Man of Steel (spoiler alert)

Look to the right folks.
  
This is the origin of an icon: summed up in 8 words & 4 beautiful panels (gotta love Frank Quitely art).

There are always going to be reboots, retellings, and reimaginings in comic book movies, but with Superman these are the 4 points NO ONE MUST EVER SCREW WITH... Mind you, the finer detail will always apparently be "fair game" (sigh), and so came Warner/DC's Superman reboot: "Man of Steel".


 I was a week late to the party with seeing this, despite scouring online for trailers, youtube for the music from those trailers, and haunting forums waiting for any morsel about the plot.  What with the increasing wait, i found myself reading reviews and then giving in to spoilers.  The upshot being that before I sat down tonight I knew what was coming, and between a review I now annoyingly can't find, & Superman comic writer Mark Waid's own blog write up, I wasn't looking forward to it anymore...  In fact I was ready to come out sulking!

I'm sorry to report to the friends hoping for the "monkey throwing faeces type temper tantrum" rant I actually was expecting to launch into... it's not gonna happen. There were parts I did actually quite like, and yes there are certainly bits I really hate, but mostly I just am not passionate enough about what I've just watched (not even sure I'll get it on DVD/Blu-ray).  I certainly want to raise some issues though (who am I to resist an itch to vent).  

Lets start with...

Parents
Everything I'd read/ heard about before tonight all seemed to have massive issue with Pa Kent in this film; that he was cold and not the inspiration to Clark that makes him embrace humanity, that a secret identity was more important than lives along the way.  Yet what I saw was a Pa (played brilliantly by Kevin Costner) who was fiercely devoted to his son's wellbeing, and utterly convinced of that son's future importance in the world.  My only reservation with this is that at times his language seemed kind of messianic; like he religiously believed in this and elevated his son to such a status.  An example possibly being his death.
Clark could have saved Pa easily from the tornado, and yet didn't on his father's request.  Pa feared that Clark would be revealed and he willingly accepted death to protect his son for his great future, which Clark understood, yet he obviously carries the choice to obey and not act as a guilty burden, but one he can manage as there was a "reason" for it to happen.  This is meant to be a defining event that shapes Superman, which it does, but differently from past incarnations of the character (both film and comics).
Pa Kent died every other time from a heart attack; something even Superman cant fight, cant rescue you from.  That loss and it's cause teaches Clark to realise that everyone loses no matter how powerful they are, and it is meant to humble him.
Having your father effectively commit suicide because of his belief in you as a higher being, which he's been instilling in you your whole life could possibly have a different effect one might say?
Regardless, Costner was superb.

Russell Crowe again was good, in fact to my mind was even better after Jor-El's death as the hologram memory of Clark's biological father... only who the hell was Jor-El??  Who was the armour wearing, arse kicking beardy man swinging a laser rifle around and sky diving into (matrix style) birthing pools?
Jor-El is a scientist & Superman is the son of scientists!  Also, if  this movie claims everyone on Krypton is bred for a specific task, and Jor-El was born a SCIENTIST, where exactly did he get those moves (or the armour) from??
Moving on I actually enjoyed his later involvement in the story, if only as it ditched the warrior tag and gave us back the wise teacher we know (Les Mis forgiven.. nearly).
One last point on Jor-El, call me old fashioned, but the idea of Lara being alone at the end of Krypton just felt wrong.  Jor-El & Lara die together, consoling each other at the destruction of their world, and bolstering each other with the hope that their son will live... Ultimately they die in each others arms.

Zod, Faora & Non... wait! where was Non???
I think that big masked hulky Kryptonian soldier in the Smallville 2 on 1 was meant to be him, or a nod to him???  Either way- CRAP!
Faora, Zod's resident psycho loyalist was just right. Relishing in her powers, or just as vicious without them; other reviews rated her a major plus in the film.  For the most part I agree.
Michael Shannon's Zod did indeed seem formulaic with short sighted logic and thinking that just didnt add up (on Earth you are powerful and you know the environment is better, so... why destroy Earth and make New Krypton instead).  
I realise folks are relieved for something other than Terence's Stamp on it (see what I did there), but it wasnt till that final battle sequence that I appreciated what the character was thinking.  Here was someone who was potentially a massive victim of the Kryptonian Aldous Huxley-esque genetic control nightmare: bred solely to defend his world and knowing/ caring for nothing else he leads a coup to replace failed leadership, murders Jor-El for throwing away (in his mind) their last hope, chases Kal-El across the galaxy for the answer to the rebirth of his race.  So when his followers are sucked into the phantom zone, and the last remaining Kryptonian foetuses are destroyed, he has nothing to live for.  No function but to wallow in absolute failure at his sole reason for living being taken from him... so he in the end he goes vengefully, desperately postal!  Crushed, and wildly demented he probably was only going to be stopped by death.

Doesnt make that death right though.  I mean sure it may have been "just", but it didnt feel right.

This has caused massive MASSIVE issue all over forums; Superman killing Zod like he does (see Mark Waid again for the general opinion), and I have to agree.  I could have believed it better if Superman actually looked like he cared before that moment.

Oh wait.. I am disappointed and a bit ranty actually.. and 3,2,1.

The film insists on reiterating to us that the symbol of the house of El means "Hope", that Kal-El is a hope for a new better fluffier Krypton, and Clark is a hope for a guiding inspiration for mankind.  You are meant to take those two hopes and merge them into Superman, a beacon for hope and a shining example of humility, kindness, empathy, and strength to protect and inspire.
Henry Cavill was good enough as Clark/Kal (nobody wanted to say Superman, or they had to say sorry for doing so), and I felt you could warm to him as Superman, but the writing/staging didnt give you much of a chance.  Where was the Superman who saves first, punches second?  Where were the rescues that made you cheer and feel elated? Where was the fanfare?? (Sorry, it's Superman.. he needs one)  The peoples lives come first, no matter if it's one or one thousand, even if the villian potentially gets away (for a bit)..

That's the tough choice Superman constantly makes, which makes people have faith in him, support him and ultimately trust him.. Not massive collateral damage fights which he NEVER tries to take away from innocent civilians.  In the entire movie Superman only actively breaks from a fight (incidentally I'm not talking about the "high stakes/ life and death/ he loses we're all buggered" fight with postal Zod) to save 3 separate individuals or check to see if they are alright; 2 of them already trust him anyway (Lois & Ma Kent).  This is the major issue with Zod's death and the fight leading up to it: you never see Superman dealing with the fallout of the fight, having to handle the demented unstoppable Zod AND strive to protect innocent lives at the same time.  He just doesnt seem to care or notice; he causes a ton of the damage (and probably  rather a bit of death) himself.  How is a nation or world going to willingly default into trust and faith in this being, if he doesnt show them obvious compassion? 

Case in point: granted it wasnt a battle as severe as the Zod fight in "MAN OF STEEL", but in an issue of the AMAZING "All Star Superman", Supes leaves an battle/ investigation and heavy emotional chat with Lois (he's about to die) to stop a girl he has realised is about to commit suicide, and console her.  HE CARES DAMMIT!!!!!

I genuinely believed Michael Shannon in those last few seconds, as he was trying to kill that family (who quite frankly deserved the Darwin Award for not running to the left anymore and just huddling and crying).  Zod meant every word, and yes putting him down may have been the only awful way to stop him, but you can't just facelessly blow stuff up (to the point of your audience getting bored) for 20mins without seeing the actual threat to people and the human emotional impact that would be forcing Superman, pulling at him to fearfully feel justified to use such a last resort.

This is Superman; we're talking about a character who's post crisis (er..big event, 1985, total company reboot.. oh I'll tell you another time) incarnation faced a similar quandary and killed an alternate universe Zod using Kryptonite, only to have a near mental breakdown/ split personality disorder develop from the guilt.  Don't get me wrong, Cavill showed pain after with that big screamy moment... but most people werent exactly getting a sense of urgency from him beforehand.  Also, ALSO "Superman" seemed to be fine with wiping out an entire civilisation of unborn babies, and thus ending the remaining Kryptonian race just before that fight, when he was playing tonsil hockey with Lois and cracking a really bad joke...  Incidentally I did smile once in this film, that award goes to the again brilliant ("& beautiful"- quote from my wife) Diane Lane (Ma Kent) and her "Nice suit" line... or whatever the deuce she exactly said.

Incidentally, I've had to listen/ read other people going on about how SUPERMAN RETURNS wasn't a Superman movie as Brandon Routh didn't throw a punch once and there was no big Super-fight; EVEN THOUGH Christopher Reeve (still the king.. just sayin' Henry) never hit anyone in SUPERMAN THE MOVIE, and we all loved him for it regardless.  Now most people are going on about this flick being too destructive, and Superman not being a saviour type hero much....???  Make up your minds!

Better yet, re-watch SUPERMAN RETURNS, and then tweet Bryan Singer and Brandon Routh to apologise for your heinous error.  As my wife said after watching MAN OF STEEL.. "The other one was better".  She must be right, she took me to see that film in 2006 and now I've married her.  Good film, critically reviewed well at the time, yet everyone now claims they're lying... Confused. So was I.

Anyway

I've missed someone.. hmm.. Oh yeah!  Lois!  Fair enough, yeah I liked her (sorry, all I've got on this).  I also don't quite agree with several accusations that the romance was forced.  She and Clark were definitely connecting and caring more and more for each other as the film continued.  Maybe the kiss was unnecessary, and didnt really feel like the payoff hoped for by the makers.. but it didnt offend me much.. joke after.. that did.

MAN OF STEEL was clearly a sci-fi film, but it lack key emotional/ character elements that made it a SUPERMAN film.  This is less the cast and more the failure, or infact just the nature of the writers & director.  The film had Zack Snyder all over it; from POINTLESS INFURIATING shaky handy cam use on Krypton, to CGI destruction and threat with no soul buried in there whatsoever.. only bleakness.  I saw 300 and WATCHMEN like most of you (avoided SUCKERPUNCH like a plague though), and he suited those films, because he suited those stories.  I was so disappointed when I heard he was directing this; I knew effects would be impressive, but I feared for character and emotion and layered storytelling.  Then I saw the trailers, and despite the colour palette my confidence actually rose, I got excited!!... but in the end I almost got exactly what I was expecting from the very moment I heard who was director on this film. 
David Goyer is still an undecided for me.. though I was also wary: I loved BLADE, Goyer was instrumental in making comic films good and popular, but the more control he got on the BLADE films, the less I liked each one..  The only thing I actively remember about BLADE: TRINITY is kinda wishing I looked like Ryan Reynolds with that beard.  Incidentally, my big excitement for next summer is the GODZILLA remake, but I've just read Goyer wrote that too... hmmm.  Goyer has clearly done good for a genre he must love, but he's done bad too.
Gonna be honest.. and I've had time to ponder on this; I'm not sure Christopher Nolan suits the Superman universe.  I cannot deny I LOVE his BATMAN films, but Batman and Supes are not the same.. never will be, not really.. no matter how much comics writers draw parallels.  Batman is always dark, will never be a figurehead; even though DARK KNIGHT RISES ended with him being elevated in the end, it was only "posthumously" as a legend or inspirational story.  Superman is a figurehead that has to be front and centre; soaring high,  guiding like a beacon.  No matter what happens to him through the duration of the story, in the end he has to stand tall and cause everyone else to look up to meet him there.  He is Hope.
Nolan's films: MEMENTO, INCEPTION, THE PRESTIGE, and Batman as a character himself when at his best (yes I know Nolan didnt create him) are all things darker than this, more bleak.

In fact, because of all that had just happened- maybe bleak and sad is how this film should have naturally ended.. but you can't have that, I've already told you.. not with a Superman movie.  So how do you correct this?  
Simple, by shoe-horning in a really badly judged and just plain awkward scene IMMEDIATELY after Supes' victory/emotional defeat, where he squares off with General Sandwich (or whatever the bloody hell his name was) over a satellite and convincing the world to trust him.  It's a humour scene, which might have been okay BUT JUST NOT AT THAT MOMENT IN THE MOVIE.. it kills what had just previously happened rather than soothe it.
Also, the Daily Planet ending... the "and now we've arrived at the Superman world everyone knows and loves, ready for the next film" ending was just weird and almost felt a little "lets wink at the audience" like to me:

• NO ONE seemed freaked by what had just occurred.
• Lombard was suddenly actually behaving like Lombard, but sorry, no way Michael Kelly (as good an actor as he is mind you) makes sense visually as Steve Lombard (read wiki, I can't be bothered to give a character bio on this).
• I thought the Daily Planet building was levelled during the battle?
• Where the HELL was Jimmy Olsen????  Who is Jenny exactly???  If you say that they needed a woman for that impressive emotional "we're all gonna die" moment with Perry White (Yay Fishburne!), I'll tell you to jump: why would the effect have been any less if the trapped victim was a scared teenage boy looking to a potential father figure???  At least that would have provided some symmetry to Clarks' father issues maybe as an extra payoff?  Don't get me wrong, Rebecca Buller was great in that moment, but WHY cut a character who is almost as tied to the mythos as Lois and more so than Perry??
• Sorry Clark, glasses didnt fool anyone... and why bother.. Lois, the whole of Smallville, and any detective worth his salt does or will know who you are.  I fear this element is not going to work without revision.. or at least some convincing journalism experience and qualifications Clarky boy.

This film felt more like a one off story, an Elseworlds tale for the DC line like RED SON or GENERATIONS.  Also, this film doesnt feel like it needs a sequel. A sequel would be smaller in scale by comparison just by the earthbound villian you had to introduce, and the need for Superman to actually do superfeats on earth (let's leave Brainiac for a 3rd one shall we.. if it gets that far).  Yet, I fear that would seem like a step down/ or climb down in people's eyes, against the escalation nature of the sequel...  Nolan's Batman movies are an example of that grand increase- RISES was huge compared to BEGINS.

The emotional turmoil of the return of Kryptonians, the death of Zod, ridiculous collateral damage forever changing a city and possibly a nation, Superman having to prove himself against possible mistrust in light of these invaders like him.. now there's your sequel right there!!

Oh bugger, done it already?..  

Jumped the gun a bit there I guess....  

What now then, where do you go from here to save it?...

Ah well, there's always hope.

All images sourced via google and are not owned by the author.