The Superman film franchise unlike the Batman one has never really had to reinvent itself. In some ways there was no need to because Richard Donner along with Christopher Reeve had created a universe and interpretation that on the one hand was epic in scope as well a great encapsulation of who Superman was. But at the same time, like a star it burned out quickly with absolutely abysmal third and fourth installments as well as a conceptually confused reboot. However with the ever changing times, Superman has had to prove his worth and on the heels of his 75th anniversary he most certainly has with Man of Steel.
David Goyer, whose previous credits include work on the Nolan Batman trilogy as well as the Blade films, penned the screenplay. Within it he greatly reinterprets Superman in this day and age while also keeping to the essence of who he is.
The primary way in which he does this is by positing Superman`s whole story as that of a first contact one. This gives rise to a true science fiction core that is not just explored with a better showcase and examination of Krypton then previous film adaptations. But also a two pronged thematic point that provides a firm foundation for this movie and more if they choose to make them.
This being hope, which has being the primary principal of what Superman has always represented and this is best encapsulated in the idea of him being a bridge for humanity. The other one being Superman`s relationship with humanity which is represented as Clark`s conflict here and by the end of the picture I don`t think it’s truly resolved and can be an interesting point to explore in future movies.
As for looking at the screenplay itself, I think it is just very impressive at exactly how much Goyer fits into it. For example on paper it sounds like such a tall order to combine an origin story along with introducing General Zod as the major antagonist of the story. But what Goyer does to tackle this is make the scenes on Krypton more than mere exposition but an important part of the narrative for not only an understanding of the world Kal-El comes from but also establish the seeds of narrative that come later on in the picture.
In addition to this he provides through the non linear way in which the story is told the really crucial aspects of Clark`s younger years that cement his views on humanity as well as showing how he views his adopted world. If there are any problems with Goyer`s script, it really comes with sometimes feeling like Superman`s purpose for hope being hit on the head of the audience a few too many times to the point of showing versus telling ratio of this idea being steered in the direction of the latter.
In interviews, Zack Synder posited the film as being a realistic Superman film and aside from the script; I really feel Synder delivers this on this premise in his direction. It is interesting that out of Snyder’s whole filmography, people do tend to overlook his remake of Dawn of the Dead in 2004.
I feel in terms of direction, Synder really went back to some of his work on that film. This can be seen with how he directs most of the scenes which is with handheld cameras which are used in some of the dialogue scenes as well as action sequences. But also like Dawn he has some truly great scenes of horror, my favourite being when Zod first sends his message to Earth. The tension is slowly built up and through great editing, an excellent vocal performance from Michael Shannon and the use of lack of lighting; the moment is truly chilling as Earth encounters its first form of Alien contact.
While some reviewers have criticised the film for an over abundance of action especially in the third act, I do not agree with this assessment. This is mainly because the film has such a good build up of Clark`s character, so therefore we cared about him when he took on his opponents. In addition to this, the action scenes were not repetitive as when we first see Superman fight, he is very shaky and does not look very confident at all. But as the film goes on we see him becoming stronger and there is quite a bit of story between the fight scenes so the action does not feel like an assault to the senses.
In addition to this the action scenes work because Zack Synder did not have any second unit direction on this film and it definitely shows as they feel cogent and not the work of another director. From watching his extensive video blogs on Watchmen, I got the sense that he storyboards his action scenes and I think this is an essential reason as to why the action works in the film.
The best example of this is the final fight between Superman and General Zod; the length is not too long and is perfectly broken into stages. In addition it has a real power and ferocity to it, as though two titans are fighting with one another. This is coupled with great dialogue and an emotional climax that really tests Superman and you may have one of the finest battles ever in a comic book movie.
To briefly comment on the 3D, it was rather perfunctory only seeming to have any real power in the Krypton scenes, making the viewer feel even more immersed in the gripping world that the film created. The examples of this are actors just being slightly closer during the audience when dialogues scenes occurred and the occasional gimmick shot utilised with sharp or pointy objects coming out of the screen at random intervals. Despite this, I do have to commend the team that did the post conversion; for once this use of 3D did not darken the picture therefore leading to an inferior and murky image.
Aside from the excellent screenplay and direction, Man of Steel also has some outstanding performances. Of the smaller parts, Dianne Lane and especially Kevin Costner bring a great sense of reality and humbleness to their performance without going overboard. They both have fantastic scenes with Clark that come to shape and form some of his world views. The one that particularly resonated with me was a scene when Jonathan Kent tells Clark about his heritage, Costner here with his vocal tones, facial expressions and body language, creates a believable moment despite the circumstances and it is just punctuated by Snyder’s direction and Zimmer`s subtle scoring.
When it comes to discussing Amy Adams as Lois Lane, the phrase good things come to those who wait springs to mind. While this may really apply to Adams who has auditioned for the role twice before, it is quite a treat for the audience to finally see her as the brassy reporter. Adams in her performances embodies all the great characteristics of Lois Lane from the great tenacity to the toughness and ability to really chase her story. But at the same time, she is really caring and tender and this is best shown in her moments with Clark and Superman particularly in the outfall of the final battle where she is consoling Kal-El. That truly was the best scene that really shows of Cavil and Adams`s chemistry.
Michael Shannon plays General Zod with a great combination of terrifying malice, savagery and subtle humanity. While he has a lot of great moments in the film, the best is when he is fully unleashed at the end. In this moment when all has failed for him, Shannon through his carefully timed vocals and facial expressions sells the idea he has failed his ultimate purpose and now is stripping away the calm vainer he had previously and decides to embrace his absolute urge to kill Superman.
The best performance of the film comes from Henry Cavil and Russell Crowe respectively. Cavil plays the parts of Clark Kent and Superman equally well. As Kent, Cavill brings a great sense of authenticity, understated doubt and naivety; these are expressed through his vocals, posture and body language. His best moment as his alter-ego is when he goes and visits a Priest about whether or not he should surrender to General Zod. While the moment is a great written scene and reminder of how much we have invested in Clark, Cavil just really sells the moment through his calm manner and vocals. I really look forward to seeing his portrayal of Clark Kent working at the Daily Planet in future films.
As for his portrayal as Superman, while as Clark he was so authentic that he could almost be mistaken for someone so unassuming and quiet that he could blend in the background. His Superman was the complete antithesis of this. For all his time on screen, Cavil embodies all the quality of a great Superman, from his posture which he uses to exudes authority to his vocals which range from calm to warm, these entire little gestures combine together to create a very modern Superman on screen.
Russell Crowe aside from Henry Cavil had the hardest role to fill. This is because Marlon Brando in the 78 film left such an indelible impression as Jor-El and this was increased tenfold when Richard Donner released his version of Superman II in 2006 which restored all of the footage shot with Brando as Superman`s father. Fortunately Crowe proves that he is more then up to the task of taking on this role.
From his first moment on screen Crowe really has a great presence which continues throughout the picture whether he is confronting Zod during his coup or addressing his son on Earth for the first time. Through his vocals alone Crowe manages to portray great wisdom, concern and hope, this combined with a great physical presence that makes him believable in fights and you have a well rounded performance that may very well be the best supporting part in the entire film.
Last but not least is Hans Zimmer`s score for Man of Steel. Zimmer has truly achieved the impossible; he has created a score that stands alone from the John William’s score that has permeated pop culture since its inception. He does this by first of all going in a counter intuitive different direction musically. Whereas the William’s main theme has this great majesty and bombastic quality to it. Zimmer in interviews talking about the score really wanted to celebrate what is great about America.
He does this by hitting on a lot of musical motifs that have come to define American cinema in the last sixty years or so from strong science music of the 50s in films such as “The Day the Earth Stood Still” to slight guitar riffs that sounded as though they could have come out of a Western. As for addressing Superman`s theme he takes away the trumpets that Williams and instead goes for a great combination of light Piano fused with his signature drums that sound upbeat in tempo compared to their use with his work on The Dark Knight trilogy.
This is best showcased in the music that plays in the last few minutes of the film which is called “What Are You Going to Do When You’re Not Saving the World?” on the soundtrack. It is a slow build up of tiny piano notes which then he brings in the drums which then go into full force and the effect is a really powerful theme that resonated with me long after the film had finished.
Despite this, Zimmer is still able to be experimental with this score, like he is with so many of his other ones. The best example of this is with his theme for General Zod which is on the deluxe edition under its own title that is named after the character. At first it starts out with a really strange sound, almost as though Zimmer has channelled lightning itself and it’s an unstable current that someone is observing on a graph. Then this is combined with the sound of waves that escalate into a threatening beat that gives the impression of an unstoppable rampaging rhino. This is all complemented with a heroic component which greatly reflects Zod`s intentions in the film. Zimmer really provides a score that can stand tall in the pantheon of great music in superhero cinema.
Overall, Man of Steel is a great reboot for Superman thanks to a great screenplay by Goyer who reinterprets the character for this age really well, sure handed direction from Zack Synder who keeps the pacing, action and character moments in great harmony. Combined with fantastic performances, particularly from Cavill and Crowe as well a poignant score from Hans Zimmer and you have a film that truly feels special. This is addition to being an excellent foundation for sequels and the building blocks for a DC Cinematic universe.