Man of Steel (2013) Review

It's common knowledge amongst film and comic book fans alike that Superman is the iconic superhero who is faster than a speeding bullet/stronger than a locomotive/pretty much impervious to anything thrown at him (aside from that pesky Kryptonite), but never before has a Superman movie had a similar clout behind it until now. The Zack Snyder directed, Christopher Nolan produced, David S. Goyer written latest incarnation of the character’s story, ‘Man of Steel’, packs an emotional punch which, when combined with some of the most spectacular and awe-inspiring set-pieces in cinematic history, pushes this film to the grandest of scales. It’s that heavyweight team that have managed to raise Kal-El from the brink of movie oblivion after the dismal and action sparse ‘Superman Returns’ (which was the last big screen outing for Supes, brought to us by Bryan Singer in 2006) and make him relevant again in a post ‘The Dark Knight Trilogy’ and ‘The Avengers’ blockbuster climate, where the bar has been set ridiculously high.

Henry Cavill dons the cape for the titular role and it’s a solid, measured performance from the Brit actor, allowing the fantastical elements of the character’s origin to shine through without damaging the development of the emotive side of the story. These origins are built up from ground level with a unique vision of Superman’s home planet Krypton and the events that lead to his arrival on Earth, all presented in an extended opening sequence where Kal-El’s father Jor-El (played in scene stealing fashion by Russell Crowe) has much more to do than place baby Superman in an Earthbound shuttle. The prologue is substantial enough that the world of Krypton is fleshed out, with Jor-El even getting into a punch up with the primary ‘Man of Steel’ villain General Zod (brought to us by Michael Shannon at his unhinged best). 

The appeal of Superman comes directly from his otherworldly qualities and the escapism that offers the audience, but for much of the movie it is his human side, which is often at the forefront, allowing his problems and experiences to be relatable in a way that they haven't been before. Once on Earth, under his human guise Clark Kent and mentored by his adopted parents Jonathan and Martha Kent (played by Kevin Costner and Diane Lane respectively) he is quickly painted as a lost soul, roaming the world as an outsider and occasionally using his superpowers to rescue members of the human race from certain doom. 

Much of his back-story is disjointed and presented to us in flashbacks that are often paired with a voice over from either Supes himself or one of his father figures, and this is refreshing as it is unique, allowing us to piece together a narrative from scenes that don't arrive in chronological order. If another filmmaker had tried to do this it could have been hard work, but Snyder (evidently with input from Nolan, whose knack for effective sporadic storytelling is second to none) has seen to it that everything falls neatly into place as each key plot point is ticked from the list of Superman purists everywhere. Sure, the purists will be unhappy with certain choices Snyder has decided to make with this incarnation of the character, but for the most part it’s an intelligent and logical direction for the story to go in.

‘Man of Steel’ isn’t shy about clattering us around the head with the central message of the movie, which tackles destiny and purpose with unwavering gravity, and that can occasionally feel crushing as there isn’t much humour in Goyer’s script. It isn’t completely void of wisecracking, but when a moment that brings a smirk to the face arrives it’s soon swept under the carpet by a few seconds of Cavill’s ‘steely’ eyed brooding and it’s obvious that this whole affair is supposed to be being taken very, very seriously. That isn’t a bad thing at all – a high percentage of the running time (which weighs in at a hefty 143 minutes) is thrilling, even when there aren’t superhuman battles and vast amounts of urban destruction on screen.

The romantic element of the movie takes a back seat during a high percentage of the proceedings, but Amy Adam’s leading lady Lois Lane (alliteration rules) is strong-willed and quirky, giving the audience a grounded outlook while all the chaos unfolds. Human relationships are realistic where it matters but there isn’t much in terms of character building for many of the supporting cast, and that makes it hard to root for them once Zod’s destruction of Earth begins to occur.

General Zod is a particularly menacing villain, and that might be because his reasoning is understandable for the most part – it’s just his methods that are questionable. The fight sequences are incredible and eye watering, the superhero action unfolding on the biggest stage with some of the most well choreographed battles in the history of the comic-book adaptation. Sure, ‘The Avengers’ did well at allowing many characters (both heroes and villains) to have their moments in a spectacularly complicated set piece, but getting the action back to one-on-one (or in one case two-on-one) was refreshing. The devastation caused by these battles was catastrophic, reducing a huge portion of Metropolis to rubble with skyscrapers toppling like dominos. This was slightly odd, as much of the loss of human life wasn’t acknowledged by Superman (or much of the other surviving characters). The only death that had any weight behind it was Zod’s demise (at the hands of a snappy Superman neck-break) and that was due to the Man of Steel’s distressing scream after the deed had been done. It’s clear that Zod, the last of Superman’s Kryptonian race, couldn’t be reasoned with – but his death ultimately leaves Kal-El alone in the Universe, the last of a race stranded on an alien planet. 

Hans Zimmer’s amazing score gave many of the scenes purpose and engages us intensely, giving weight to almost every word of Goyer’s script (despite the occasionally cringe) and upping the ante when the action pushes us to the edge of our seat. There’s a hell of a lot to admire from the attention to detail with the look/sound of ‘Man of Steel’, creating this new DC world in a phenomenally effective way. 

 

This is the Superman movie that the world has been waiting for, the balance of everything on screen perfectly coming together, combining a potentially difficult story with some concrete performances and wonderful visuals. It’s a blockbuster with heart and brains, a blend that Hollywood rarely achieves, and that’s what makes ‘Man of Steel’ such a rewarding experience.