Preview 4: Man of Steel

Preview 4: Man of Steel

With as many as fourteen comic book films due out this year I’ve decided to do a series of previews. Each one of these previews will be entirely devoted to one of these releases. With each article I hope to convey what I think could be the gasp-inducing highs as well as the cringe-inducing lows of each film. In the fourth instalment in a series of previews for upcoming comic book movies, I’ll be looking at Man of Steel which is due out this June.

When it was announced that Zack Snyder would be the man to helm the next Superman film, my first impression was not altogether positive. I am a fan of Snyder’s but I wasn’t sure he was the man to propel the character forward; I thought he wasn’t experienced or successful enough with only five feature films that have varied in success to his name, even though Christopher Nolan only had three features before his work on Batman Begins. It seemed for every 300 there was a Sucker Punch (no pun intended). I thought his highly stylised vision of what comic book movies should be wouldn’t fit the mould of a modern Superman film. Also while he is no doubt visually creative, a lot of 300 and Watchmen’s camera shots were lifted directly from the panels of the comics. This was obviously appreciated in relation to those films but Man of Steel has to offer something new, something original. When it comes to Man of Steel you can’t simply transfer a comic panel for panel on to the silver screen and expect it have a lasting impact. In fact upon hearing of his initial appointment, my first reaction was maybe they were doing an alternative Superman film, maybe a Hollywood version of Red Son or something similar. In short, I worried it was asking too much of the director’s capabilities and for a hell of a lot of faith from the audiences around the world clamouring for a new version of the story. My mind has been put at ease a little though with the much anticipated release of the trailer and the positive comments and titbits from Nolan, Goyer and co.

The trailer in particular really whetted my appetite for the June release. I’m a lifelong fan of the first two original films but if I’m being honest I want their superiority in the realm of all-things Superman to be challenged, I want the standard of what’s expected of this franchise to be high above the standards set for any other comic book property on this planet because it’s what the character and the fans deserve. From the very first viewing of the trailer you could tell it was a Zack Snyder film but with a lot more subtlety afforded to the grandiose subject matter than you might expect from Snyder. Obviously this was just the first trailer but it gave me an over-whelming sense of hope that maybe Warner Bros. had gotten this one right (praying I haven’t just jinxed the whole thing).
Another reason for Superman fans to be just a little hopeful is the stellar supporting cast gathered by Snyder and presumably Nolan. With the inclusion of Russell Crowe, Michael Shannon, Lawrence Fishburne, Amy Adams and Kevin Costner the decision-makers have surrounded the production with genuinely talented actors. Russell Crowe and Michael Shannon in particular could very well steal the entire film. Crowe’s presence would lend an air of credibility to even the smallest, most absurd production in Hollywood. He is a true character actor and warrants every ounce of respect and adoration he gets and Shannon for his part has garnered much attention for his strong performances in Revolutionary Road and Boardwalk Empire. The character of Zod in Man of Steel provides Shannon with the opportunity to really showcase his talents by playing a truly sinister and malevolent character.

Among the many criticisms of Superman Returns was the lack of any real physical threat for the Man of Tomorrow to face. We all wanted to see him unleash his true power on someone or something that could punch back, unfortunately it didn’t happen in the 2006 film but with the inclusion of Zod in Man of Steel we can all look forward to the inevitable final showdown between Cavill and Shannon. In fact, if the trailer is anything to go by, we can fully expect to be inundated with shots of Kal-El mid-flight pounding on one Kryptonian or another. The action has certainly evolved from the original Superman movies and it seems as though fans are genuinely going to get a glimpse of an all-action Superman, the likes of which has only been seen on the pages of comics. As well as this, Goyer, Snyder and Nolan have offered us a more grounded (not darker) version of the story. They have openly talked about the idea of this film essentially being a “first contact” story. The logic being that if an alien such as this landed on earth how would the world really react? It may seem like an obvious approach but it gives us a very familiar story from a slightly different view. It also adds to the tragic nature of Superman’s story, as far as he knows he is the last of his kind, alone on a planet of mostly wary strangers, some of them intent on destroying him, some of them trying to befriend him and the rest using him as a reason to hope for a better future.

I realise the release of Man of Steel is four months away and with the exception of a teaser, one full-length trailer and some on-set photos we have not seen too much of the route taken by Snyder and his crew but I am very eager and definitely excited to see the final product. In Henry Cavill, Warner Bros. have an actor who looks the part, with his lean, toned, muscly physique he would not have looked out of place on the set of 300. All that remains to be seen now is if he can play the bumbling fool (Clark Kent) as well as he can look the part of the Kryptonian hero. As a huge fan of (nearly) all-things Superman I can’t wait to buy my ticket, sit my ass in the seat and hopefully find myself watching slack-jawed and wide-eyed with amazement at two and a half hours of sheer cinematic joy. Supposedly there’s a lot riding on the success of Snyder’s Superman but to be perfectly honest right now I couldn’t care less about a Justice League film, I couldn’t care less about if we’ll see a solo Flash project, a new Batman instalment or what Warner Bros. are planning for two years down the line. Right now, all I care about is seeing a Superman film that surpasses the original, about seeing the best possible effort and resources being put in to this project and this character, because regardless of what everyone’s personal preferences are, it can’t be denied that a truly exceptional outcome for Man of Steel would benefit the entire DC Universe.

-Racker