Clark Kent (Henry Cavill) is the proverbial “all-American
boy.” He’s a robust yet unassuming young
man, raised by farmers in the town of Smallville, Kansas. However, he possesses extraordinary abilities
which belie an otherworldly lineage. He’s
actually one of the last known survivors of the planet Krypton. Though unaware of his birthright, he’s been
secretly using his superhuman powers to serve mankind. Another group of Kryptonian survivors, led by
fiercely militaristic General Zod (Michael Shannon), make their way to earth. Their invasive intentions require Clark to defend
his adopted homeworld. Thus, an
extraterrestrial savior is born. So
begins the age of the Superman.
Man of Steel is
the second attempt in seven years to restore Superman’s box office bankability. This particular iteration comes by way of
director Zack Snyder, producer/writer Christopher Nolan, and superhero scribe
David S. Goyer. Snyder’s last foray into
superhero cinema, Watchmen, yielded mixed
results. Nolan’s fared exponentially
better with his “Dark Knight Trilogy.”
All three men now look to succeed where Bryan Singer failed. Can their combined talents make the “overgrown
boy scout” relevant in the modern age?
Man of Steel is Zack
Snyder’s most visually downbeat film yet.
Ashen/metallic hues dominate the color palette, while the sky remains
perpetually overcast. The visual monotony
nearly achieves a monochromatic feel. This
dreariness extends even to Superman’s costume, and feels at odds with the
underlying theme of hope. Much of the
film is shot handheld, making it feel like Superman as envisioned by Michael
Mann. The Dark Knight showed a similar affinity for Mann’s style, and
reflects Nolan’s obvious influence.
The action set pieces are large scale even by Snyder’s
standards. The third act surely sets a
new record for mass destruction.
Superpowered battles extend from the streets of Metropolis to orbiting
space satellites, decimating every manmade structure within range. It’s relentless to the point of overkill. Amir Mokri’s camera maneuvers are overzealous
in their dynamism. These flourishes serve
to conceal the obvious transitions from human actors to virtual CG stunt
people. Such annoyances aside, Snyder
succeeds in given the audience ample bang for their buck. His overindulgences work mostly to the viewer’s
benefit.
Superman Returns
was largely hobbled by its reverence for the Donner films. One might think that
Snyder, Nolan, and Goyer would avoid paying homage in a similar fashion. To the contrary, Man of Steel contains a great many callbacks to both Superman and Superman II. Thankfully,
homage never gives way to facsimile in this case. Despite the myriad callbacks, Man of Steel remains very much its own
film for the duration of its excessive running time.
Nolan’s influence can mostly be seen at the story level. The first act depends heavily on flashbacks
and a somewhat nonlinear narrative, as did Batman
Begins. The third act has allusions
to the 9/11 attacks and the subsequent war on terror, as did The Dark Knight. There’s even a touch of cold war paranoia with
the “alien invasion” plot. Eugenics is portrayed
as a tool of fascism. Most amazingly,
the Christ metaphor (Which has long been integral to the Superman mythos) is
made even more blatant than ever before.
The aforementioned elements sometimes make for an uneasy fit. The nonlinear structure feels a bit
disjointed, and the themes heavy handed.
Still, the film never buckles under its own weight.
Henry Cavill wisely deviates from the approach taken by
Christopher Reeves. Reeves offered a
mild mannered yet capable hero. By
comparison, Cavill is a fearsome yet deeply loyal guard dog. His physical presence is intimidating, but
his confident demeanor has a calming effect on those around him. The supporting characters, and by extension
the viewer, realize they are in good hands.
Michael Shannon offers an equally intimidating General Zod. However, he never manages to own the role in
the way Terrence Stamp did. Still, he
manages to provide our hero with a convincing and formidable threat. Amy Adams’ Lois Lane is a nonentity
throughout. She feels like an
afterthought rather than a true participant.
Man of Steel flies
high despite its considerable flaws. It’s
a Sherman Panzer tank of a film. It’s large
and clunky, yet tough and durable.
Snyder and Nolan commit to their vision, and that dedication pays
off. The same can be said for Henry
Cavill. I suspect that the inevitable
sequel will be the streamlined sports car that fans have truly been waiting
for. After all, Superman II was considered by many to be superior to its classic
predecessor. Likewise for The Dark Knight. Taking those films into account, Man of Steel can be considered a
successful test run.
The battles between Superman and the evil Kryptonians set a new standard for on-screen urban destruction, but they also give us pause: Aren't hundreds, even thousands being killed in the riveting, spectacular smashing of skyscraper after skyscraper?
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