We are now coming to the final leg of our Superman review journey. Seven years after Superman Returns, another attempt was made for the titular hero on the big screen. Directed by Zack Snyder, this was an attempt to jumpstart a new universe. As many know, that universe never came to fruition. That said, the response following Man of Steel was one of the most divisive superhero movies of all time. Universally loved by some and hated by others made it a superhero movie unlike any other. Looking back years later, it proved itself as the hardest Superman film to review.
The story of Man of Steel follows the destruction of the planet Krypton by General Zod (Michael Shannon). In a last ditch effort to save his world, Kryptonian leader Jor-El (Russell Crowe sends his son Kal-El to Earth. Growing up under the watchful eye of Ma (Diane Lane) and Pa (Kevin Costner) Kent, an older Clark (Henry Cavill) looks for peace. As he finds friends in the Daily Planet like reporter Lois Lane (Amy Adams), Clark begins to find his place in the world. That is, until the villainous General Zod returns with an army to conquer Earth. Henceforth, it is up to Superman to show the planet his worth and hopefully prevent a large-scale invasion.
Many love Snyder’s dark and gritty take on the titular hero. It’s a darker, meaner, and nihilistic point of view. Yes, Superman still has hope for the world, but wonders what it means to protect it. Admittedly, that perspective argues for a more grounded take within the Superman mythology. The problem is that its self-seriousness becomes painfully uninteresting as it progresses. Granted, that perspective proves much more effective in the film’s prologue. This consists of taking place on Krypton between both Russell Crowe and Michael Shannon.
This opening sequence can best be described as a Shakespearean tragedy. That forms in General Zod essentially destroying Krypton in his quest for power. Within these sequences both Shannon and Crowe are delivering scenery chewing performances. Add in a self-seriousness and that section proves the most enjoyable in the film. It contains real thespians clearly understanding the broad and over the top nature of the story. After that section, it simply becomes an emo music video.
Fault with the film has to fall to writer David S. Goyer (Dark Knight, Batman Begins, Batman v Superman). Goyer takes this Superman so seriously, that the film is lacking the element of fun. Goyer treats everything with a self-seriousness that a character like Superman shouldn’t have. It particularly shows in Henry Cavill’s performance of Superman. That should not be taken as a criticism against Cavill’s portrayal of the character.
Many love Henry Cavill’s take, but I admittedly land somewhere in the middle. Granted, with Man of Steel being his introduction it’s hard to know how much characterization he could receive. That still does not compensate for the fact that we never really get to know this Clark or Superman. He is a loner, drifting through the world, looking for his place amongst society. While he commits acts of heroism, viewers never get his emotional weight or his moral questioning of his purpose. It makes the character feel incredibly one dimensional, besides a few key moments.
When Clark interacts with characters like Lois, Ma and Pa Kent. The film actually has a heart. It gives him purpose, but also both humanity and vulnerability as a character. Within these moments, it’s the film’s strongest bits of actual character development. That is within the first hour, which unfortunately becomes completely undone in the later half. At around the hour mark Man of Steel becomes like any random action movie. This includes a cavalcade of brutal (and occasionally entertaining) action sequences. While enough for some, they become needlessly repetitive.
Particularly in the film’s third act, the action becomes adjacent to a videogame. This includes both Superman and General Zod blasting through buildings. Not only do these sequences make viewers ask about mass casualties, but also the logic of how these aliens can survive. Add in the film’s gray and black color palette and it feels like you’re watching visual sludge. When every action moment feels the same, it simply makes it dull to watch. The results make that third act a bore to sit through. By the time that’s finished, It effectively “builds” Clark’s origin story. By that point I simply couldn’t have cared less about this world whatsoever.
If you are a fan of Man of Steel, whatever I say will not convince you otherwise. What can be said is that upon rewatch Man of Steel proved a dreadful experience. It’s a dull, self-serious take on the character lacking charm. While there are exciting performances and fun moments, it simply isn’t enough. The visuals are unpleasing to the eye, with action that feels lifeless. Add in a script with little to no joy and the minutes just creep by. Moments of joy from Amy Adams and Laurence Fishburne give the film a sense of fun, but they aren’t enough. Instead, viewers were left with a brooding and angry Superman film. In the grand scheme of this character, that proves more of a curse than a blessing.
Man of Steel is available to purchase or stream at your retailer of choice.
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