving lives as need be, still maintaining his hidden identity as much as possible.  Thanks to a star reporter one night within the chambers of an alien space craft Clark is about to set forth on a new adventure, that of the man with an “S” on his chest, the symbol of hope.  I was not sure I would like Adams as Lois Lane but much to my surprise she really does the character justice, playing fierce when need be but soft and understanding on the flip side.
As Zod once professed he would find Kal-EL, that no matter how hard he tried he could not hide from him, his threats have become reality.  In a message to the world, “you are not alone” Zod and his alien team have set out to destroy the human race so that he can once again re-build Krypton but he needs the Codex to do so which means he needs Kal-El.  Clark has taken a leap of faith, after thirty three years on Earth, hoping that the human race would accept him for who he is and understand that unlike General Zod, he is a friend.  Zod and his team of villains are banking on the fact that Kal-EL and his sense of morals would be his weakness but like the atmosphere and the sun that nourish is super human powers his morals become his strength that help him in a final battle to the end against Zod, Faora-Ul (Antje Traue) and others that found their way to Earth.  Throughout some phenomenal special effects, and 3D imaging the battles throughout the film are engrossing but the final war on Earth really makes a huge action impact in the story line.  Definitely set up for a sequel, of course if this film does well, since the now known man of steel is forever called Superman but to some at the Daily Planet, it’s Clark Kent. 
Cavill could actually bring back Superman into the spotlight of super heroes lost since the days of actor Christopher Reeve.  Cavill is definitely able to play on emotions and since the story is very dark and action packed with a very dramatic script that lacks any levity and only touches on personality, he really brings this man in a tight suit with a red cape to life, an outfit passed on to him by his biological father.  I hope the film is not too serious for the movie-goers since I’d like to see this comic super-hero played by Cavill go on for many more adventures throughout the years.  Overall, the story is long but there is surely enough going on to keep everyone’s attention.  At times it seems that the writers packed as much in this story as they could to explain the background of a baby sent to Earth by his real parents, raised by earthling parents, which by the way Costner and Lane are both superb, hunted by an evil villain out to destroy not only Superman but the human race in hopes of recreating the alien planet, Krypton.  In the end Clark in dark framed glasses hopes to go back to living a normal life so he takes a job working for Perry White (Laurence Fishburne), perfect role for him by the way, working alongside his romantic interest Lois Lane as she states her final words to Clark Kent, “welcome to the planet” .  Written and enjoyed with three paws out of four with hopes that the next story line gives Clark Kent a bit more of his lighter side back since most of his personality in this story is on the darker more serious conflicted characteristics of a struggling super-hero.  The men will like it for the action and effects while the women of course will think Cavill is “hot” and of course he is would you expect anything less from a “Superman”.