Movie Review: Man of Steel (2013, Warner Bros.)

 ...(...a word of friendly warning: Normally, in reviewing films herein this venue, this viewer typically endeavors to ever so much keep as much of the content of a movie, a surprise to the potential viewer...trying not to give too much away. However, in the case of THIS particular film, considering the unconventional non-linear storytelling involved, as well as the overall general familiarity of this pop culture icon, giving SOME things away seemed somewhat unavoidable, though not altogether totally unveiling. However, if you have not afforded yourself the chance to see "Man of Steel" yet, please be aware of SOME spoilers ahead...JHB)...

...often, whenever the subject of comic book superheroes comes up in conversation, whether amongst friends, family and associates, certain personal favorites are suggested, be they from the Marvel camp, or the opposing DC group...and surprisingly enough, despite the character's undeniable impact upon the realm of popular arts and associated media, as well as from the standpoint of morality, purpose and what he stands for, Superman is not always necessarily upheld as a majority favorite, amongst the masses. Why?? The typical response seems to be that, although Superman's origin, background, evolution and moral stance...up to, including and beyond the moment he official dons the trademark blue tights and red cape...makes for intriguing and compelling drama, his indomitable presence...taking into account what he is capable of...seems discussionarily mute, and without challenge. Hmmm...Understandable, I suppose. I mean, let's face it: considering his infinite level of super powers, there's seems very little that Superman CAN'T do, and there's few foes & weapons capable of offering any respectable challenge to the character, save for the occasional wayward kryptonite rock thrown into the fray, or a little magical hocus-pocus (...even back when I engaged in collecting comics, I was alternately surprised and un-surprised that ol' Supe's vulnerable to magic, and the supernatural...eh, Go Figure), or even a certain mindless, raging, murderous, ancient Kryptonian super-beast, which at one point, outright kills...uh yeah, THAT'S a story for another time, for those unfamiliar. However, there's no denying those who unswervingly harbor an embrace of Superman as an absolute favorite (...like this ardent viewer)...for the very reason of what he embodies, as far as his profound sense of morality, and his stereotypical, albeit still poignant position of 'truth, justice, and the American way'...in all his incarnations, from comic books, to television and feature films...and with that in mind, a uniquely new and unconventional take on the character has now graced the silver screen...a much more compellingly innerspective, serious, and surprisingly enough, a measurably realistic approach to the legend...namely, 2013's "Man of Steel"...

...the planet Krypton is on the verge of a death knell, headed for eventual destruction by implosion, as the result of planetary energy needs having depleted the power of the planet's core, itself. Scientist Jor-El (Russell Crowe) and militant General Zod (Michael Shannon), although in arguementatively direct opposition of each other, as far as their approach in dealing with the matter, DO agree on one thing: the legacy of Krypton must live on. So, while Zod attempts an ill-timed and executed coup, in an attempt to commandeer control of the planet's governmental council, and assume absolute power, Jor-El and his wife, Lara, prepare their newborn son, Kal-El, for emergent interplanetary travel...with boundful intent upon sending him to a known fertile and populated planet, galaxys away...by their standards, a technologically primitive planet, with a yellow sun theoretically capable of giving him unlimited strength and powers, but nonetheless, a planet which will sustain him. Before Zod can stop the launch, the minuscule escape craft is rocketed into the outer reaches of space, bound for it's intended and fateful destination. In a futile attempt to coerce the destination of the ship from Jor-El, Zod ruthlessly kills the scientist, leaving him dying in the arms of Lara. Soon after, Zod's forces are neutralized, captured, and it becomes the unanimous decision of the council, despite the ultimate and inescapable fate of Krypton, that Zod and his conspirators are confined to the eternal, cross-dimensional dirges of the Phantom Zone. However, as the result of the devastating implosion of the planet, the portal to this dark, other-worldly prison is reopened, and Zod & his fellow confinees are released...with the relentlessly obsessed intent upon finding Kal-El...for it seems he unbeknowingly holds the key to potentially creating and repopulating a whole new Kryptonian world...for Zod to ultimately rule...

...driven instinctively toward the Northern territories, a young Clark Kent (Henry Cavill) protectively resigns himself to a sheltered, nomadic existence...moving place to place...different names, jobs, residences, here and there...sometimes outright forced to move on, when either confronted with situations where his 'special abilities' are inadvertently and outwardly exposed in emergent, sometimes life-preserving occurrences, or to avoid confrontation with imposing wayward adversaries...someone who might goad and push him into actual physical conflict, which again would expose his unusual 'differences'. Amidst having to constantly move around, Clark cannot help but reminisce back to adolescent times, in the little farming town of Smallville, with his adapted parents, Jonathan and Martha Kent (Diane Lane)...times when, like now, he unexpectedly found himself emergently reacting to dangerous, life-threatening situations...performing feats of sometimes-witnessed astounding ability, or avoiding physical response to bullying situations...his emerging and progressively developing abilities, confusing him...even causing him discomfort, as he attempts to adjust to these extraordinary super-human powers. It is one fateful day, in the midst of this confusing stage of Clark's life, when his adaptive father reveals...the space craft that brought Clark to Earth, and an accompanying key with a strange, identifying glif. Jonathan (Kevin Costner) suggests to Clark that, being clearly different from human beings, with powers beyond that of human beings, he was nonetheless suspectedly sent here for a reason...that he, his surrogate father, still loved him dearly, and had warily prepared for the day that Clark would eventually need to leave the confines of his Smallville town, to seek out his destiny...his very purpose, in his adapted world. All of these recollections tragically culminate in yet another fateful day when, during a monstrously horrific, tornado-laden storm, Jonathan is abruptly and fatally taken by the deadly windstorm, as he attempts to save another's life...

...not surprising, in recognizing that fate has an uncanny way of ironically juxtapositioning people, places and events, a team of scientists, covertly stationed beneath a small mountain formation in the north, keenly and curiously study a strange, seemingly unworldly metal formation, deeply buried within the suspect ground mass. Clark, drawn to this area, and cautiously hanging in the shadows, as he conducts his own exploration, makes his way into the mountain...though, not without notice, as he is wistfully observed by the sharply aimed camera lens of Daily Planet reporter Lois Lane (Amy Adams), dispatched to conduct her own investigation of the strange goings-on, in the area....

...inside the mountainous camouflage, Clark...doggedly, albeit covertly followed not too far behind by Lois...discovers an alien craft, and with great caution, enters the structure. Activating the craft with the strangely gliffed key, bequeathed to him by his surrogate Earth father, Clark inexplicably finds himself interfacing with the programmed, holographic image of his true father, Jor-El, who reveals Clark's true name, his true heritage, as well as a retelling of the fateful and explosive final days of Krypton, his reasoning for sending Kal-El into the vast, unknown void of space, and his heartfelt beliefs, as far as Kal-El purpose and destiny, amongst the Earth populous. In stumbling about the craft and rendering herself unconscious, Lois is eventually found and rescued by Kal-El; with what she believes is the 'scoop' of the century, she returns to the Daily Planet with her incredibly astonishing story, but is denied publication by editing publisher, Perry White (Lawrence Fishbourne), who relegates her outrageous account as delusional. Remaining unswayed, as far as finding the truth in this extraordinary matter, Lois tracks Clark back to Smallville, once again encountering him, and in hearing his story firsthand, she decisively recants on her intent to expose what is clearly in her mind, the most amazing account, in human history...

...BREAKING NEWS: ...a mysteriously overriding and interruptive broadcast, transmitted world-wide, from someone clearly alien in nature...announcing himself as General Zod, adamantly and without question, demands the of human race to release into his custody, a supposed similar alien being, whom he claims has, for years, been hiding amongst them. He also demands that if within earshot of the broadcast, Kal-El should peaceably and unconditionally surrender himself...or else, the human race would pay a catastrophic price for his defiance. The question is, why does Zod insistently want Kal-El to surrender himself...and WILL he?? What supposed devastation and destruction will ensue, if and when Kal-El refuses these demands?? And what of the two massively formidable alien ships, strategically positioned...or perhaps aimed in direct-opposite-to-each-other orbits, high above the planet's surface??...

...ya' know?? There's no denying that there are certain expectations of a filmed 'Superman' production...expectations which have been readily apparent, going as far back as the golden days of cinema, when actor Kirk Alyn donned a much more long johns-like set of tights and cape, in the late '40's. Super Flights. Super Fights. Super Powers. Super 'POWS'. Evil and Crime Seeing It's Due. And of course, that distinct flavor of tongue-in-cheek comic book campiness, amidst the proceedings...and yet, surprisingly enough, "Man of Steel" eschews almost all of that comfortable sense of humor and camp, in favor of something much more compellingly serious, with an emphasis of transplanting the 'Superman' mythos into a genuine facet of modern day society. It's as if the powers that be, behind the concept of re-imagining this legend, wanted to ask some most interestingly thought-provoking questions: How would the world of 'today' realistically react, giving witness to the extraordinary events of a super-powered being...with abilities almost god-like...the ensuing issues associated with dealing with such a person, and any problems/conflicts, which might arise, as the result of such a being's presence?? How would such an alien being feel about being so different...being so incredibly powerful, and yet, want ever so much to fit in...be accepted?? And you know something?? Having been afforded some time to digest this vastly unconventional approach to the 'Superman' legend, this viewer really must conclude...Hey, this approach actually DOES work...

...of course, assuming this suggested, unconventional, considerably more innerspective and coming-of-age approach, as "Man of Steel' clearly reflects, does not in any way deter the anticipatorily dazzling comic book dynamics and prerequisite 'superhero' action...no-siree-bob!! The distinct flavor and design of the film's opening chapter, depicting the instability and tension enshrouding the progressively degradating and explosive conditions of the Krypton world, seem almost suggestive of a clever melding of the worlds of Frank Herbert and H.R. Giger, with it's battle-wrought structures, it's surrealistically rendered bio-technology, and even the seemingly functional, organically medieval-looking garments of the assorted populous. Conveniently flight-capable, bio-engineered hybrid creatures abound in this world, giving an inspirational nod to "Avatar", of course...maybe even a sly nudge towards the surrealistically and other-worldly creatures, often depicted in "Heavy Metal' magazine, but overall...hey, this definitely goes far in making one forget about any expectantly conventional organics, as featured in the past (...uh, anyone ACTUALLY remember Krypto, the normal-looking Superdog??). And there's no lacking in powerhouse battles sequences herein; the well anticipated and fatefully eventual confrontation between Kal-El and General Zod is nothing short of jaw-dropping...the aftermath and destruction of which resembles more along the lines of a devastating, earth-shattering disaster movie, rather than just the result of a mere comic book-like, mano-a-mano, duke-it-out between super-powered opponents...once again reflective of a much more realistic approach to the proceedings...

...actor Henry Cavill is exceptionally adequate as the titular legend...powerfully striking in appearance, with the prerequisite square-jawed intensity, and statuesque inflection. Once again suggesting the functionality of Kryptonian clothing, Superman's signature garb is much more shaded in color, uniquely mesh-weaved & accessorized in texture, and the often curious-looking 'trunks on the outside' look is eschewed, in favor of a much more sleekly linear design (...reportedly based upon a latter design, used in recent comic book issues), which dynamically serves to bolster and accentuate the character's muscular build...almost Herculean in appearance, in early parts of the film, sans costume. Cavill's portrayal of the character is rather mindfully intent, a bit naive & arrogant, and yet morally self-assured, confident & seasoned, in the sense of possessing first, the inspired wisdom of his Earth father, Jonathan, and second, his newly discovered natural father, Jor-El. At times, in further pushing himself, as far as his powers, once the traditional red and blue garb is donned, Kal-El is seen to be genuinely enjoying himself, and having a good time...especially in flight (...despite the clear difference in standards, even with Superman...hey, it's the little things that makes life worth living, right??); and yet, in the film, there are also intense moments of undeniable anger in that expressively square-jawed visage...not nearly as 'scary' as the chilling, albeit quite moving moment when the late Christopher Reeve's Superman took to the skies, after Lois Lane dies in his arms...but still, quite unnervingly formidable (...uh, this viewer sure as heck wouldn't want to be around, in the midst of such anger...)...

...initially seen in the film's opening chapter on the entropically unstable Krypton, then later, as a ghostly holographic 'mentor', Russell Crowe is a genuinely inspirational, and yet, intently purposeful presence, in the guise of Kal-El's natural father, Jor-El, with his best moments taking place, in interacting with his son...waxrapsonically, albeit pridefully speaking of Kryptonian heritage, how he imagines the kind of person Kal-El should be, and how he can best serve the world's collective humanity, he has readily tried to adapt into (...with this viewer's favorite line being about humanity working in tandem with Kal-El...stumbling, falling, rising to join him in the sun, and working wonders...). Equal to the task of further inspiration, though on a different, more down-to-earth (...quite literally) level, Kevin Costner is fleetingly markable as Jonathan Kent...wisely grizzled and open-minded...emoting a slight sadness, in knowing that one day he would have to release Clark to the world; a delicatedly hard-working man, devotedly embraced of the land...instilling Clark with a profound sense of human morality, a motivating and wonder-filling desire to find out what's out there...a dedication towards fair justice & helping the other guy, yet knowing full well that Clark can only go so far, in 'helping', lest he becomes scrutinized as something abnormal, even freakish. An almost prophetic vision...foreseeing Clark as attaining a level of greatness, far beyond the limitations of mere mortal men...perhaps with an unavoidable twinge of human arrogance. Two fathers...light years apart...though both equally wise and inspirational...clearly, and quite literally the best of both worlds, in this respect...

...Michael Shannon, one of the more under-appreciated character actors of the past couple of decades, having starred in such notable features as 2000's "Tigerland", 2006's "Bug" and last year's "Mud", is quite relentless and formidable, in the role of General Zod. It was very interesting to see the character played up to something much more than the straight-out comic book villain, which general audiences and comic book aficionados alike, have come to know. As mentioned previous, right from the start, Zod proves to have parallel intent, with regards to preserving the Krypton legacy, in light of the planet's impending destruction, but given the character's self-serving sense of grandeur, his motivations are clearly polar opposite that of his intellectual and political adversary, Jor-El, and Shannon proves up to the task, playing up that merciless sense of grandeur, giving the character considerably greater depth, even after having escaped Krypton's apocalyptic doom, doggedly pursued Kal-El across the galaxy, and having initiated his diabolical plans to create and repopulate a new Kryptonian world...even if he has to exterminate another world's people, in order to accomplish that very thing...

...surprisingly enough, and yet in a way, understandable, not only does this re-interpretation of Superman lay low as far as the often suggested romance between the super-powered character and newspaper reporter Lois Lane...the vibrant, always suspecting character herself, though remaining integral to the story, doesn't seem to have a level of prominence in the film, readily known in most TV and movie adaptions...almost playing off as something just slightly more of a secondary character. Granted, actress Amy Adams (...of 2007's "Enchanted", 2009's "Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian" and 2011's "The Muppets", amongst others) adequately hits the mark, as far as Lois' trademark ability to get in way over her head, and bite off more than she can chew, in being so doggedly determined to get her story (...this viewer always imagined, at some point, after so many rescues, Superman rolling his eyes and gives a 'tsk', whenever the call goes out, for him to get Lois out of trouble, again); however, in this production, one cannot help but think that the character is appearance-wise, measurably ill-used...yet another suggestion, as to how different this take on Superman, reveals itself to be...though one cannot help but suspect that possible...or a better word, invariable sequels, will explore that relationship, more in depth, as events progress and develop...

...given an open mind, and a resignation that ideas and concepts DO get revisited and re-invented...some with measurable success...this viewer would have to say that director Zack Snyder's inventively high-tech overhaul of the Superman mythos, without a doubt poses great merit, and quite frankly, is a genuine wonder to experience. Granted, it still collectively remains how "Man of Steel" will ultimately stand up, and be accepted by general audiences and comic book aficionados alike (...some of us are still recollectively ouching, from the stumble that WAS 2006's "Superman Returns"). However, if this film is any indication of the suggested direction and realistic approach, with which the imaginative powers that be, are inclined to carry forth with this 'legendary' character's beginnings (...aptly described, considering the production company involved), as well as the ensuing franchise, then this viewer would most assuredly have to conclude that the best is yet to come. At a certain poignant point in the film, Superman tries to assure a military commander, who has suggested keeping close tabs on his activity, that he is here to help the planet's collective humanity, and that he CAN be trusted, but he has to do it HIS way. The commander doubtingly responds by asking, "...and how can we trust in THAT??" "...you'll just have to trust me, that all," suggests the Man of Steel, "...and besides, even if you don't...what are you going to do about it??" What indeed?? Sheesh, how much more realistic can one get, than THAT...right?? Way ta' go, Supes!!!