The Man of Steel: A Break Away Version

Posted: 10:06 am, June 27, 2013 by Martha Lewis

This film publicity image released by Warner Bros. Pictures shows Henry Cavill as Superman, left, and Amy Adams as Lois Lane in "Man of Steel." (AP Photo/Warner Bros. Pictures)

Henry Cavill as Superman, left, and Amy Adams as Lois Lane in "Man of Steel." (AP Photo/Warner Bros. Pictures)

This newest installation of the Superman franchise marks a complete break from previous Superman films. 2006′s “Superman Returns” is actually designed to be a sequel to the Christopher Reeve movies of the ’70s and ’80s. “The Man of Steel”, not unlike “Iron Man 3″ and “The Amazing Spider-Man”, attempts to follow the trend set by Christopher Nolan’s “Dark Knight” trilogy in creating an edgier and, yes, darker species of super hero movie. These facts are undoubtedly the motivation of the title which itself re-brands the eponymous hero and refuses to mention his most famous of names. Unfortunately, director Zack Snyder has failed to accomplish as successful and noteworthy a re-branding as Nolan did with Batman and his film are beyond comparison with even the new Spider-Man or Iron Man films.

Henry Cavill is a dashing gentleman while attending the premiere of his latest flick Man of Steel in Madrid, Spain. The 30-year-old British actor was joined o the red carpet by his co-star Russell Crowe and director Zack Snyder, as well as producer Charles Roven..
Photo via Newscom picture alliance

At two and a half hours, one would presume that Snyder would need to edit his film to improve it but in reality it feels as though he should have added elements and perhaps used the material he had for two films rather than one. “The Man of Steel” deals with simply too much material and none of it is really covered in a satisfactory manner.

It is, however, not without its charms or its achievements. I have always felt that Superman itself, the comic, the idea, is greatly flawed. An alien who is many times more powerful than any other being on Earth, who can fly and shoot laser beams from his eyes - surely Superman can have no real rival? His arch nemesis, Lex Luther, should have been easily defeated in their first encounter. That’s not to mention, of course, the most infamous flaw in the Superman tale: the idea that if Superman merely dons a pair of glasses, he can disguise himself as the ordinary Clark Kent, whom no man or woman would identify as Superman.

Luckily, Superman’s alter ego is not an issue for the majority of “The Man of Steel”, nor is the villain a mere Earthling, but a fellow Kryptonian of similar strength. One aspect of the film which I will readily compliment is the choice of Amy Adams as Lois Lane. Traditionally one of the most boring and irksome superhero girlfriends, Adams presents a perfectly likable, if moderately redundant, heroine.

BUT, and this is a relatively big “but”, having lured the audience into a false sense of security, the last five minutes return us to the comics and the previous films as Clark decides to integrate himself into human society. I cannot go into detail without including multiple spoilers but I assure you, you will know what I mean when you watch the film.

Henry Cavill as Superman in “Man of Steel.” The film’s director Zack Snyder says there was never any discussion about altering a pivotal scene involving a twister following recent storms in Oklahoma. (AP Photo/Warner Bros. Pictures, Clay Enos, File)

What “The Man of Steel” can be complimented for, without any “ifs” or “buts”, is its spectacular visuals and stunning final scenes as Superman battles Zod and attempts to thwart his plot to destroy mankind. Snyder, though he often fails to deliver on story, consistently delivers fantastic fights and special effects. Although the plot-line is severely flawed, I would argue that “The Man of Steel” keeps you entertained throughout, merely by giving you something amazing to look at.