However, as with any beloved icon, this new depiction is going to come under tremendous scrutiny from the fans. Directed by Zach Snyder (300, Watchmen), under the watchfull eye of Producer Christopher Nolan (The Dark Knight Trilogy) this film has all of the ingredients necessary to be a huge summer blockbuster.
Henry Cavill leads a star studded cast in the title role as Superman, and I thoroughly enjoyed him in the role. He is just reminiscent enough of a young Christopher Reeve, to trigger my nostalgia for the original films, while being ripped enough to make me forget the poor effeminate bastard that they had in the role for Superman Returns (Which was an absolute atrocity of a film by the way, and I move that it should be forever stricken from the cannon, and banished to the Phantom Zone forever). The ladies that attended the screening with me last night shared my opinion: Superman should look like a man! Cavill achieves this, and brings a bright, fresh energy to the conflicted central role.
The supporting cast is equally dynamic. Russell Crowe achieves a precise level of distinction in the role of Jor'El, Superman's Kryptonian father, while Kevin Costner's humble strength is quietly brilliant in the role of Jonathon Kent, Clark's adoptive father. Lawrence Fishburne takes a reflective approach to Perry White, the Editor in Chief of The Daily Planet, and Amy Adams is a pert, perky Lois Lane. I found the Lois/Clark dynamic to be one of the biggest changes to this franchise reboot. Gone is playful game of cat and mouse between Lois & Superman/Clark. Lois discovers Clark's secret immediately, and chooses to help him maintain his anonymity. It's more than a little disconcerting. Michael Shannon's portrayal of General Zod was the only character that I found lacking, but more because of the writing than anything he did with the role.
I loved the cinematography of this film. It was filled with quiet reflective moments of peaceful imagery of life on earth, rain drops falling in a bucket filled with clothes pegs, a butterfly resting on a split rail fence, a dog cavorting in a field of wheat, all images that evoked quiet moments of solace during Clark's early time here on Earth. I felt that these images, used as they were in conjunction with flashbacks to tell Clark's earthly back story invoked a sense of appreciation of the simple pleasures that had shaped Clark into the caring benevolent benefactor that he becomes. When combined with the stunning, lightning fast action sequences, of which there are many, the film takes on a certain duality that lends itself well to the content.
Of the many action sequences in this film, two stood out as remarkably impressive. The first is a fire on an offshore oil rig where Clark saves the day with a miraculous feat of strength. The second is during a conflict between Superman and Zod's Kryptonian warriors, a female Kryptonian scythes through an entire squad of Army Rangers, as though they were stalks of wheat. Her superior speed and strength are showcased at an incredible frame rate, leaving the viewer with no doubt that the humans in this film are far outclassed by their adversaries, which is why Superman's arrival on scene is equally dynamic. I also need to mention that Superman's flights in this film feel fantastic in 3D. Each time Superman breaks the sound barrier it just feels right.
If I had a complaint about the film, it would be that the filmmakers choose to focus too much on the sci-fi element of Clark's alien origins, especially where General Zod and this platoon of Kryptonian warriors come into play. In my opinion, the Kryptionian's don't need battle armor, fancy weaponry, and gunships to achieve total domination over Earth, but the second half of the movie is full of these images, which feels like overkill. The fear inspired by Zod in Superman II, is caused because he can, at a whim, destroy anything in his path, using only the same abilities granted to Kal'El by our planet's yellow sun.
While I did enjoy the film, certain elements of this movie do feel rushed, and glossed over. The whole Clark/Lois relationship for one. Also, while there were a number of wonderful scenes from Clark's childhood in Kansas, the one scene that was oddly missing was his actual discovery by Jonathon & Martha Kent. I really wanted to see that moment, and the instantaneous bond that formed between Clark and his adoptive parents. There are other things as well, but these are the big ones for me. While not everyone will enjoy the liberties that have been taken with this origin story, I feel confident that it will do well at the Box Office, and I discovered this morning that a sequel is already in development. I look forward to the sequel, hoping for a more human driven story line, hopefully with the introduction of Clark's true nemesis, Lex Luthor.
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