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Monday, June 17; 2013
The University Daily Kansan
'Man of Steel's' strength lies in hero's humanity
How do you take a character as timeless as Superman and make him timely?
That's the question raised by Zack Snyder's "Man of Steel," a viscerally and emotionally satisfying reboot that takes a calculated risk by redefining nearly every aspect of the Superman mythos with the exception of Superman himself, who remains, as he must, a paragon of unassailable virtue: the high-flying, cow-licked antidote to a world hardened by sorrow and cynicism. The result is the traditional superhero myth writ large; a four-color table of fathers and sons where the expected bouts of skyscraper-shattering action are underscored by a genuine sense of majesty and reverence for one of the most beloved origins in comics.
LEGENDARY PICTURES
The film opens during the final moments of Superman's homeworld of Krypton, a once-great empire whose lust for resources has led to the destabilization of its planetary core. Taking advantage of his people's desperation, the fanatical General Zod (Michael Shannon, sporting a Caesar cut to go with his permanent scowl), stages a bloody military coup, prompting his one-time ally Jor-El (a magnificent Russell Crowe) and his wife Lara (Ayelet Zurer) to send their newborn son Kal-El, the future Supes, to a backwater planet called Earth in an escape pod uploaded with the Codex, a device containing the genetic makeup of every Kryptonian bloodline. The pod crash-lands near a small Kansas farmhouse owned by Jonathan and Martha Kent (Kevin Costner and Diane Lane), who name the child Clark and raise him as their own.
The plot then shifts to Lois Lane (Amy Adams), re-imagined here as a Pulitzer-winning, tough-as-nails war correspondent hot on the trail of a mysterious do-gooder who performs miraculous rescues before vanishing into thin air. Her investigation ultimately leads her to Clark (Henry Cavill, the newest Brit to play an American icon), now fully grown and on the verge of uncovering his destiny. Their relationship, less a romance than a
plea for discretion, is interrupted by the arrival of Zod and his followers, whose decades-long pursuit of the Codex has finally led them to Earth.
Although the resulting clash between Superman and Zod leads to a seismic, Metropolis-leveling brawl that ups the ante for all future superhero showdowns (think "The Matrix Revolutions" finale on visual steroids), the real strength of "Man of Steel" rests on its ability to tug on its hero's cape (and our heartstrings) through its portrayal of Clark's upbringing, particularly the firm moral grounding the Kents instilled in their adopted son. Costner, an actor known for embodying blue-collar wisdom, gives his least egotistical performance in years as a father who simply wants to protect his child from the burden of protecting everyone else.
One of the film's most poignant scenes involves a pre-adolescent Clark barricading himself in the janitor's closet after his X-Ray vision causes him to catch a glimpse of his classmates' vital organs. Martha appears on the other side of the door and calms him down by asking him to block out everything else but the sound of her voice. Never has the humanity of a superhuman seemed so pronounced and relatable. This also speaks to the idea of Superman as the ultimate outsider, an immigrant from the stars who fights crime not out of rage (Batman) or guilt (Spider-Man) but rather a deep and abiding sense of compassion, a quality that makes him unique among superheroes (and most of us in general).
Not everything works. Although the scenes themselves are quite powerful, screenwriter David S. Goyer's decision to show Clark's childhood
entirely in flashbacks robs the narrative of a good deal of its forward momentum, leaving the second act feeling rushed and disjointed before the reappearance of Zod. He also inexplicably omits a scene that, to me, represents the keystone of the entire Superman legend: the discovery of baby Clark by Jonathan and Martha. Imagine if "Batman Begins" had neglected to show us the death of Bruce Wayne's parents!
Fanboy kvetching aside, "Man of Steel" is the biggest and best Superman movie to date, deftly balancing action and emotion while laying the groundwork for some potentially awesome sequels, including the long-prophesied "Justice League" film. In the meantime, though, Snyder
deserves credit for bringing Superman into the 21st century with his optimism and nobility fully intact. In doing so, he has made a film that understands why we still need to believe a man can fly.