Superman Reborn

Rating: 7/10 (24 July 2013)

It's shocking and strange seeing such divisiveness among critics and audiences over a film as there is for 'Man of Steel'. I advocate for 'Man of Steel' not simply because it's a summer blockbuster with excellent action scenes, special effects and visuals, but because it is only the tip of the iceberg for a reinvented Superman for a more cynical age. It has more to offer than the sum of its parts.
The story opens to the birth of Kal-El, the first naturally-born Kryptonian child in centuries. Jor-El, Kal's father, tries to warn the council of the planet Krypton's imminent destruction, but General Zod stages a coup against the council and attempts to have Jor-El killed. Kal-El is launched into space shortly before Zod and his followers are imprisoned in the Phantom Zone and the planet Krypton is torn apart from within. Kal's ship arrives at Earth, where he begins a new life as Clark Kent. Because of his powers, Clark grows up alienated from the rest of society and searches for the truth of his origins. He discovers a crashed Kryptonian spacecraft in the arctic and learns of his true heritage from the preserved consciousness of Jor-El. Jor-El instructs him to perfect his powers to become a symbol of hope for humanity, bestowing him the blue and red-caped suit. Meanwhile, Lois Lane of the Daily Planet reaches out to Clark and makes him feel accepted among humanity through her companionship. But Earth is threatened when General Zod and his cohorts, escaped from the Phantom Zone, demand Clark's surrender in exchange for the planet's safety.
'Man of Steel' is an origin story in a similar vein to Richard Donner's 'Superman', but is much more grounded in reality, like The Dark Knight trilogy. During the second act, the story is told through a non-linear series of events in the present and flashbacks to Clark's adolescence, benefitting the pacing. These flashbacks demonstrate how much Clark was able to turn the social weaknesses of youth into his adulthood strengths, making Clark that much more human and relatable despite his alien heritage.
In this cynical age, Superman risks becoming an irrelevant and dated figure of heroism, showing him as the unfinished Man of Steel offers a chance to reconstruct that image. Batman and Spiderman underwent similar evolutions, and so Superman is in the midst of that. The Donner films are excellent, but hold the trappings of the 70s/80s. The film's atmosphere is more jaded but has moments of hope, and there's a scene when Jonathan Kent himself questions whether Clark should let his powers be known to the world, even at the cost of human lives, because he fears for his son's life. Although Jonathan doesn't believe in his own words, the need for such a figure of surety and hope in Superman is incredibly powerful, as Clark must challenge his Kryptonian heritage for his earthly home to become that symbol for humanity.
Henry Cavill is possibly the best Clark Kent/Superman since Christopher Reeve; displaying high moral fibre and restraint when under stress as an outcast, and came across as kind and courteous when at ease. I saw him as the very best a man can humanly be. I also really enjoyed his thrilled reaction to discovering his powers of flight. Amy Adams provides a spunky, compassionate and sharp-eyed Lois Lane, who takes part in the story in a heroic light. Both Cavill and Adams share a budding chemistry that doesn't quite match the strong chemistry between Reeve and Margot Kidder, but what's important is that there's a foundation to start from. As Jor-El, Russell Crowe gives a solid and empowered performance as a man to inspire honour and courage in Clark, and Kevin Costner worked well as a reserved and guarded Jonathan Kent, cautioning his son regarding his powers. Out of all the cast, these four stood out the most for me.
Compared to many superhero movies, 'Man of Steel' is wanting for humour. Some people accuse the film of being a Michael Bay movie, but consider the welcome absence of Bay's typical racial stereotypes, lazy scripts, lowbrow and racist humour, and questionable directorial choices. I'd rather have few attempts at okay humour than plenty of questionable, dirty jokes. I will say that if Snyder can work in more wit, charm and good humour into the sequel, it would help more than he might know.
The action is executed remarkably well and provides a sense of scale and fragility of civilisation, demonstrating how super-powered beings in combat would fight in real life. However, sometimes less is more, and some slightly less intense action scenes would have helped stakes remain high. It annoys me when no-one bats an eye about property damage and gratuitous action scenes in 'Pacific Rim' or 'Avengers', yet go ballistic towards 'Man of Steel', a superhero movie where action is expected. In war, buildings are destroyed and casualties will be high. Snyder can't be blamed for not shying away from the horrors of destruction.
The usual criticisms aren't invalid, as people were expecting a more balanced Superman movie. But, Snyder, Nolan and Goyer do understand Superman and his symbolic importance in the comics, but for that symbol to have meaning, they have shown him at his rawest and grittiest before his timely perfection (I hope). What it may lack in humour, it compensates in moments of awe and inspiration. Ultimately, 'Man of Steel' is like an unfinished marble statue with clearly defined features and a certain rough-hewn appeal, but needs a little refinement in order to become the absolute perfect Superman of our time, and maybe beyond.