"Can I just pretend that you are my father?" pleads the boy, Clark, with his dad, Jonathan, who has just told him he's adopted.
"I AM you father!", Jonathan Kent's voice cracks with emotion as he pulls his son into a touching embrace.
Even seeing that scene in the previews, it made me begin to tear up. When I saw it in the context of the full movie, I had to remove my glasses to wipe the water from my eyes. I'm too much of a softy, I know.
One thing I think Man of Steel managed to pull off, that I liked, was that there was not a shred of campiness in it. And yet there was a softness and human touch to the story --but that did not suffocate me like many films I have experienced that takes themselves too seriously.
Man of Steel was a very satisfying movie experience for me. My daughter, Emily, took me to see it as a Father's Day weekend gift. I loved so many aspects of this latest movie in the Superman franchise of films. I think the film crew at all levels did a superb job.
Highlights for me include:
-What I consider an original and visionary depiction of Krypton with its fluid, organic technology and cleverly designed cultural motifs.
-Russel Crowe's Jor-El was a substantive and well-developed presence throughout the film. I loved how he brought a daring, almost swash-buckling physicality to the role of Superman's dad.
-In a well-done supportive role, Kal-El's Kryptonian mom, Laura, was played with a touching, yet steely Shakespearian heroism in my opinion.
AND I rather liked the non-linear structure of the story, using flashbacks as Clark/Kal-El progressed on his quest to find his origins (although I know many viewers thought it was confusing). Henry Cavill was indeed god-like at times and yet strikingly winsome in his demeanor and screen presence.
For all that was said by critics against the hand-held filming technique used extensively in the film, I think it was both effective and yet stylistically contemporary. In Man of Steel Zac Snyder (300 and Watchmen) has made yet another film with unique and distinguishing cinematography that I think will likely become much-imitated by other filmmakers.
I can't think of any cast member who did not give an excellent performance. I missed seeing a Jimmy Olsen character. But he could be brought in for the sequel. Speaking of setting-up for the sequel, I noticed a LexCorp logo on a tanker truck during Kal-El's battle scene with Zod which hinted at possible plot-lines to come in subsequent installments.
The chemistry between Lois Lane and Clark worked well. Amy Adams dispelled any pre-viewing questions I had about her believability as the Daily Planet reporter.
One the other hand, the battle scenes were a bit longer than I might have felt optimal. This has been a criticism that is not wholly undeserved. But it drove home the concept --gave me time to ponder -- of what a battle of Kryptonian gods would be like in our contemporary world.
Also, I am not yet jaded enough to be un-phased by seeing such mass destruction. Toppling skyscrapers and massive metropolitan human and architectural calamity has become part of our film-making vocabulary since 911. Much like the perpetual destruction of Tokyo in Japanese giant monster movies replaying the devastation of Atomic-bombed cities in the mind-set of that culture, I think the destruction of our iconic twin-towered World Trade Center will continue for some time to make over-the-top colossal destruction of cityscapes a fixture in the psychic landscape of American cinematographic dreams.
Even seeing that scene in the previews, it made me begin to tear up. When I saw it in the context of the full movie, I had to remove my glasses to wipe the water from my eyes. I'm too much of a softy, I know.
One thing I think Man of Steel managed to pull off, that I liked, was that there was not a shred of campiness in it. And yet there was a softness and human touch to the story --but that did not suffocate me like many films I have experienced that takes themselves too seriously.
Man of Steel was a very satisfying movie experience for me. My daughter, Emily, took me to see it as a Father's Day weekend gift. I loved so many aspects of this latest movie in the Superman franchise of films. I think the film crew at all levels did a superb job.
Highlights for me include:
-What I consider an original and visionary depiction of Krypton with its fluid, organic technology and cleverly designed cultural motifs.
-Russel Crowe's Jor-El was a substantive and well-developed presence throughout the film. I loved how he brought a daring, almost swash-buckling physicality to the role of Superman's dad.
-In a well-done supportive role, Kal-El's Kryptonian mom, Laura, was played with a touching, yet steely Shakespearian heroism in my opinion.
AND I rather liked the non-linear structure of the story, using flashbacks as Clark/Kal-El progressed on his quest to find his origins (although I know many viewers thought it was confusing). Henry Cavill was indeed god-like at times and yet strikingly winsome in his demeanor and screen presence.
For all that was said by critics against the hand-held filming technique used extensively in the film, I think it was both effective and yet stylistically contemporary. In Man of Steel Zac Snyder (300 and Watchmen) has made yet another film with unique and distinguishing cinematography that I think will likely become much-imitated by other filmmakers.
I can't think of any cast member who did not give an excellent performance. I missed seeing a Jimmy Olsen character. But he could be brought in for the sequel. Speaking of setting-up for the sequel, I noticed a LexCorp logo on a tanker truck during Kal-El's battle scene with Zod which hinted at possible plot-lines to come in subsequent installments.
The chemistry between Lois Lane and Clark worked well. Amy Adams dispelled any pre-viewing questions I had about her believability as the Daily Planet reporter.
One the other hand, the battle scenes were a bit longer than I might have felt optimal. This has been a criticism that is not wholly undeserved. But it drove home the concept --gave me time to ponder -- of what a battle of Kryptonian gods would be like in our contemporary world.
Also, I am not yet jaded enough to be un-phased by seeing such mass destruction. Toppling skyscrapers and massive metropolitan human and architectural calamity has become part of our film-making vocabulary since 911. Much like the perpetual destruction of Tokyo in Japanese giant monster movies replaying the devastation of Atomic-bombed cities in the mind-set of that culture, I think the destruction of our iconic twin-towered World Trade Center will continue for some time to make over-the-top colossal destruction of cityscapes a fixture in the psychic landscape of American cinematographic dreams.
Similar to the Dark Knight movies (the director of which, Christopher Nolan, also co-wrote Man of Steel) that transcended the Super-hero genre to become more like psychological thrillers, Man of Steel seemed to me to be more like a Sci-Fi epic of the classically philosophical variety. It was no coincidence that Clark shared evocative and telling screen time with a stained glass Jesus backdrop as he consults a priest on the questions of saving a world. The underlying themes of a god-like messiah are shared by the two figures. Isn't the basic wish fulfillment work of the Superman mythos that of the wish for a good man who is not corrupted by immense power?
Speaking of mythos, one critic condescendingly remarked that Man of Steel director Zac Snyder failed to create mythology with his Superman story. But that jab is misplaced. No one man or story creates a mythological tradition. It is woven strand by strand over years of story-telling. I am happy with the visionary and well-placed strands of the Superman myth that Snyder and his team have contributed to the canon.
Speaking of mythos, one critic condescendingly remarked that Man of Steel director Zac Snyder failed to create mythology with his Superman story. But that jab is misplaced. No one man or story creates a mythological tradition. It is woven strand by strand over years of story-telling. I am happy with the visionary and well-placed strands of the Superman myth that Snyder and his team have contributed to the canon.
Official Man of Steel Trailer:
2020 UPDATE: I appreciate this retrospective, positive review of Man of Steel:
BONUS:
• See my comparison of Rotten Tomato reviews for Man of Steel and Superman Returns!
• My Batman v Superman Review
© O. Douglas Jennings. All rights reserved.
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