MOVIE OF THE WEEK #2 (6/14/13) MAN OF STEEL
KEY CAST MEMBERS: Henry Cavill, Michael Shannon, Kevin Costner, Russell Crowe, Amy Adams, Laurence Fishburne, Christopher Meloni, Diane Lane, Antje Traue, Ayelet Zurer, Harry Lennix and Richard Schiff
WRITER(S): David S. Goyer (Screenplay); Goyer and Christopher Nolan (story); Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster (characters published by DC Entertainment)
DIRECTOR(S): Zak Snyder
WEB SITE: manofsteel.com
60 SECOND PLOT SYNOPSIS: Taking and remixing elements of Superman II from the 80s, Man of Streel begins with the impending doom of Krypton, home of Jor-El (Russell Crowe) and his wife Anna (Ayelet Zurer). Fellow Kryptonian General Zod (Michael Shannon) has an idea how to save the planet and the race, which is much more different than that of Jor-El. Jor-El and Anna have a newborn son and send him off to earth to give him a chance to live ... And that son has no idea just how special he is.
Fast-forward to earth and Clark Kent (Henry Cavill) has trouble holding back his special gifts but follows the advice of his father (Kevin Costner) not to reveal them yet as he will "change the world" once he does. And when he does exhibit his rare gifts, people tend to notice ... Like Daily Planet reporter Lois Lane (Amy Adams) who is sure she is on to a great story once she hears of the mystery man's feats.
But once Zod and his crew come to earth looking to capture Cal-El – a.k.a. Clark a.ka. Superman – to save the Kryptonian race, Lois and the rest of the world might have to brace themselves for the biggest thing to happen to mankind since ... Mankind.
WHO WILL LIKE THIS FILM THE MOST: DC Comics fans, Batman Begins/Watchmen fans, Zak Synder apologists, Michael Shannon enthusiasts and fans of family dramas ... With a LOT of explosions and fight sequences
Fast-forward to earth and Clark Kent (Henry Cavill) has trouble holding back his special gifts but follows the advice of his father (Kevin Costner) not to reveal them yet as he will "change the world" once he does. And when he does exhibit his rare gifts, people tend to notice ... Like Daily Planet reporter Lois Lane (Amy Adams) who is sure she is on to a great story once she hears of the mystery man's feats.
But once Zod and his crew come to earth looking to capture Cal-El – a.k.a. Clark a.ka. Superman – to save the Kryptonian race, Lois and the rest of the world might have to brace themselves for the biggest thing to happen to mankind since ... Mankind.
WHO WILL LIKE THIS FILM THE MOST: DC Comics fans, Batman Begins/Watchmen fans, Zak Synder apologists, Michael Shannon enthusiasts and fans of family dramas ... With a LOT of explosions and fight sequences
WHO WON'T LIKE THIS FILM: Comic book nerds/Superman purists/hardcore dedicated Marvel Comics fans, Bryan Singer apologists ... And quite possibly Brandon Routh
BOTTOM LINE – IS IT GOOD, GREAT, BAD OR DOWNRIGHT AWFUL? Very good – and about as close to a classic as you can get without obtaining classic status.
WHAT'S GOOD (OR BAD) ABOUT IT?: Man of Steel does something many Superman films before it have failed to be able to successfully pull off before: Make him a more compelling individual as both a person and a superhero due to well-constructed, multi-layered story that brings his entire origin, relationship with mankind and motivations into focus.
Snyder, screenwriter David S. Goyer and executive producer Christopher Nolan (yeah, the Batman guy) give this version of Superman his most complete origin story yet, digging deep into the Krypton native's connection to Earth and both sets of his parents while giving a smart, modern twist on his Lois Lane connection. Be it the fate of Krypton to reason our hero wears an "S" on his chest, Man of Steel does its best to intelligently tie the life of Clark Kent together in a complete package.
While some of the film's attempt at humor are as corny and awful as the film tie-in Hardee's commercial, the serious tone exhibited throughout the film coupled with intense action sequences keep the viewer tuned in throughout the film's 2-and-half-hour runtime. Details are not spared an expense in terms of making you understand Superman's conflict without ruining his comic book roots with visuals that draw you in to give you a 360 degree experience of the inherent danger, peril and greatness afoot. Man of Steel is gritty, nuanced, smart and gripping ... Which is something that hasn't been said about the star of Action Comics no.1 in eons.
Of course, no matter how carefully Snyder and company construct things behind the lens, the film would not work without strong performances from its cast, Cavill in particular. Fortunately for audiences who have been clamoring for a movie worth the Man of Steel moniker, the actor is more than up to the challenge. A British-born actor previously best known for his work on the cable show The Tudors, Cavill delivers just about everything you'd want in a modern version of Superman: Steely resolve, an inner conflict that is easy to appreciate ... But at the same time, once he begins to realize his true identity, he exhibits the strength (both physically and mentally) necessary to rise to the occasion.
Likewise, Michael Shannon does a great job at presenting a formidable foe to the hardest superhero to defeat while making the Zod character his own, providing a serious threat that can actually be taken seriously by the audience. Given Superman's cinematic experience pretty much begins and ends with Lex Luthor (yes, he was even connected to the old great portrayal of Zod by Terrance Stamp in the 80s), Shannon does a great job to disconnect his character from his previous cinematic experience with great aplomb.
Albeit abbreviated, Costner does a phenomenal job of playing Pa Kent with a steely-yet-loving resolve as Superman's adoptive father, serving as a nice contrast to the more philosophical approach taken by Crowe as the ever-knowing Jor-El. (While one is practical, the other is more intellectual in his approach, which in turn provides the balance to Clark Kent/Superman ... Yeah, the film's production team and the actors did a really good job with that.) Diane Lane (as Ma Kent) and Adams are effective in bringing the story together as a whole; however, be forewarned this version of Lois Lane is more headstrong than even the one portrayed by Margot Kidder in the original film series. But none of that is enough to short change just how well the cast works together; even the child actors (Dylan Sprayberry and Cooper Timberline, respectively) who portray the superhero during his school age years do a great job at adding layers to the development of the character.
At the end of the day, Snyder and Cavill pull off a feat that for years has seemed impossible: Creating a Superman movie that isn't campy, corny and entertaining in a new cinematic world where moody heroes reign supreme – and with Man of Steel, the duo prove they are worthy of his cape.
WHAT'S GOOD (OR BAD) ABOUT IT?: Man of Steel does something many Superman films before it have failed to be able to successfully pull off before: Make him a more compelling individual as both a person and a superhero due to well-constructed, multi-layered story that brings his entire origin, relationship with mankind and motivations into focus.
Snyder, screenwriter David S. Goyer and executive producer Christopher Nolan (yeah, the Batman guy) give this version of Superman his most complete origin story yet, digging deep into the Krypton native's connection to Earth and both sets of his parents while giving a smart, modern twist on his Lois Lane connection. Be it the fate of Krypton to reason our hero wears an "S" on his chest, Man of Steel does its best to intelligently tie the life of Clark Kent together in a complete package.
While some of the film's attempt at humor are as corny and awful as the film tie-in Hardee's commercial, the serious tone exhibited throughout the film coupled with intense action sequences keep the viewer tuned in throughout the film's 2-and-half-hour runtime. Details are not spared an expense in terms of making you understand Superman's conflict without ruining his comic book roots with visuals that draw you in to give you a 360 degree experience of the inherent danger, peril and greatness afoot. Man of Steel is gritty, nuanced, smart and gripping ... Which is something that hasn't been said about the star of Action Comics no.1 in eons.
Of course, no matter how carefully Snyder and company construct things behind the lens, the film would not work without strong performances from its cast, Cavill in particular. Fortunately for audiences who have been clamoring for a movie worth the Man of Steel moniker, the actor is more than up to the challenge. A British-born actor previously best known for his work on the cable show The Tudors, Cavill delivers just about everything you'd want in a modern version of Superman: Steely resolve, an inner conflict that is easy to appreciate ... But at the same time, once he begins to realize his true identity, he exhibits the strength (both physically and mentally) necessary to rise to the occasion.
Likewise, Michael Shannon does a great job at presenting a formidable foe to the hardest superhero to defeat while making the Zod character his own, providing a serious threat that can actually be taken seriously by the audience. Given Superman's cinematic experience pretty much begins and ends with Lex Luthor (yes, he was even connected to the old great portrayal of Zod by Terrance Stamp in the 80s), Shannon does a great job to disconnect his character from his previous cinematic experience with great aplomb.
Albeit abbreviated, Costner does a phenomenal job of playing Pa Kent with a steely-yet-loving resolve as Superman's adoptive father, serving as a nice contrast to the more philosophical approach taken by Crowe as the ever-knowing Jor-El. (While one is practical, the other is more intellectual in his approach, which in turn provides the balance to Clark Kent/Superman ... Yeah, the film's production team and the actors did a really good job with that.) Diane Lane (as Ma Kent) and Adams are effective in bringing the story together as a whole; however, be forewarned this version of Lois Lane is more headstrong than even the one portrayed by Margot Kidder in the original film series. But none of that is enough to short change just how well the cast works together; even the child actors (Dylan Sprayberry and Cooper Timberline, respectively) who portray the superhero during his school age years do a great job at adding layers to the development of the character.
At the end of the day, Snyder and Cavill pull off a feat that for years has seemed impossible: Creating a Superman movie that isn't campy, corny and entertaining in a new cinematic world where moody heroes reign supreme – and with Man of Steel, the duo prove they are worthy of his cape.
RATING (OUT OF FOUR BUCKETS OF POPCORN):
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