Man of Steel, which hits theaters this Friday, might just become Warner Bros next superhero hit. It certainly has to, especially considering last year's 'Dark Knight' rose to the occasion and fulfilled its highly set expectations. Tons of fans have a vested interest in 'Superman,' and are eagerly awaiting its rise on Friday.

In all the recent trailers which promoted the new film, 'Man of Steel,' Superman's biological dad Jor-El, who is played by Russell Crowe, reminds us of the story's moral which still endures 75 years after its creation.

Larry Tye, the author of "Superman: Most Enduring Hero," took readers for a trip down memory lane. "Man of Steel" is unfortunately quite torn. Directed by Zack Snyder, and written by David S. Goyer based on a story by Goyer and Christopher Nolan (who also produced), the film is pulled in different directions, delivering satisfaction without managing to be completely satisfying.

On the positive side, the Goyer/Nolan story is well featured in terms of wide outlines that are more science fiction than superhero. We follow the boy Kal-El from literally the moment of his birth on Krypton, to his troubled younger years on Earth as Clark Kent, to his assumption of the mantle of the Superman outfit, just in time to face an intergalactic threat that if unchecked would, yes, mark the end of human life.

This conceptualization works because "Man of Steel" is well-cast, courtesy of Lora Kennedy and Kristy Carlson, starting at the top with Cavill. He's a superb choice for someone who needs to convincingly convey innate modesty, occasional confusion, and eventual strength.

This is the case right from the film's beginnings on Krypton, a planet that practically disintegrates before our very eyes as Jor-El and his wife Lara Lor-Van (Ayelet Zurer) strive to save the life of their infant son, which by the way is the planet's "first natural birth in centuries." (Don't ask.)

As the unyielding Gen. Zod leads a rebellion against the planet's feckless leadership, Jor-El decides on a rocket to Earth as his son's future: "a seemingly intelligent population" is his throwaway line about its residents. "He'll be an outcast, a freak, they'll kill him," worries mom, while dad insists, "he'll be a god." Which shows how much parents know.

Once the drama moves to Earth, "Man of Steel" cleverly picks up the story with the erstwhile Kal-El, now Clark Kent, as a rootless young man in his 20s, a tormented soul who wants to use his superpowers for good but fears what humans will say if he does. (Shots of the costume-less Clark doing the occasional good deed bare-chested to emphasize the impressive physique Cavill achieved via months of exercise, causing his body to look almost computer-enhanced.)