Revisiting: Man of Steel

"The most misunderstood comic book movie, that slowly over time, more and more people are starting to realise is a masterpiece"

In June of 2013, we finally got a new Superman film. For me, it was only the second Superman film released since I was 7 years old.

The previous two films had been exciting for me. As a 7 year old, I was not taken to the cinema to see the new Superman film. However, I did get to hire it on VHS and it was so exciting to have a new film, as the previous 3 films had always been around as far as I knew. It instantly became my favourite Superman film, despite how terrible the film is in retrospect.

Superman Returns was exciting because I had reconnected with my Superman fandom when I was about 20, so I had waited 6 years for a new film. The fact that it was connected to the original films was also very exciting. The experience of seeing a Superman film with John Williams' music in the cinema was special. However, it was a film that did not stand up to repeated viewing and I now rank it quite low, when ranking the Superman films.

Man of Steel was new, completely new, and it was exciting to follow its development on the internet (something I hadn't done for a film before) as news came out slowly. I remember the first picture being released of Henry Cavill and I couldn't get over how different he looked as Superman.

The first trailer came out when The Dark Knight Rises was released and the trailer showed very little. But once the first full trailer came out, it was obvious this film was going to be very different to what we had seen before. This was a good thing. As much as I loved the Christopher Reeve series (despite its flaws), it was clear from Superman Returns that we needed to move on.

Man of Steel opens on Krypton, just like Superman the Movie. However, it's an odd start, as you kinda feel like you've walked in late and the film had already started. This sets up the frantic pace of the Krypton scenes. We don't get a lot of back story, we don't get a lot of time to engage with the landscape. We're in, and then we're out. But it works well, as we don't know much about Krypton, so we feel more like Clark as he struggles to discover it.

The imagery was well thought out, with Krypton having mined its own core, the landscape is scarred and depleated. This once great civilization is now running on fumes.

We are introduced to General Zod. To date, I think he is not only the best villain so far in the DCEU, but also one of the best villains in a comicbook movie. Shannon is perfect in the role, giving Zod purpose as he tries to do what he was literally born to do, protect Krypton. Zod is not out to 'take over the world' just because... He has a logical reason for this, and his flaws as a person are based on the system he was engineered by. He can't stop doing what he thinks is nessessary. Humans are not his concern, so destroying them is a logical step in rebuilding Krypton.

The transition to Clark as an adult once his ship arrives on Earth was a suprise on the first viewing. I had assumed that we would get the same structure as Superman the Movie, but instead the film throws a curve ball at us.

The story of how Clark hides who he is, whilst slowly moving around seeking answers is well devised. Using Lois Lane's investigation to link many of the flashbacks was a great idea as well.

Clark is an outsider who isn't always treated well by humans. However, there are moments such as the fisherman on the boat who jumps in and pushes Clark away from the falling cage. We see Clark give a small smile as, despite the verbal abuse he recieves, which shows us that he realises that in the end, humans will do the right thing. They are fundamentally good. It's subtle, but its how the film develops Clarks feelings of affection for the human race. Despite their flaws, they deserve his protection. This theme is played out many times throughout the film, and also ties in quite well with the themes later in Wonder Woman (2017).

What Superman Returns most suffered from (apart from the worst Superman suit ever), was a lack of action. We aren't suffering that problem with this film. However, Superman has to work hard to do things. It's not all easy.

In 2006's Superman Returns, Superman lifts a boat out of the ocean. At no point in the scene, does it really look like Brandon Routh is lifting the boat. Nor is there any great amount of impact on the moment through his performance.

When saving the oil rig workers, we get a true sense of Clark's strength, but we also get given an impactful look at how hard it is for him to do some of these things.

The effects here are brilliant and demonstrated how good Zack Snyder is with CGI.

As we see Clark working his way around trying to find answers to who his is, we are given short flashbacks to his past. His childhood was lonely and he was confused. He had all this power, but he wasn't sure what to do with it. Jonathan Kent's concern that his son needed to be ready before he revealed himself to world was warranted (as demonstrated in Batman v Superman), but it goes against what Clark himself naturally feels, and he desires to help people and inspire hope.

For those who say that Man of Steel was just disaster porn with no character development, seriously need to re-watch the first two thirds of this movie.

The idea that Superman would not be readily accepted by humans is a logical one. In Superman the Movie, once Superman reveals himself, everyone is just 'oh wow, an alien who can fly. Wow'. It was fine for the 1978 film, but now we need to address some of the issues Superman would present, and this film, and the follow up, Batman v Superman, did that. The fact that these issues also shape who Clark is, through experiences such as his dad dying to protect his secret, add more to the character that Clark is.

When the film came out, many people seemed to have missed the fact that Clark overhears soldiers talking in the bar about the strange object found in the ice up north. This is how Clark operates. He takes on different jobs that take him to different parts of the world, and with his hearing as it is, he was able to easily hear what the soldiers were talking about, as well as at the same time, stand up for waitress against the sexually abusive truck driver.

The discovery of who Clark is, is well handled and interesting. Cavill gives a subtle little smile when Jor-El says that his name is Kal-El, indicating years of wondering suddenly being anwsered but not quite being able to take it all in just at that very moment. The telling of history through the visual technology of Krypton was a very different design choice, but an effective one.

Regardless of your feelings on Snyder as a director, no one can say that he doesn't understand how to bring key moments on to the screen visually.

The reveal of Superman in costume for the first time is perfect. It was hard to imagine someone topping the first Superman shot from 1978 as Superman flys past the camera in the fortress of solitude, but the reveal as Clark walks out of the ship and takes flight is a perfect Superman moment.

After years of searching, Clark gets no time to adjust to life now that he has these answers, this understanding of who he is and what he can do. Rather than give us a sequence of Clark being Superman in the world, saving people and cat's from trees, this film chooses to introduce Superman to the world at the same time as the Kryptonians arrive. This gives humans more reason to distrust Superman, as Zod is clearly an intimidating character who shouldn't be trusted. This is afterall, a first contact story.

We are then given one of the most brutal fight scenes in comicbook movie history. The Smallville sequence showed everyone that this film wasn't going to shy away from the destruction that would occur if superheros fought each other. At one stage, a train is thrown. It's showing exactly what they can do, and therefore, what they can cause.

The addition of the army into the scene as well, shooting at both Superman and the Kryptonians, adds an extra level of difficulty for Superman, who at this stage of his life, hasn't had any level of fighting to do. In inexperience shows and he doesn't know what to do.

Because Zod and the Kryptonians have purpose, Zod's double cross of Superman make sense and isn't just 'he's evil so he does bad things'.

Superman's most heroic moment in the film, the moment he truly becomes 'Superman' is when he destroys the World Engine. As Superman struggles to stand (on the ocean floor!) and push through the engine's power beam, with his powers diminished, it's a great character building moment. We might not have a true 'Superman' in this film, as the character hasn't developed to that point yet (you might argue we haven't really ever gotten there with Cavill's Superman since Justice League ruined the story arc that this film started), but this moment brings Clark to being a hero and here he has succeeded in defeating the Kryptonians, as the previous encounters had ended in Clark losing.

The final fight with Zod is epic. The conclusion is unexpected. However, whilst many were mortified that Superman killed Zod at the end, I wasn't unhappy with it. It's handled well, and whilst it probably could have been followed up more before the film finished, the killing of Zod helps Superman become the hero he is supposed to become. But he isn't there yet. And let's not forget Christopher Reeve fans, in Superman 2, he broke Zod's hand and threw him off a cliff. And we all cheered!

And if it was a Marvel film, he would have made a quip about taking a break...

The film shows Superman choose human’s over his Kryptonian people. The film sets up the idea that Krypton was a flawed society that had progressed a long way, but ultimately had lost their (for lack of a better word) humanity, and had become so programmed by social engineering, that they were no longer able to sustain themselves. Jor-El sought to change the system, and Superman represents the hope in that. Had Superman chosen to side with Zod and rebuild Krypton, it would have become the same flawed society it was on Krypton.

Despite years of abuse from humans and being lonely, Clark has seen that humanity still deserves its chance to find its own way, and Krypton had its chance.

It doesn’t mean that Krypton is dead. Clark is carrying the codex in his DNA, so Clark could rebuild Krypton one day in a way that would not destroy another civilization. But the old ways that Zod represented, had to be stopped.

The Cast.

Michael Shannon (General Zod) and Antje Traue (Faora) actually steal the show as the two main villains. Shannon has a depth beneath his eyes which always make his villains very tough. He clearly enjoyed the role and Zod's complex nature suited his acting style.

Traue is great as a true badass fighter. Where Ursa in Superman 2 was cool and unsympathetic, Faora is vicious and enjoys killing in battle. She should, she was born to do it. Traue manages to be both a hard line solider and still give great feminity to the role. As Sameer would say in Wonder Woman, "I am both terrified and aroused".

Henry Cavill is great as Superman. He doesn't have a lot of opportunity to play the role 'as Superman', as most of Superman's scenes are fight scenes. But his scenes with Lois work well and he gives enough to show what he will be able to do in the sequels.

Amy Adams is good as Lois Lane, except Lois acts more like a narrator to back story in this film. Their relationship might seem a little rushed, but its a starting point for bigger things in Batman v Superman.

Other actors give strong performances in supporting roles. They add depth to the world around Clark and each one was very well cast.

Laurence Fishburn is great as Perry White, being both the classic hardline editor, as well as supportive to Lois. Like Jackie Cooper in 1978, we feel Fishburn’s White has been in the trenches and knows this business.

Kevin Costner and Russel Crowe play opposing fathers for Clark, with opposite views on what Clark should do.

Crowe is good in the opening scenes on Krypton, but has little to do later as the holographic version of Jor-El. However, he is able to lift Jor-El above just being a recorded voice. Costner has the heavy lifting to do, and his scene with young Clark where he tells him that he is from another a planet is very well played, struggling with not knowing what Clark should do, in thinking that possibly letting people die is worth it, if it protects his son. In this version,

we can see how hard it is for a farmer from Kansas to know what to do in such a complex situation.

As Martha, Diane Lane is exceptional as the loving voice that keeps Clark in control and working through his issues as he grows. In her later scenes when Jonathan has passed away, Martha is tough and resolute, able to stand up to threats from Krytonians, but instantly switches to the loving mother once Clark returns home.

Harry Lennix (General Swanwick) and Christopher Meloni (Colonel Hardy)

give good performances as senior members of the military who understand that they are outgunned against these new threats, but still engage fearlessly.

Hardy has great interactions with Farora, leading to a number of nice acting moments between them before Hardy eventually gets the better of her. A good death is its own reward.

Issues.

The film is shot with handheld, or shaky cam, and it’s quite frustrating in parts, especially as someone who suffers badly from motion sickness. The scene that is most noticeable, is the scene where Jonathan Kent talks to young Clark about saving people on the bus. This is not a time when the camera needs to be moving and it detracts from the emotion of the scene.

The final battle feels longer than it is. It’s not because it’s actually too long, but because it comes on the back of the action scene in which the world engine is destroyed and the Krytonian’s are sent back into the Phantom Zone. So as a result, the audience is a little action fatigued at this point. But when watched in isolation, this fight scene is great, especially the way it builds Zod’s capabilities as he goes.

As stated previously, the killing of Zod was not given much follow up, and despite the great emotional reaction from Superman, it felt a little short-changed when the next scene begins with a missile getting destroyed.

Some moments of Superman’s carelessness in fights is troubling. It’s set up as he is inexperienced, but at times it goes a touch too far. The most noticeable is when Superman crashes Zod through a service station and it blows up. Did someone die when that happened? It was a bit much and could have been a little less destructive in that moment.

Successes:

The film as a whole, in its retelling of Superman’s origin and its updating of the character is a fantastic achievement. The world feels real and Superman is given consequences to his actions.

The World Engine sequence, Superman’s first flight, General Zod as a villain, the Smallville battle, and the effects during fight scenes are all fantastic moments, with thrilling action and great CGI.

The film is engaging and sets up many ideas that the films of the future can really develop further, such as codex and other Kryptonian’s and technologies. This film set up the character as a beginning as Superman and brought him into a modern setting successfully, whilst also providing the level of action a Superman film should have.

The Music.

What I haven’t mentioned so far, is the music. The score for Man of Steel is one of the best films scores ever written. The job Hans Zimmer had to write new music for Superman when John Williams’ theme and score was so well known and so well established, cannot be understated. It’s an unexpected theme for Superman, rather than the big fanfare of Williams’ score, the Man of Steel theme starts with a soft piano melody, very simple in structure (ironically beginning with a perfect fifth interval, just like the John Williams theme), before slowly building to a huge piece of music, featuring no less than 12 drummers playing a powerful ostinato under a strong melodic theme. The theme is varied throughout the film and gives the film a musical pallet that suits the tone and direction of the film. The score was adapted for the follow up Batman v Superman, however, sadly the score was missing from Justice League, in a move that seriously hurt the movie.

Its place in the DCEU.

When Man of Steel was made, it was not expected to be part of a shared universe, although it does have hints at Bruce Wayne’s existence. The film was designed to set up a Superman universe, and now sadly, it feels like this universe is no more, as Justice League has removed a lot of elements that this film set up.

The film was not interfered with by Warner Bros, mostly due to the power of producer Christopher Nolan. The only other film in the DCEU that has had no interference from Warner Bros, was Wonder Woman. As a result, those two films are the best in the series. I still think overall, this film is the strongest in the series, although Wonder Woman comes close. But where Wonder Woman falls down, is that it’s villain is weak and as stated before, Zod is a great villain.

Sadly, I don’t think we will ever see a Superman film like Man of Steel again. The reaction people have had to this film means that Warner Bros will probably only ever push Superman movies out in a bright and fun style.

Finally:

Superman seems to be a character that can’t quite win in cinema. People seem to hold him to a high standard that is unachievable, mainly because everyone’s idea of what Superman is, is very different. If they make a film that is very much like Richard Donner’s Superman, he’s a daggy do gooder and not interesting. If they make a moody, thinking Superman, then it’s the emo-Superman of Superman Returns and it’s boring. If they make Superman more layered and complex, like this film, suddenly he’s not Superman and doesn’t do Superman things. After the failings of Superman III, Superman IV, Superman Returns, Man of Steel, Batman v Superman and Justice League to perform to the level expected at the box office, its starting to look bleak for the man of steel in the future. Maybe his future lies more in TV than in movies.

My hope is that in the future, when comic book movies have stopped dominating the box office, and the ‘golden age’ of comic book movies is looked back at as a collective, Man of Steel will stand out as a film that was completely misunderstood and was a beacon of hope for something different. As the Marvel formula grows tired, people will seek films that are different. Sadly, for Man of Steel, it came before people started wanting films such as Logan.

It’s a film I can rewatch many times, and I have. I saw it 6 times in the cinema and countless times on blu-ray. If you only saw this film once, please re-watch and give it a fair go, allowing it to be the film it wants to be, and not what you think it should be.