Man of Steel was released in 2013 to much fanfare. After all, it was the return of Superman to the big screen as well as the first entry for the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). The film was directed by Zack Snyder and written by David S. Goyer from a story by him and Christopher Nolan. Lastly, a relatively unknown British actor named Henry Cavill was slated to play the title role. The hype for the movie ran exceptionally high given the success of the critically acclaimed Christopher Nolan Batman trilogy.
Opening thoughts about the story.
Although Man of Steel is an origin story, it greatly differentiates itself from the 1978 film starring Christopher Reeves. Much like The Dark Knight, the tone from the start is serious. There’s a deep dive into the societal structure of Krypton. Jor-El (Russell Crowe) plays an integral, action packed role, that lays the foundation of the narrative. He quite literally fights for his beliefs. His nemesis, General Zod (Michael Shannon), also possesses strong views. In many ways, the two men are in agreement about the disastrous Krypton leaders. Yet Jor-EL recognizes the inevitability of Krypton’s destruction, whereas General Zod only acknowledges an opportunity to stage a coup to save Krypton with himself as supreme ruler.
Echoing the original 1978 movie, baby Kal-El rockets off to Earth and his future antagonists, General Zod along with his circle of Kryptonian soldiers and allies, end up in the phantom zone. What’s unique in Man of Steel is both Jor-El and General Zod eventually inform the adult Kal-El/Superman/Clark Kent (Henry Cavill) about the history of Kryptonians attempt to establish outposts in various galaxies including one on Earth.
The question of what it means to be an alien from another planet is explored.
Jonathan Kent (Kevin Costner) recognizes the disruptive world changing nature of Clark’s existence. He acts as protector–willing to sacrifice himself to keep his son safe at all costs. On the other hand, Martha Kent’s (Diane Lane) values helped shape the boy who’d grow up to be Superman. Both adoptive parents provided wisdom and wonder in a realistic way. Yet Lois Lane (Amy Adams), reporter from the Daily Planet and eventual love interest of Clark Kent, acted as the conduit for humanity’s trust. She is the first person to take a leap of faith with Superman.
The military and scientific community also play an essential role in discerning Superman’s motives. Unsurprisingly they’re distrustful of Superman’s intentions and need convincing he’s not their enemy. Col. Nathan Hardy (Christopher Meloni) becomes a proponent only after Superman battles the Kryptonians and saves the Colonel’s life as well as his soldiers. Dr. Emil Hamilton (Richard Schiff), a scientist who works with the United States Armed Forces for DARPA, becomes an ally after witnessing Superman’s heroics as well as his desire to save humanity.
Who needs a Fortress of Solitude?
Unlike the original 1978 film, Clark Kent does not venture to the icy North to establish a Fortress of Solitude courtesy of a Kryptonian crystal. In Man of Steel he travels to a secret military operation in the Arctic where he discovers an ancient Kryptonian spaceship. He uses his personal Kryptonian key to start said ship as well as activate the consciousness of Joe-El. The ship flies off and he’s instructed by his father in the ways of Krypton as well as his potential destiny on Earth.
How’s the acting?
As mentioned previously, the tone of the movie is serious. Considering Christopher Nolan co-wrote the story it makes sense the foundation of the narrative would be more rooted in realism rather than the lighthearted Marvel films of the MCU. The stellar casting choices reflect the thematic goals. There’s not a weak performance throughout. Even with limited screen time, Perry White (Laurence Fishburne), the Editor-in-chief of the Daily Planet, is fleshed out to be more than just a two dimensional character tasked with moving the story along.
How are the special effects?
The visual team succeeded in seamlessly integrating special effects without disrupting the flow of any scene. In other words, the story remained front and center at all times. Considering the subject matter, I found the effects to be exceptional and consistently breathtaking. For example, Superman discovering the joy of flying was thrilling as were his scenes punching an antagonist while mid-flight.
Superman Learns How To Fly | Man of Steel
Final Thoughts
Man of Steel presented a wonderful and exciting reimagining of the Superman mythology. Henry Cavill was made to play the role. It’s unfortunate the movie was never given a proper sequel. Instead the Superman character was shoehorned into Batman v Superman with the goal of establishing the Justice League to compete with Marvel’s Avengers MCU franchise.
Overall Rewatch Grade: A-
Pros: Stellar cast. Phenomenal special effects. Outstanding musical score by Hans Zimmer. Movie is worthy of a proper sequel.
Cons: Excessive destruction scenes in Metropolis. Should have been edited.
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