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Rating: 4 out of 5
I have never really been a huge Superman fan. I liked the first Superman film starring the late Christopher Reeves. Those films were entertaining, especially the first and second films. The third and fourth films were absolute trash. The fourth film was major trash. Hell, even the TV shows have been pretty good throughout the years. I have lost count of how many Superman shows there have been, but they keep making money, and people keep watching them. In 2006, Superman Returns dropped on the world, and that film failed so badly that Superman should’ve stayed in space or wherever. I had mixed feelings when Warner Bros decided to go the Marvel route and launch the DC Extended Universe. Marvel was far and above with their movie launch strategy and what characters they wanted to feature. On the other hand, DC changed Batmans and Supermans more times than anyone could count. I rolled my eyes when they announced they would start with Superman as the first film because Superman Returns was awful. I didn’t know what to think when the studio cast Henry Cavill, but I wanted to give the franchise a shot. I have to admit that I was entertained by this film and thought it was one of the better Superman and DC films.
Here we go, Man of Steel is directed by Zack Snyder. The story was developed by David S. Goyer and producer Christopher Nolan, with Goyer writing the screenplay. It is a massive reboot and origin story of DC’s favorite son and the first installment of the DC Extended Universe. The film begins with planet Krypton going through a MAJOR crisis. The planet is about to explode due to its unstable core from years of exploiting its natural resources. Things become even crazier as rebel military leader General Zod (Shannon) and his loyal allies try to stage a coup and throw out the ruling council. Scientist Jor-El (Crowe) and his wife Lara, knowing that the fate of their home planet is doomed, decide to send their newborn son, Kal-El, on a spaceship and send him to Earth while infusing his cells with a genetic codex to preserve the Kryptonian race. Zod catches wind of this and murders Jor-El but is captured. Zod and his followers are sentenced to the Phantom Zone. Before being thrown into the dark abyss, Zod vows vengeance. Kal-El’s ship lands in the great state of Kansas, where he is found and adopted by Jonathan (Costner) and Martha Kent (Lane) and named Clark. As Clark grows older, he develops superhuman powers but doesn’t understand what is happening with him. Jonathan urges him to keep it hidden. When tragedy hits the Kent family, Clark travels around the world, taking odd jobs while trying to find a purpose. When Clark travels to the ice-cold tundra, he discovers his true self while meeting his pops. His pops explains that he is unlike any other Kryptonian and was of natural birth to give him a chance to choose who he wants to be while also explaining how the sun powers his abilities. When General Zod is freed from the Phantom Zone, he comes to Earth to obliterate human existence and claim Earth as the new Krypton. Clark must decide to join his race or become a hero bent on saving the Earth.
As I said earlier, I really enjoyed this film. Was it a new take on the Superman series? A little bit. The character and series had a more modern feel, with David S. Goyer and Christopher Nolan involved in this film. With the hero of Superman’s stature, it’s hard to make the character like Batman and have the lifelike realism that Nolan showed to the world with his Dark Knight trilogy. I will say that Snyder and his eye tried to make this Superman have that believable feel.
The film is presented with the present and flashbacks. What I like about this way of storytelling is we don’t get an entire movie that explains everything from point A to point B. We get a story where something happens and see how it weighs on Clark. In the flashbacks and the present, we see Clark struggling with who he is and trying to find answers. When he is a kid, we see how he struggles with sensory overload in class and freaks out. He doesn’t do anything terrible, but we see a kid not knowing who or what he is. We see how Jonathan tells him never to show his true self until the time is right, but even he doesn’t know when the time is right. As Clark grows, he is bullied, and we know he can do amazing things, but he has to hold back. When he saves the bus that falls into the river, he is questioned by Jonathan because he doesn’t want his son’s true nature to be out in the world. You can see how this is very confusing for a young person. The turning point in Clark’s life was when the tornado hit. Jonathan goes and saves a dog but gets trapped. When Clark and himself make eye contact, Clark can save him, but he decides to die in the process to not show the world his son’s abilities. This leads to Clark jumping around the world. It’s fascinating to watch Clark go from job to job, trying to find his purpose.
In the present, Clark finds a ship and meets Lois Lane, played by Amy Adams. I feel like this is where the story starts to kick into high gear. Clark finally meets his pops who tells him everything and of Zod. This is touching because Jor-El wanted the best for his son even if he and his mother couldn’t be there. I like that it showed Superman’s suit and him trying to learn how to fly.
The movie really kicks into gear when Zod shows up. Zod shows up looking for Clark and states that if the Earth gives him up, then they will be spared. It is funny to see Superman in handcuffs. I had the full-on “Really?” look on my face. Zod shows Clark what he wants to do, and when the battles start happening, shit goes from 0 to 1 million. The destruction of how Kryptonians produce when fighting on Earth is INSANE but fun to watch. This is the type of realistic action and violence you would see. Buildings will fall, and it will look like a freakin battle zone.
The fight between Superman and Zod was the best and most entertaining. You see the superiority in Zod. Dude went from having sensory overload to saying, “fuck it” I can handle this in mere seconds and learned how to fly in mere seconds. You see how badass and a warrior he is. Something happened that never happens in Superman films. Superman killed a person. He straight up broke Zod’s neck, and the world went wild. I see this as a justifiable means. What else was he supposed to do? No one on Earth could stop Zod, and where would you put him? Superman made the only choice he had by breaking his neck. That was a good call in my eyes.
For the cast, Henry Cavill was a great choice as Clark Kent. Cavill seemed to have it as Superman. He showed the character as one searching for answers on who he was and his life purpose. He had a little bit of the Spiderman 2 feeling about him when Peter Parker questioned himself. What I love about Cavill in this role is that he is believable as Superman. He has the looks but also the charm of the character. Cavill makes a great Superman, but I fear he might get a tight cast as this character and role.
I want to give major props to Michael Shannon as General Zod. Shannon showed Zod as a military general bent on protecting his people at all costs, a man who knows Superman better than himself. What I love about Shannon in this role is that he shows the intelligence of his character but also the malice behind the man. Shannon showed how Zod has great pride but will sacrifice anyone to get what he wants.
Regarding the supporting cast, Amy Adams as Lois Lane was a good choice. Adams shows Lois as an independent woman who will get the story she wants. She also showed Lane as an intelligent, funny, ambitious, but beautiful woman. Let me give it up to Russell Crowe as Jor-El. I was skeptical of the actor playing the role, but he did a great job. He showed what a loving father should do when sacrificing his life for the sake of his son. Even as a holograph, I don’t know how he could answer all those questions, but he seemed to never get angry and had a calming but fatherly voice.
Man of Steel was a great start to the DC Extended Universe. Did the Universe hit Marvel status? Hell naw, but this was the reboot the series needed for a Superman film. The story tries to be more modern with a hero that isn’t modern and out of this world. Cavill was a great choice to portray the famous hero, and Shannon was an equally great choice to play the villain, General Zod. Watch this film during a massive superhero movie marathon.
