Steeling The Show
First Thoughts From 2013 On Zack Snyder's Man Of Steel
Alongside a return to vibrant colors, Superman’s best friend Krypto recently brought many of us home.
With tears of joy, many fans once again felt hopeful for a cinematic outing with the boy in blue we can FINALLY all agree upon…
While I AM working on a separate post packing in all of my opinions on James Gunn’s recent trailer/work, I wanted to revisit my initial thoughts after first watching Man of Steel back in 2013.
I’ve expanded upon some ideas, but my stance and initial feelings have held true, for the most part.
Before I jump into critiquing my favorite hero’s further onscreen adventures, I wanted to touch back on one of his more controversial outings…
(Originally published 6/25/13)
**May contain small spoilers for Man Of Steel & Star Trek: Into Darkness as well as minor spoilers for Smallville and Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman**
A bit of nerdy honesty..
I own every episode of Smallville, Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, Superman: The Animated Series, 1988’s Superboy, and every major Superman major motion picture to date..
I have wanted to see Man Of Steel ever since I knew it was a potential title for the followup to Superman Returns. I've been anxiously following development for this film since before the first released photos.
When I ponder how to begin assessing Man Of Steel, I continually think of Smallville.
A decade of constant development of one single version of Clark Kent covered SO. MANY. BASES…
More than half of the scenes involving Clark Kent pre-tights in Man Of Steel cover classic moments already made iconic by early episodes of Smallville.
A young Clark, confused in his grade school classroom by abilities currently overwhelming him would've seemed so much more fantastic if Smallville hadn't already expertly covered the dynamics of so many interesting developments..
When an older Superman refuses to strike back after being provoked in an Alaskan bar, only to retaliate by decimating his attacker's truck offscreen, I could only think of when Tom Welling did the same..
As such a mark for Smallville, I was worried after having connections to nearly EVERY OTHER Superman film/TV series, it wouldn't be attached to Man Of Steel in any way. It’s worth noting, however Amy Adams, who stars as Lois Lane, had a single episode role back in the first season...
Man Of Steel is for Superman II what Star Trek: Into Darkness was for Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.
Though the story has been told before, the effects, (for me anyway) were an absolute wonder to take in.
Most Superman fans would likely agree that there aren’t many ways you can still retell the Ma/Pa Kent discovery of little Kal-El that haven’t already been interpreted in another form of media.
Still, the cinematography and quick flashes of imagery, though different, breathe fresh life into the Kent farm, delivering dynamic perspectives.. Coming at such a well-known story with Snyder’s eye gives Superman addicts a different way to consume imagery we’ve seen many times over.
Quick shots on the Kent farm focus the view on a more simplistic, grounded perspective. While still looking up at Clark, we’re still seeing things from his level.
I yield General Zod has been done about to death just about as much as Luthor...
Lex may be the persistent pain in the ass if you ask which villain has spent too much time onscreen, but for me, Zod is a close second. All things considered, you take Terrence Stamp, Callum Blue, and Michael Shannon then call it a day. When you’ve had the famous general possess Lex, and once trapped in the Phantom Zone, possess a younger version of himself, (Smallville) there’s little more you can do onscreen with the character.
Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman had a small series of episodes featuring a similar Zod archetype (Lord Nor) leading an army of Kryptonians to invade Earth..
One thing that captured my attention throughout the entire film is that Cavill embodies the part effortlessly..
With Superman Returns’ Brandon Routh, I felt like they found an actor who they could best mold to look like Christopher Reeve, (down to editing his natural brown eye color) but Cavill (and the two younger actors to play Kent in his formative years) slip comfortably into the shoes of a Clark Kent that fits perfectly within the universe presented.
Advertising aside, the beard discussion surrounding Man Of Steel is all rather silly. I suppose on the surface, the question of how DOES Superman shave does seem fair, but no matter what Gillette paid to get all of this advertising, The simple answer is heat vision plus reflective surface.. (In the comics it’s usually part of his ship)
Both the animated series/Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman answered this question.
It’s an easy solution to look up.
Man of Steel moves quickly, but still manages to fit A LOT in, making two hours seem like a blur. Similar to The Last Airbender, we have a film rushing to get to an end which is full of action, making the ultimate finale seemed rushed. I don't feel or think that the plot squeezed in harms THIS film in any way, but it’s a streamlined way of storytelling that we’ve seen all too often. The hurry in Man of Steel, seems warranted, however, if only so we can warm up to this new vision of Superman.
Personally, I will always be torn between Tom Welling and Dean Cain as my quintessential Supermen. Each actor really put the time in to define their respective portrayals.
If Terrance Stamp hadn’t already spent so many years being woven into the fabric of Smallville, I would say, hands down, Russel Crowe has given birth to my favorite portrayal of Jor-El..
Speaking of Papa-El, I LOVE the fact that this movie embraces the fact that Superman's suit is designed by interpreting his own Kryptonian clothing/crest. Having Crowe wear a dark version of the suit earlier in the film brings a sense of legitimacy/purpose to a grown man walking the streets wearing skin tight clothing..
Since the day in my childhood I first saw Dean Cain sporting black & blue, I've always wanted to see more of what Superman may have worn had he fully embraced his heritage and not just let Ma Kent throw something together…
Man Of Steel is EXACTLY what it needed to be.
Different.
Snyder’s visual style is bold, and fans knew the boy in blue needed a refresher since the faded costumed days of Superman III & IV. When I went to see Superman Returns in 2006, I felt like I HAD seen a better film than the latter efforts of Christopher Reeve, but at the same time, I felt the climax was a bit..
Meh.
Superman Returns was SAFE.
I cannot deny that Man of Steel suffers from a similar formula fatigue, but I’m still impressed/floored by the score, pacing, weight and respect given to what’s revisited.
While Routh’s turn in the tights never really took chances, Cavill’s controversial finale with Zod took down half a city.
Man of Steel is an offering for fans like myself, who have seen so many versions of Superman's origin that we can accept something out of the ordinary, especially with a Lois who KNOWS Superman’s identity.
Conversations of different personalities aside, I’m fine with Clark’s romantic partner having the smarts to see past the glasses.
There are religious tie-ins, a scene where Clark converses with a clergyman, and an on-the-nose scene in space where Superman looks oddly Christ-on-a-crucifix, but religious/mythical allegories are nothing new to the last son of Krypton..
Man Of Steel borrows a substantial chunk of its plot from Richard Donner’s Superman I & II, but anyone who kept up with the trailers could've pointed that out. IMO the films are comparable. They each have their flaws, but stand alone as solid interpretations.
I enjoyed myself throughout my viewing, and like The Dark Knight, saw it twice to boot. See it, despite stubborn critics on RottenTomatoes.
Man of Steel bests Superman Returns effortlessly, and provides more than enough foundational structure for sequels to be potential record-breakers…
If you’d like to hear more of my thoughts on the state of films today, I suggest reading:
The Correct Way To Hate
I remember walking out of the theater after first watching the original Suicide Squad film not overly impressed, but certainly not filled with an undefinable rage, punctuated by foaming at the mouth.
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