Classic Review: Man of Steel (2013)

With Zack Snyder’s Justice League just under a week away, we look back at the movie that kicked off the DCEU with Man of Steel.

It doesn’t seem that long ago when everyone was sitting down in the theatre to watching Christopher Nolan finish off his Batman trilogy with The Dark Knight Rises. The first teaser trailer for Man of Steel was then shown, setting up what would ultimately become the infamous DCEU, showcasing a different outlook and tone of this beloved and iconic character of Superman.

Snyder, who had previously dipped his toe into the comic-book genre with Watchmen was now tackling arguably the hardest hero to put onto the big screen. Unlike Richard Donner’s take on the character, Man of Steel seemed to go in a different direction, more thematic and stoic. The film was met with okay reviews by critics and fans all around the world were definitely divided. The world was used to a certain kind of Superman, one who smiled and saved cats from trees and was an all-around boy scout. Snyder had different plans for the character and that’s what had people discussing the philosophy behind the character and is still the topic of discussion to this very day.

Man of Steel is a character-driven story showcasing what it would truly be like if someone with extraordinary powers came to Earth. Many parallels to Jesus are often brought up as Snyder dives deep into the mythos of the character and what it would mean not just for our hero, but for humankind as well.

Times have certainly changed thus a fresh new take on Superman was needed, but the old adage, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” truly got in some people’s heads. It’s almost been a decade since Man of Steel was first released and it has only aged more beautifully with each passing year. One of the strongest superhero origin stories, especially on the DC side, it’s an important film that regardless of how one feels about it, lives in the zeitgeist. Snyder didn’t just find the perfect Clark Kent/Superman with Cavill, a spitting image of what Superman should look like? With him, he brought along the likes of Adams, Kevin Costner, Diane Lane, and Shannon along for the ride. With a cast like this one, it’s baffling how the film didn’t do better at the box-office.

One of the most difficult aspects of transitioning Superman from page to screen is just how incredibly powerful the character is? Well, you make him fight someone equally as powerful. The fight sequences here were breathtaking, especially the battle of Smallville, easily one of the best action set pieces in all of the DCEU and one that showed how awesome Superman can be. The battle of Metropolis was met with some criticism that was addressed in Batman v Superman, but what would one expect to happen with two unstoppable forces fighting in a major city?

With a beautiful Hans Zimmer score and a great script, Man of Steel had all the makings to be such a fantastic launching pad for the DCEU, and to this day, it’s unclear where it went wrong. Cavill still has yet to appear in a Superman sequel and could be on his way out the door which would ultimately be a crime because of just how perfect he is in that role.

Man of Steel was a groundbreaking achievement by Snyder who proved once again that he can be trusted with a comic book property. Just because his philosophy of a certain character didn’t fit the norm, it isn’t worth being discredited outright. As Russell Crowe who plays Superman’s father Jor-El, another brilliant casting decision, says to Kal-El, ” But, in time, they will join you in the sun.” That line speaks volumes. In time people will realize just how special this film was and how it was failed by not making it a bigger deal than it was.

I’ll never forget watching the battle of Smallville for the first time and realizing that we could have Superman movies like this for a decade. Truly a special theatre experience.

still courtesy of Warner Bros.

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Wannabe Movie Critic