Man of Steel

MAN OF STEEL

Review by John Wood

I never said, "The superman exists, and he's American." What I said was,"God exists, and he's American." – Dr. Milton Glass, Watchmen.

Are you ready for a new take on Superman? Well Warner Bros think so and under the producing eyes of Christopher Nolan and the divisive but amazingly stylised auteur Zack Snyder, we have a new take that really takes advantage of the Big Screen. This year’s biggest summer blockbuster (until maybe Pacific Rim) has hit and knocked what superhero action can do out of the park. Snyder has brought us for the second time since Dr. Manhattan, Dr. Milton’s wet dream.

As an origin film, get ready for the story to tread old ground, unless you have managed to avoid Superman to this point. After being sent off to Earth by Jor-El (an enjoyable Russell Crowe) as Krypton is falling and completely against the wishes of General Zod (Michael Shannon), young Kal-El grows up in a town under the new name of Clark Kent and tries to keep his abilities and secrets hidden. But General Zod makes a promise. He will find the boy and retrieve the Codex that Jor-El sent with him, so that they can build a new Krypton.

The team do everything they can to keep it fresh, from opening with a massive action set piece set on Krypton to a radically different filmic style for a comic book film. One look at the photos or trailers of the film show this new grainy, raw and darker take on this hero. Kudos must be given to Snyder for sticking to a visual design, it is a difficult job to aesthetically link a planet like Krypton to the farming world of Smallville, they are all very different, but the style really blends them quite beautifully. This isn’t like Thor with the difference between Asgard and Earth being quite pronounced. The only problem is that it is all shot quite shakily. It gives the film this real handycam quality, that could take time to get used to, but it never quite sat right with me. It also hurt some of the fights, it made it quite difficult to see what’s going on at some parts, one can’t help feel it was a bit too much.

Even the new suit is more darker then the old versions.

By this point you might be wondering what my thoughts of the story are. The truth is, it’s not as good as the visuals. There are many typical Summer Blockbuster plot holes that it falls into and it’s quite a shame. David Goyer, who co-wrote The Dark Knight trilogy with Nolan and his brother, has a problem of really giving the characters purpose. Without spoiling anything, one must question why Lois Lane was such a focus point for Zod. 

But how is Superman himself? Henry Cavill is a fine Superman, he definitely has the build and the ability to really bring out the drama in each scene. It’s a shame then that we don’t really see the other side of him. This lack of a brighter side also leads to another issue with Lois Lane played by Amy Adams. Their relationship just feels forced rather than natural, I counted quite a few moments that they could have hinted at a meaningful connection but the film just doesn’t give it. It’s a shame that Amy Adams plays Lois quite well, but she is only really used to push the storyline for Superman. If there is a sequel, this is one thing that should be addressed.

But Clark Kent is nothing without the morality compass he is presented around him. The Clark parents that adopt him played by Kevin Costner and Diane Lane are serviceable and enjoyable even if their methods are a little questionable. With Jonathan Kent being a complete opposite of his biological father, opting to rather keep Clark in the shadows, this decision really doesn't stick and leads to one of the film’s most baffling moments. It is one of the worst reasons for character in superhero movies for quite some time.

The ensemble cast including Christopher Meloni and Laurence Fishburne amongst others all do a fine job, but don’t expect much for them. It’s General Zod’s Michael Shannon that really smashes this film, while he is still under the trappings of the script, he manages to show a man who just cannot be stopped and the path of destruction he leaves behind him is purely astounding.

Improves every scene he is in.

This leads me to the action, which really is far and beyond some of the most intense and fast battles ever seen in film. Zack Snyder also actually avoids using the slow-mo effect that has been over saturating his films since 300. The film constantly outdoes itself with destruction which is saying something considering how big the opening was. If you want a blockbuster to enjoy the spectacle, this is your film.

Overall the film surprised me; I usually don’t care for Superman, but this film made me happy to see him. I do wish that they did take a step back and enjoyed themselves more. They don’t have to be as bright and fun as the Marvel films, but let’s enjoy Superman a little more next time he comes back.

RATING: SIMMER