Most would agree that DC comics do not have that great of a track record when it comes to getting their super heroes on the screen. With the exception of the mega-popular "Dark Knight" trilogy, all attempts to bring characters such as Superman, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, and others have been met with disappointment and failure. But after the huge success of Marvel's "The Avengers", DC decided to try again with their superheroes so that they can make a Justice League film (like the Avengers but with Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, and Green Lantern). The first step in this road is "Man of Steel" which DC got Christopher Nolan, the writer and director of "The Dark Knight" trilogy, to produce. And with visionary director Zack Snyder, and a strong cast including Russell Crowe, Kevin Costner, Amy Adams, Michael Shannon, and of course, Henry Cavill, things looked very promising for this reboot of the Man of Steel. But does it break the long line of DC disappointments?
The beginning of "Man of Steel" shows us a place that, for some odd reason, the other Superman films never bothered to show. This is of course the planet where Superman and his people came from, Krypton. The prelude on Krypton tells how Kal-El (Henry Cavill) was rocketed off to Earth as his home planet was dying. His father, Jor-El (Russell Crowe) knows that Krypton is about to blow up, so he sends his son off with the planet's Codex, which holds all the knowledge of the planet and its people in its programming. The military leader of Krypton, General Zod (Michael Shannon) wants to codex for himself to rebuild the fallen world on another planet, and he vows to find Kal-El and retrieve the Codex from him, by any means necessary.
The hunt for the Codex brings Zod to Earth, where Kal-El has been living for 33 years under the name Clark Kent, a name given to him by his human parents (played by Kevin Costner and Diane Lane) that found him as a baby when his ship crashed. Clark has been keeping his true identity a secret from society because he fears they are not ready to accept such as powerful individual (the weaker atmosphere and younger sun has given him his super-powers of flight, strength, laser vision, etc). But when Zod threatens to destroy human life if Clark does not give himself up, Clark is forced to reveal himself to the world and become the symbol of hope that his father always meant for him to be...Superman.
Right off the bat I want to say that this is the best Superman film that has ever been made, and I've seen them all. Now that I have established that, I can go into the details that made this the best Superman film.
A big thing that sets "Man of Steel" apart is that it dives into details that had never really been explained before. For starters, in past films, the people of Earth never really questioned Superman's existence, where he came from, etc. Instead it was just assumed that, "Oh, another super hero is here to save us." In this film, the makers really focus us on the question of what would happen if an alien came to our planet and had a major impact on our way of life. I already mentioned how we really get a look at the planet Krypton for the first time and it is a dazzling place, and the focus on the alien life of these people and Superman really add a lot to the story.
Of course what most will notice is the heavy amount of action in "Man of Steel," something that has also been absent in past entries in the franchise. Believe it or not, none of the past live action Superman films (except for Superman II) have included an actually brawl between the hero and his foe. That's kind of disappointing to think about when you realize that Superman is the most powerful hero ever created and has many different powers.
Well thankfully Zack Snyder has realized that the viewers would like to see the Man of Steel do more than just fly around with his shinny cape (such as punch someone in the face) and he delivers amazing set pieces and action sequences. Finally we see Superman slam people through buildings, punch enemies through the sky, and perform sonic boom neck breaks. The action in this film showcases how it would actually be if two really powerful beings clashed in a giant city, with building blowing up and falling down, etc. To finish this point let me say with full confidence that the final fight between Superman and General Zod is the greatest one-on-one fight that has ever been created in a film. It is epic, intense, and thrilling.
Now many things have been said about the actor playing Superman about his inspiring work ethic as an actor, his workout regimen for the role, his charm, good looks, and so on. And while all of these things are admittedly impressive, he is also an impressive actor, who gives Superman a deeper emotional side and helps make him feel a little more human than past actors have. His greatest achievement though is helping make his character more relatable to the viewers through his actions and the questions and challenges he faces, something that past Superman films have also failed to do.
He is aided by a great cast surrounding him. Crowe and Costner play his two different fathers from different worlds and both will capture your heart with their words of wisdom and inspiration. And Michael Shannon is menacing and vicious as the vengeance seeking General Zod who is evil from start to finish, although part of his character could make you feel a little sorry for him.
But the true heart of "Man of Steel" lies with the messages that are spread throughout it. The tale of Superman is a tale of hope, of purpose, and of faith. It teaches of the ability in every person to be a force for good, and it asks us to think about our purpose as human beings. Never has a Superman film possessed such strong emotional, philosophical, and even theological themes and messages. When you can mix this with a great script, strong performances, thrilling actions, and another truly beautiful score from the talented Hans Zimmer which plays powerfully throughout the whole film, then you have a great super hero film...and an outstanding Superman film. I give it three and a half stars out of four.
"Man of Steel" has a running time of 143 minutes and is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sic-fi violence, action and destruction, and for some language.
