An entertaining, adventurous Superman

Rating: 9/10 (16 June 2013)

It is awfully hard to make a believable movie about a living God, because the very concept of God raises improbabilities, begets so many questions. Superman is blessed with Godlike powers, his is a flawless character, the boy scout in blue and red, the alien who dedicates his life to serving mankind. How did he arrive on his destiny? How did his powers come to being, wax or wane? What does that "S" on his suit stand for? To me Zack Snyder's Man of Steel is the definitive Superman movie we have all been waiting for, Richard Donner version included, not because of millions of dollars of VFX, but simply because it provides a narrative that quells all prospective questions that may arise.
Christopher Nolan's influence is strong here, as this is the Batman Begins of Superman, although the mood is as sombre as it was in The Dark Knight Rises. Delightfully told in a non linear style, it begins far far away, where the highly advanced civilization of Krypton faces annihilation- the planet is dying as a result of the its core being destabilized. Acclaimed scientist Jor El (Russell Crowe) and Lara (Ayelet Zurer) have conceived Krypton's first natural birth in centuries in the form of Kal El, but fail to convince the ruling council the need to preserve the civilization's culture in other planets. Krypton eventually self destructs, Kal El is killed in a military coup by General Zod (Michael Shannon) but he manages to embed the essence of Krypton in Kal El and send him to earth. People might point out the futility of Zod and his cohorts being imprisoned when the planet itself is doomed, but in evolved societies it is expected that the judicial system does not break down even in adverse circumstances.
"You will give the people an ideal to strive towards. They will race behind you, they will stumble, they will fall. But in time, they will join you in the sun. In time, you will help them accomplish wonders."
Gravity is such a wonderful tool to explain superhuman abilities, as Edgar Rice Burroughs pointed out a century back in John Carter. Kal El's powers blossom under the earth's yellow sun, yet he has been taught to hide his abilities by his adopted parents Jonathan and Martha Kent, till the world is ready for him. We see him roaming all around the world, trying to find meaning for his life, and helping people, till he discovers an old Krypton exploratory ship that had landed in earth 18,000 years ago. This serves as his fortress of solitude, where he is finally able to access his father's consciousness that provides answers to his existence, and beginnings to the concept of a Superman. With due respect to a bald genius villain, a Superman movie needs super-powered adversaries- so the second half of the movie provides all the shock and awe you could ask for in an extended confrontation with Zod and his henchmen who want to make a Krypton out of Earth. Superman never kills, but when equally strong wills collide, something got to give, so be prepared to be shocked some more.
Zack Snyder may be panned for his previous directorial ventures and here too the movie lacks a sense of humor, but in Man of Steel he is bang on three important things- incredible attention to detail in cinematography and visual effects, a clear and coherent narrative and casting an extremely competent actors in key roles. Speaking of which Henry Cavill makes for an excellent Superman. Shy and confused at first, confidence personified later on- even in the heat of battle he strikes the right balance between darkness and decency. Amy Adams as Lois Lane follows Pepper Potts (Iron Man 3) and MJ Watson (The Amazing Spiderman) in the recent trend of intelligent female characters in superhero movies, not perennial damsels in distress. Michael Shannon as General Zod may not tower physically but is as over the top as comic villains go, and Russell Crowe is sincere as Jor El. Lawrence Fishburne and Diane Lane will have more to do in the sequels, but the real killer casting was Kevin Costner- his bit role as Jonathan Kent is the father we all want in our lives, setting the moral compass in a super powered kid, and gets the most affecting scene in the movie, even if it just might be a wave of the hand.
While the overall standard of superhero movies have increased by leaps and bounds in the past few years, filmmakers often forget the basics of superhero movies IE. to get interesting heroes and villains together for a big bash, instead created meandering fare with boring protagonists bereft of entertainment. Has steel finally bested iron then? Maybe not, but calling it a tie would be quite fair, and a pat in the back of sorts. DC comics has taken a page out of Marvel's play-book to make a complex Superman who is also entertaining, adventurous and does not rein in his punches. Bring it on, Darkseid, Doomsday, Brainiac, Mongul and all other scum! 9/10