The Man of Steel

Before I get into the nitty gritty of this review, I just want to make clear: Go see this film. This is absolutely a film that needs to be seen by as many people as possible. I want to clarify this point because I'm going to have more than a few negative things to say about it, but I still think it is an excellent film that you should absolutely go see if only for the spectacle. Beyond that, I think it is perhaps the best Superman movie ever, though Christopher Reeve is still the best Superman ever. Odd to put a summary up front, but I want to make sure if you read nothing else, you know this movie has my full recommendation. Got that? Okay, moving on.

The Man of Steel is something of a misnamed movie. Taking a cue from The Dark Knight, it is named after one of Superman's heroic epithets, yet this oddly misses the mark. A better title would be The Last Son of Krypton, but I assume that was focus grouped out. This movie is almost entirely about what it means for Superman to be the last survivor of another planet with godlike powers, living as a human being on Earth. 

The opening act takes place on a Krypton in the middle of a civil war shortly before its destruction. General Zod (Michael Shannon) and his cronies attempt a coup while Jor-El (Russel Crowe) attempts to send his infant son to another world. Much is made of the fact that he is the first natural birth on Krypton in centuries, thus the first person without a preprogrammed destiny. However, this does not really amount to much. Again, much like Nolan's other movies, many interesting issues are raised, you're clearly supposed to be thinking about the ideas present, but what exactly the movie is trying to say about all of it is as convoluted and unclear as Batman and Bane arguing about Hawkman continuity.

Like Nolan's other superhero franchise, this one draws from several Superman storylines, most notably Superman: Earth 2 storyline. This movie portrays a very different version at the beginning than people have come to expect. Rather than being a heroic, stalwart figure from near birth, this version of Clark Kent (Henry Cavill) is directionless. He starts the movie as a drifter working a series of blue collar, paid in cash jobs so that he can remain anonymous. Yet the core of goodness is still there, as often he is forced to leave a job after performing an act as major as rescuing people from a burning oil rig, or as simple as driving off some jerks from a diner. This portrayal is quite different and requires a very open mind to accept. It’s not quite Nolan’s Batman franchise in terms of gritty reboot, but it’s a unique and sometimes uncomfortable take on the character.

Other changes to the familiar origin story are likely to annoy purists, and much has been made about Pa Kent's (Kevin Costner) insistence that Clark remain hidden, and not use his powers to help people like he feels he should. However, Pa Kent provides a far better example through actions than words. In a truly touching scene later on, he simultaneously proves how much he cares about his son and that you cannot always protect people from themselves, something that Superman has often struggled with. I won’t spoil what happens, but it’s a pretty moving scene. This starts Clark’s wandering years, which changes when he discovers the Fortress of Solitude (though it’s never called that).

After activating the Fortress of Solitude (here a derelict Kryptonian colony ship), he accidentally sends out a distress beacon that draw the attention of Zod and his surviving prisoners. He saves Lois Lane (Amy Adams) for the first time, and embarks on his career as Superman in response to the threat Zod poses to the world. Zod himself is one of the best things about the movie. I will tell you right now though, he does not say his famous phrase. After all, it'd speak of creative bankruptcy to revisit an iconic scene for no other reason than it is expected *coughintodarknesscough*. Instead, there is a truly unforgettable scene where Michael Shannon gets to show off his acting chops. You can see Zod's sanity crack, spiderweb into larger fractures, and then shatter into jagged shards of rage. It’s just a shame that the actor plays it with a weird accent or speech impediment that reminds me of Sylvester the cat.

The fight scenes in this movie are by far the best part. It is worth watching for that alone. Never before, not even in the Avengers, has conflict between superhumans seemed so epic and yet so visceral. I would not be surprised if the animators took lessons from Dragon Ball Z and other fighting anime for how to make it look like invulnerable people are actually hurting each other. The end of the big fight with Zod will be a sticking point for some, but it is really an improvement over the same in the comics.

Lois's character is something that I have seen little commentary on, but deserves a lot more scrutiny. Her portrayal here as a brilliant and courageous investigative journalist (with more self-preservation than a lemming) finally strips the character of the last remaining Silver Age misogyny and makes her a truly strong character. In fact, as Clark is pulled between John Kent's insistence he try to live as a normal person, and Jor-El's grandiose proclamations of Kal-El's godlike superiority and noblesse oblige, it is Lois Lane's simple heroism and ethics that provide a better example. She not only figures out he is Clark Kent long before he even comes to Metropolis, but when he does he starts working at the Daily Planet because of her. His search for human identity concluded, he decided that the best example of humanity he could find was Lois Lane. That is something truly unique that I hope bleeds over into other potrayals of the character in the future. It’s just a shame she shares almost zero chemistry with Henry Cavill.

Overall, it is a very good film. Close to perfect. But there are too many little nagging details. The lack of chemistry with the leads, the over-explanation of plot devices, a charismatic villain undermined by a speech impediment, Henry Cavill’s attempt at an American accent forcing him to act wooden…this movie has issues. Nonetheless, it’s probably the most exciting thing you will see this year, at least until Pacific Rim.

4/5 stars.