“My father believed that if
the world found out who I really was, they’d reject me. He was convinced the
world wasn’t ready. What do you think?” – Clark Kent
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| Photo by Clay Enos/Warner Bros |
After a seven-year hiatus, audiences are certainly ready for a Superman reboot but already critics have spoken, somewhat harshly, and their reception to the Man of Steel has been mixed. The question on every comic book fans lips, ‘does the long awaited new Superman measure up to all the hype that preceded it?’ is a difficult one to answer, for some people’s expectations can never be met. While a few may be left disappointed, for the most part, Superman is back and better than ever.
While Christopher Nolan’s name has been widely associated with
production, it is Zack Sydner (300, Watchmen, Sucker Punch) whose hands
are on the wheel of this narrative. Immediate reception has been particularly
snubbing of Snyder due to his overuse of CGI and excessive action sequences,
and although there is truth to that assessment, in my mind, there is much more
than just brawn to this Superman. Although his direction of action is
undeniably bombastic, Snyder has done a formidable job of balancing the
intimate parts of the story with the spectacle, making one Superman fan-boy out
of this cinemagoer.
In past comic-to-film adaptations, there has been a real problem in
finding the human side to the highflying superhero. Previous portrayals have
been sweetly saccharin in flavour, including Brandon Routh and Christopher
Reeves whose niceties and loving all-American attitudes inspired a saint-like
adoration of the character. While I don’t consider Snyder’s impression
particularly dark or gritty, there is a certain amount of realism in his
telling that sheds light on the enigmatic farm boy (for one, Superman has lost
the tight red under bottoms because no man over the age of five would wear
those in the light of day). Snyder has smartly reinterpreted Superman as a
coming of age tale about a boy simply trying to find his place in the world. An
alien to society, Clark Kent is instructed by his human adopted father to keep
that side of himself a secret. After falling from the sky in a space-pod
sent from the planet Krypton, farmers Martha (Diane Lane) and Jonathan Kent
(Kevin Costner) raise the boy as a son like any other. The beating heart of the
narrative is found here in Smallville, Kansas, where a deeply moving family
drama is revealed between mother, father and their alien son who was born to be
different. Dylan Sprayberry, with a remarkable resemblance to Henry Cavill, is
well cast as 13-year-old Clark Kent, and Kevin Costner and Diane Lane’s
performances as his loving parents are particularly heartfelt. But it is the
star of the show, Henry Cavill, who has real resonance and gravitas as the man
in the blue suit, for he is the first of the Superman incarnations to truly
encapsulate the man as both alien and human at the same time. He portrays Clark
Kent, Kal-El and Superman as all one being rather than different identities
which brings humanity to the character and transcends the superhero persona.
Russell Crowe is equally impressive as Jor-El, Superman’s biological
father. Being one of the few male actors who can bring both physical strength
and sensitivity to an action hero, he is truly believable as the father of a
man of steel. In the early scenes, the destruction of Krypton transpires around
him as he readies to launch his newborn son to Earth to save him from the
planet’s imminent destruction. The Christian undertones are subtle but
distinct; Jor-El being a God that sends his only son to save all of humanity, a
young Clark learning to turn the other cheek against those that reject and
wrong him, there is even a direct reference to Clark’s age of 33. Superman is a
Christ-like figure, merely with the additional abilities to fly and shoot red
lasers out of his eyeballs. His fatal cries in the final scenes almost seem to
scream to ‘Why have you abandoned me?’
From fascinating imaginings of alien technology to alien design and
décor, Superman’s home planet is a dazzling treat to behold. The
high-technology suits that the Kryptonians don are especially stunning. There
is also a smart hint towards why Superman wear’s lycra in public; the tight
suit is in fact an undergarment worn by the Kryptonian military under their
armour.
In the final throw, the world is subject to an alien invasion by General
Zod of Krypton (Michael Shannon), whose big spaceships shoot laser beams into
high-rising cityscapes. The scene strongly resembles the terror that was 911;
the small city goers run for their lives as buildings crumble around them,
hundreds and thousands doomed to perish. While the showdown is certainly
indulgent (everything that you imagine could happen, does happen), there are
enough visually stunning elements to bring style to the screen.
Man of Steel is undeniably fun but most importantly it has
revived Superman from the comic book grave. With a strong lead actor and
supporting cast (including Amy Adams whose Lois Lane is a perfect match for the
newbie journalist), the new Superman series is set to fly. Cavill understands
that which makes Superman so likable: he is the epitomic figure of the everyday
man searching for his place in the world. His sensitive portrayal has finally
opened the door to new untold stories; the evolution of Clark Kent
is ongoing (let’s hope he’s taken a crash course in journalism).
