Theatres are awash with superhero movies these days. Batman, Spider-Man and The Avengers all had their go. It was only a matter of time before the one and only real superhero returned to the silver screen. Last time we saw him he was played by Brandon Routh in the unjustly maligned 'Superman Returns'. Now Henry Cavill dons the cape in 'Man of Steel'; a bold new take on the biggest hero of them all.
After struggling to reboot 'Superman' Warner Bros. decided to bring on board Christopher Nolan, whose 'Batman' films made a killing at the box office. The studio hoped Nolan would be able repeat his trick and make Superman cool again. They hired Zack Snyder, known for '300' and 'Watchmen', to direct. The approach would be as gritty and as realistic as possible. And thus, 'Man of Steel' was born.
The most striking aspect of this film is its exceptional cast. Henry Cavill had his work cut out for him. Christopher Reeve pretty much owned the role since 1978. Fortunately, Cavill makes for a good Superman despite lacking the Reeve's charisma. This time around Super's enduring love interest Lois Lane is played by Amy Adams. She's also a good choice but somehow there's a lack of chemistry between the two of them. You never feel quite convinced of the relationship between Lois and Clark.
The real power comes from the supporting actors. Russell Crowe and Kevin Costner in particular make a lasting impression as Superman's biological and adoptive father respectively. Both are most frequently seen in flashbacks and these moments are where 'Man of Steel' excells. By exploring various moments in Superman's past (both as Kryptonian born Kal-El and the All-American Clark Kent) the film manages to give the character some much needed depth.
Another high point is the film's villain. General Zod, played by Michael Shannon, is a classic bad guy. Like Superman, Zod is a survivor of the planet Krypton. He is determined to save the legacy of his people by taking over Earth. Shannon imbues his character with a maniacal intensity, this is one guy you don't want to piss off.
'Man of Steel' is filled with many superpowered fight scenes. So many in fact that you'll leave the theatre feeling as if you've been on Space Mountain one too many times. It's too bad because the wow factor wears off fairly fast. After the first two confrontations you get kind of tired and everything starts to feel and look like a cheap video game. The action is definitely the film's biggest weaknesses. It's so chaotic that it's easy to get lost in the mayhem.
It's hard to say if 'Man of Steel' will have the same impact on popular culture as Richard Donner's early films. It certainly isn't as iconic. A good example is Hans Zimmer's musical approach to Superman. The German composer uses his familiar industrial techniques and creates a dense wall of sound. Never is this score as instantly identifiable as John Williams his orirginal fanfare. The sense of adventure is certainly lost in Zimmer's interpretation and the movie suffers accordingly. Williams made Superman fly, Zimmer makes him lumber along.
Not that Cavill's Superman deserves much fanfare because he's particularly bad at his job. During his scuffles with Zod and his cronies Supes is indirectly responsible for an uncomfortable amount of death and destruction. To add insult to injury the characters don't seem to care about the tremendous loss of life all around them. Superman and Lois even find time for some smooching during the film's finale, because there's nothing as romantic as making out in the middle of a mass grave.
Aside from these complaints 'Man of Steel' is a successful reboot that is sure to strike a chord with audiences. An action-packed and surprisingly personal take on the most famous of all superheroes. Hopefully, some of the issues of this movie will be addressed in the sequel. (Especially the aftermath of Superman's actions, that part still doesn't sit well with me.) All in all, Zack Snyder delivered the goods and successfully reintroduced Superman to audiences worldwide.
After struggling to reboot 'Superman' Warner Bros. decided to bring on board Christopher Nolan, whose 'Batman' films made a killing at the box office. The studio hoped Nolan would be able repeat his trick and make Superman cool again. They hired Zack Snyder, known for '300' and 'Watchmen', to direct. The approach would be as gritty and as realistic as possible. And thus, 'Man of Steel' was born.
The most striking aspect of this film is its exceptional cast. Henry Cavill had his work cut out for him. Christopher Reeve pretty much owned the role since 1978. Fortunately, Cavill makes for a good Superman despite lacking the Reeve's charisma. This time around Super's enduring love interest Lois Lane is played by Amy Adams. She's also a good choice but somehow there's a lack of chemistry between the two of them. You never feel quite convinced of the relationship between Lois and Clark.
The real power comes from the supporting actors. Russell Crowe and Kevin Costner in particular make a lasting impression as Superman's biological and adoptive father respectively. Both are most frequently seen in flashbacks and these moments are where 'Man of Steel' excells. By exploring various moments in Superman's past (both as Kryptonian born Kal-El and the All-American Clark Kent) the film manages to give the character some much needed depth.
Another high point is the film's villain. General Zod, played by Michael Shannon, is a classic bad guy. Like Superman, Zod is a survivor of the planet Krypton. He is determined to save the legacy of his people by taking over Earth. Shannon imbues his character with a maniacal intensity, this is one guy you don't want to piss off.
'Man of Steel' is filled with many superpowered fight scenes. So many in fact that you'll leave the theatre feeling as if you've been on Space Mountain one too many times. It's too bad because the wow factor wears off fairly fast. After the first two confrontations you get kind of tired and everything starts to feel and look like a cheap video game. The action is definitely the film's biggest weaknesses. It's so chaotic that it's easy to get lost in the mayhem.
It's hard to say if 'Man of Steel' will have the same impact on popular culture as Richard Donner's early films. It certainly isn't as iconic. A good example is Hans Zimmer's musical approach to Superman. The German composer uses his familiar industrial techniques and creates a dense wall of sound. Never is this score as instantly identifiable as John Williams his orirginal fanfare. The sense of adventure is certainly lost in Zimmer's interpretation and the movie suffers accordingly. Williams made Superman fly, Zimmer makes him lumber along.
Not that Cavill's Superman deserves much fanfare because he's particularly bad at his job. During his scuffles with Zod and his cronies Supes is indirectly responsible for an uncomfortable amount of death and destruction. To add insult to injury the characters don't seem to care about the tremendous loss of life all around them. Superman and Lois even find time for some smooching during the film's finale, because there's nothing as romantic as making out in the middle of a mass grave.
Aside from these complaints 'Man of Steel' is a successful reboot that is sure to strike a chord with audiences. An action-packed and surprisingly personal take on the most famous of all superheroes. Hopefully, some of the issues of this movie will be addressed in the sequel. (Especially the aftermath of Superman's actions, that part still doesn't sit well with me.) All in all, Zack Snyder delivered the goods and successfully reintroduced Superman to audiences worldwide.
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