MAN OF STEEL

BY CHRISTOPHER HASKELL
JUNE 14, 2013

Coming from someone who could have given a shit less about Superman as a character, “Man Of Steel” is the best re-envisioning of the iconic superhero, for which you could ask. For starters, having Christopher Nolan’s name on the film as writer and producer sells this hard. With “The Dark Knight” trilogy in his pocket, there’s nothing he can’t put his name on, and it instantly makes me more intrigued because of my faith in him. Zack Snyder also proves naysayers wrong by knocking this film out of the park.

Henry Cavill brings a darker, more natural approach to old Clark Kent and his chiseled jaw, along with a heartwarming smile, creates the perfect version of this hero. Michael Shannon as the villain Zod is also one of the major selling points, as Shannon is a brilliant actor with very little character work. “Man Of Steel” allows him to create this fantastic persona, and he delivers one of the most memorable villain performances in recent memory. The visual effects are stunning but sometimes erratic, becoming too much at times.

My major issue with Superman, and his race, is that they’re almost impossible to kill, which means their hand-to-hand combat sequences mean very little to me because, ultimately, what are they hoping to do. There’s never a way to take advantage of your opponent’s weakness if they have no weaknesses, making the fight sequences in “Man Of Steel” never-ending. Snyder handles this about as well as he can, relying on visual effects and fantastic sound design to bring these moments to life, but in the end, what’s the end goal?

The storytelling structure also helps this film immensely, not just playing chronologically, but skipping around the timeline and revealing little moments from Clark’s past when it becomes relevant. Although I questioned whether it was possible, Nolan and Snyder have gotten me excited for a potential “Justice League” movie if they can recreate the grandness of “Man Of Steel.”