Man of Steel

Released 12th June 2013, Man of Steel is the latest reimagining of Superman on the big screen and also the start of the (rather in-prestigious) DC Extended Universe. Man of Steel shares a similar identity to Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy through it’s grittier presentation of its world as well as its deeper themes. This film places a great emphasis on choice with undertones of religion attached to the pathos of the character. Whilst varying in its subtly, Superman frequently draws parallels from Jesus throughout the film which add a great layer of sophistication to how humanity would view a real-world Superman; the novelty of this idea really aids in forging a fresh identity in what was already becoming an oversaturated subgenre.

Henry Cavill is great as Clark Kent / Superman. Much like the rest of the film, he performs his character with complex nuances that make him feel human while also acknowledging his struggles in blending in with human society. Russel Crowe and Kevin Costner also do great jobs as Jor-El and Jonathon Kent; the biological and adoptive fathers of Clark. They both give a sincere warmth to their interactions with Clark which helps to connect with their perspectives, albeit hindered by some choppy dialogue given to Costner. Michael Shannon is an especially fascinating part of the cast as the antagonist, General Zod. As a character, Zod is written as a static character who is unable to change, however, Shannon is able to deliver so much raw power with every single action that he becomes one of the standouts of the film. Despite a great all-around cast, my only real qualm is Amy Adams’ Lois Lane. Whilst Adams does a great job, Lois often feels like a tag along in the narrative that, with minimal rewrites, could be cut out of the narrative all together; a flaw which drags you out of the 2nd and 3rd acts at times.

This isn’t solely down to Lois Lane though. Whereas the 1st act lays the foundation for an eloquently made narrative (with a semblance of indie quality to it), the 2nd and 3rd act become little more than visual noise at many points. That said, the visual effects are great throughout; they are only dragged down by some compositing in aerial shots and the lack of substance they are often applied to. As for the soundtrack, Hans Zimmer produces a delicate yet powerhouse of a soundtrack which really helps to tie the ideas of the scenes together; an aspect particularly helpful in the final 2 acts. Overall, Man of Steel remains a unique take on the superhero genre with a powerful cast and consolidated technical features. This only gets it so far however due to the plunge taken in the 2nd act which the film is never able to fly above.