Film Review: Man of Steel

Directed by: Zac Snyder. Staring Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Michael Shannon, Russell Crowe, Kevin Costner and Diane Lane. Written by: David. S. Goyer and Christopher Nolen. Based on the DC comics created by Joseph Shuster and Jerry Siegel.  Released: June 2013.

Let’s go back in time. It is February 2011 and I’m taking a break from doing homework. I go to one of my usual movie news sites and what is the headline...HENRY CAVILL TO PLAY SUPERMAN!!!!

I’m freaking out!! I first discovered Henry back in 2007 when he was playing Sir Charles Brandon on the Showtime series The Tudors.  Even though he was not the lead character, but King Henry’s best friend, he stood out to me.  There was just something captivating and he had an onscreen presence about him.

He isn’t exactly hard to look at either, so that helped. Actually it’s distracting at times in this film.

I did always want to know more about the King’s best friend, and his story arc was very interesting to follow on the show. I then started to follow his career even after the show ended.

I even watched Hellraiser 8 because him. To learn he almost played Superman before and that it came down between him and Daniel Craig to play James Bond (Casino Royal is the first book in the Bond franchise and they considered going younger).  To see an actor filled with potential still waiting for his break and to finally get it years later and playing an iconic role as this was and is a very exciting experience.

But I digress.  This is about Man of Steel.

It seems to be a polarizing film. I find that some of the critics in their reviews have been a little too harsh.  They mention it being too action filled and that it takes itself too seriously. Funny how previously they mentioned that Superman Returns didn’t have enough action and was too campy.

Having said that, is it a perfect film...no, but it is what you would expect for a summer blockbuster like this and the mindset I went in with. 

Many critics argued that by grounding the film on the two fathers, Jol-El and Jonathan Kent dreams for Kal-El/Clark Kent that the film failed to give us the real Clark Kent/Superman and develop his character.  I’d like to argue that the character of Clark Kent/Superman in this adaptation didn’t really know who he was. He felt like an outsider and that he didn’t fit in. After all he is an alien. He knew early on that there was something different about him and he was continuously on the run. He was stuck with what his adoptive father was constantly telling him and an inner desire to learn about whom he was and his people. Of course he was confused and didn’t know how to handle it all. Part of the film was about him making his choice and deciding what path he would take. He became Superman and in the end both father’s visions and dreams came true.

As mentioned many critics claimed that the film didn't have enough humour in it. There were some light hearted moments, such as Clark destroying the man’s truck and when the female army officer commented on “how hot” Superman was. I’d like to remind the critics that Clark Kent isn’t Tony Stark and if there was more humour then they would criticized the film for not being serious enough or even trying to be like the previous films.  Zac Snyder has mentioned that he and the rest of the team went in with the mindset that there wasn’t a Superman film done before.

I will admit that at times the dialogue did feel amateurish.  Lines like “I can do things other people can’t” and “your emotions make you weak” felt too obvious and simple.  The film also at times explained things very well, such as in the beginning and setting up everything about Krypton and the codex, albeit a little too long. . But at times not everything was explained and left for you to fill in the gaps. I normally don’t mind this but a few times, such as how Clark knew to go to the arctic and find the ship, as well as his fortress of solitude and sees his father for the first time (unless I missed something) could have done with a little clearer explanation.

With the film having flashbacks to Clark as a child and teen many felt it was a times difficult to follow. For me some of the editing during the fight sequences made it difficult to follow exactly was going on and who was being punched. This isn’t something exclusive to this film.  A few of the fight sequences did feel a little too long and that it was in part just to show more action and destruction.  Seriously, if one more building got smashed into and collapsed... there wasn’t much of a Metropolis left by the end.

There was great detail in the costumes, sets and setting Krypton apart and making it fee like another planet, although it did feel a little on the Avatar side. The fight sequences were choreographed in a way that did give you the impression that aliens were fighting on a whole different level. Hans Zimmer’s score felt fresh and appropriate for this new adaptation of Superman, in particular  the theme “What Are You Going To Do When You Are Not Saving The World (find it on youtube).

The supporting cast lead by the two father figures played by Russell Crowe and Kevin Costner is main strength in the film. Diane Lane as the adoptive mother added a realistic and natural sweetness. Michael Shannon was a strong Genreal Zod and he can do intense characters, but I must admit that this wasn’t my favourite role of his and something felt off to me with him in the character. Antje Traue at times stole the show as Faora and she’ll probably be on a lot more casting director’s minds after this.

Amy Adams as Lois Lane was good, and it was nice to see a strong and more modern Lois who was part of the solution and not necessarily causing trouble and being the typical damsel in distress. At the same time I feel many other actresses would have been just as good in the role.

What about the big guy in the blue suit and red cape? I’m going to have to paraphrase what Zac Snyder and Christopher Nolen said about Henry and the reasons behind casting him. Not only does Henry look like Superman and Clark Kent physically, there is a mental and emotional understanding that Henry has towards the character. In the end Henry’s ability to look physically intimidating and at the same time have a natural and innate niceness and vulnerability is what gave him the edge in the end.  This comes across plainly in the film.  The film tried to show what it would be like to be an alien with all these powers and the emotions and responsibility that comes with that. This all came across to me in the film and in Henry's acting. Not since season four of The Tudors did I see Henry embody a character so well and naturally. There were a couple of “wooden” moments from him but overall any fan of Superman should be proud of his portrayal.

Superman gets knocked down for being not cool and too nice with no real challenges and weakness.  Since when is doing the right not cool?  Superheroes are meant to be looked up and help us in our times of need.  In short, to give us hope, and when is the world not needing that.

After all what else does the S stand for?