Want to hear more from the actors and creators of your favorite shows and films? Subscribe to The Cinema Spot on YouTube for all of our upcoming interviews!
Man of Steel, released in 2013, not only told the story of Superman in a visually stunning and emotionally captivating way, but kicked off the DC Extended Universe.
Shh, the movie’s starting.
The movie begins with the birth of Kal-El, son of Jor-El and Lara, Krypton’s first natural birth in centuries. These first 20 minutes do an amazing job of establishing the world of Krypton, and how its foolish political/religious leaders turned a blind eye towards the planet’s imminent demise. The fact that Kryptonians had been bred rather than born for hundreds of years reinforces Superman’s title as The Last Son of Krypton.
These are amazing actors, portraying extraordinary characters.
Jor-El and Lara are fantastically portrayed by Ayelet Zurer, a loving mother who struggles with the decision of losing her son, and Russell Crowe, a scientist whose only goal is the survival of his species. Also introduced is Michael Shannon’s General Zod, a warlord whose goal is the exact same as Jor-El’s. Zod is tucked away in the Phantom Zone, to be brought back later on as the story’s primary villain. His last words, a very well-delivered promise to find Kal-El, and with him, the genetic code of all Kryptonians.
In a sort of un-chronological way, the origins of Clark Kent are explored. My personal favorite is the relationship between Clark and his adoptive parents, Jonathan and Martha Kent. Kevin Costner and Diane Lane deliver exceptional performances. With them being such a strong and nurturing presence in this young boy’s life, it’s almost frightening to believe Kal could have ended up with another family (i.e. Flashpoint Superman or Red Son Superman). Clark’s childhood was clearly not an easy one, and his powers start manifesting in the middle of an elementary school lesson on the history of Kansas. The concept of the bond between mother and son (a concept that would later be revisited in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice) is deeply explored in this scene, as Martha is the only one capable of calming him down. Superman, as tough and powerful as he may be, is just a momma’s boy at heart.
When Jonathan reveals to Clark what he is, an alien from another world sent to Earth, he explains that Clark was sent here for a reason. This is one of the film’s most powerful scenes, and to be completely honest, it still makes me cry every time I watch it.
Henry Cavill is the Superman that fans have wished for- a drifter searching for his purpose with an overwhelming sense that he doesn’t belong here. This sense has been known to haunt him his whole life, and it’s a characteristic that makes Superman one of the most relatable characters in fiction. His performance is full of awkward encounters, an overall lack of confidence, and very few lines. This continues until he dons the suit and cape, making way for the iconic and gorgeous “First Flight” scene. A scene where Hans Zimmer’s score shines beautifully.
Amy Adams is Lois Lane, a stubborn and ambitious reporter who gets lost in Superman’s dreamy eyes, and who can blame her? The chemistry between Cavill and Adams is electric, another relationship that defines Superman as a character. She, along with his parents, represents Superman’s connection to the people of Earth, and is the face of what he fights for.
Laurence Fishburne also delivers a remarkable performance as razor-sharp Perry White, a strong, fearless character with integrity, who stole every scene he was involved in. I mean come on, it’s Laurence Fishburne.
Remember when I said Zod would be back?
The choice of General Zod as the villain was perfect. He wants the same as Jor-El, but he’s a product of Krypton’s mistakes. He was bred as a General, and sees the human race as an obstacle, sitting between him and the restoration of Krypton. Michael Shannon does this thing with his eyebrows, his voice, his brilliant performance, and black Kryptonian armor. He comes off as a kind of mirrored image of Superman (not to be confused with Bizarro), and his goal isn’t exactly all that villainous. To the human race, of course, it’s the most evil thing possible, but a great villain is one that believes himself to be the hero of his own story. Zod knows no truth aside from his own.
Yo, they’re breaking a lot of stuff right now.
As a loud advocate for this movie, I can still agree that the last 45 minutes of it is a long fist fight. The amount of destruction done to Smallville, plus the damage done to Metropolis by Zod and Superman is honestly a satire within itself. Every single audience member was thinking about it, and I still do every time I see it. Luckily, we can’t forget that the amount of destruction caused by this alien brawl was not only a huge plot point for the direct sequel, but a statement on the severity of Superman. He’s an alien, like a Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Signs, X-Files alien dude, for real. When watching a Superman movie, it’s easy to forget that the people inside the movie have never heard of Superman, and that to them, he’s practically a Xenomorph in a flying saucer with terrifying super powers. The fear of Superman is something that’s very real and present in this universe and with this horrifying destruction, we can understand why it’s there. If any of this happened in reality, I doubt there’d be any fans of Superman.
It’s in the details.
It’s important to notice that the beauty of this movie isn’t in the crazy special effects, the fight scenes, or the score, as magnificent as all these things are. The true beauty of this movie is the exploration of what makes this particular alien from Krypton a being worth the title of “Superman”. It’s in a mother’s loving embrace, a father’s fear for his family, the will to survive, and an unrelenting urge to help people. Superman is the world’s first superhero, and he represents something very powerful. The idea that helping people, being selfless, and acting as a symbol of hope for those who have none is not only a heroic thing, it’s…well, super.
One of the few comic book trend movies I actually enjoyed; Man of Steel. Watched it numerous times since a release. Great on a rainy day, sitting around not wanting to do much.
Excellent review !