Man of Steel Trailer Reactions

Superman has hands down been my favorite comic book superhero. I read probably once every year or two the entire Death of Superman-World Without a Superman-Return of Superman comic series (totaling something like 700 pages of graphic novel drama). As a child I bound around in Superman pajamas. As a college student I sported Superman hoodies (to countless fake threats of being shot thanks to Dane Cook's stupid joke). And all through my life I have watched Superman. I've seen from the old cartoons to the Superman Doomsday cartoon (total disappointment by the way). I've watched George Reeves and Dean Cain in live action shows and I've enjoyed Christopher Reeve and Brandon Routh play him on the big screen. I love Superman. So when I went to see the Hobbit and saw the trailer for the next Superman movie The Man of Steel. I paid close attention.

Growing up in the age of Superhero movies, I've seen tons of approaches to characters, interestingly enough I have found the ones who were relatively unimpressive in the comics (Iron Man for example) have made great movies. Maybe because the writers have more room to adapt and work with the story and character to make him fit into a good movie.

But it is far harder to do that with Superman. His story and character has been iconic. It's really because of him we have comic book super heroes. Now over the years Superman has been done and redone in a myriad of ways, particularly in the DC Universe. Some are good, some are not. And with my loyal devotion to the character, I am very nervous as to how it will be. For one, I am very concerned about Christopher Nolan who has done a radically dark Batman. It makes sense since Batman is a dark hero character, and the psychology of it he knows how to use to get under the viewer's skin. Nolan also knows how to put a good cast around a hero - and in that respect, Man of Steel at first glace appears to reflect that. But one must be very careful in how much Superman is a head game overly-conflicted character, a dark atmosphere, or ultimately rebellious/questionable in integrity. These things, even if they are what makes many modern Superhero movies successful to young fans, in no way fit the mold of the character.

I also am very concerned about Henry Cavill as Superman. It sounds silly, but the way they worked his hair in screen shots like this one just kills the look, and his upper body does not fit the mold, that is, something about it doesn't work with his outfit. He has the superman chin, I'll give him that. But from all the screen shots I've seen he lacks the iconic image. Truth be told, when Warner decided to not do Man of Steel as a continuation of Singer's Superman Returns (which prior to the studio cutting Singer from the project that was the same title his next movie was going to use) they lost a great asset in Brandon Routh. I initially loved Routh for the same reason I was very much in favor of Singer's Superman movie, it respected and really felt a part of the Donner/Reeve Superman series. Routh was an amazing Superman in part because he adequately in looks and demeanor pulled off playing a great superhero and the actor who played that same character before him. He did not just look like Superman, he looked like the big screen Superman. My greatest fear when Superman returned to screen was if it would be true or would end up being too radical. Singer may not have understood what many modern fans wanted in terms of hero action-movie genre, but he understood the character of Superman and how the iconic Reeve films had essentially paralyzed any efforts to do something different. The truth is, this Superman reboot, which I expect to be very popular in the box office, likely will owe much of its success to Singer's film. Even the great number of people critical to the film needed it to really move on. Until Superman Returns they were still trying to be free from the great hurdle of the original Superman movie. So while Singer's film did not do what many may have hoped in the box office (although it still made a pretty penny worldwide), it finally allowed people to do a reboot without the reboot being the way Superman is brought back to films. Superman Returns handled the nostalgia.

That said, I'm still nostalgic. It is why regardless of what folks say, I loved Superman Returns and still do. It increased my respect for Bryan Singer as a director. And Routh was a phenomenal choice. Not seeing enough of his acting in the film or anything else, Cavill in my view when you look at him the first thought is "an actor playing Superman" not simply "that's Superman".


I was bothered by screen shots, but the trailer has convinced me (at least for now) that the costume idea will work well. I realize blue tights with red underwear worn over it is a bit unmodern. And the scaly almost armor imagery I think works, similar to what DC did with Superman's outfit in their recent universe reboot. And in the trailer, it does look good. Trailers give us limited screen shots of the hero, but what I saw I liked. In general the cinematography and directing from the trailer perspective looked pretty good. The flying sequence when we see him take off and then fly around the planet is really good and was perhaps the most iconic moment of the trailer.


We won't know until the movie comes out how much this plays in the plot, or how much this deviates from the original story and ultimately affects how they present the character, but the trailer in several parts indicates that Jonathan Kent does not want Clark to use his powers, at least not publicly. Kevin Costner I expect will execute that role wonderfully. What I like about that premise is not so much the story impact but the parental aspect. That is, usually the Kents' role in the series has been the great instillers of midwestern farmer morals that shape this man's powers into something to be used for good. They are good parents in that they raise him well. But what is missing from that is the parental concern for their child, that is I think expressed well in a father not wanting anyone to know about Clark lest the world treat him as a freak or the Government experiment on him or persecute him. Given it's place in the trailer and the shots of Superman in cuffs with an armed escort, you get the notion that it will play a bigger place in the story.

I also give some credit for this, that is, I think if an alien hero with unspeakable powers did show up, our distrust of him would lead to resisting him at first. This plot could be overplayed, or I'm afraid Superman will be some attitude bearing character who is no real hero until the end and that I would not be in favor of. This needs to be approached without compromising the character of Superman. And it can be and still have a very realistic piece to it.

I am looking forward to the return of Zod. Unfortunately I'm not sure how I feel about Michael Shannon playing him. I could kind of see it. Shannon has some of the physical characteristics that would take us back to Terrence Stamp's portrayal of him in Superman and Superman II. He also can play someone who is a bit socially awkward like Stamp's Zod. The question is can he play a dark, iconic, domineering villain? I'm not so sure. But he has enough qualities to fill the role I'm not upset about the thought. Although at one point Viggo Mortensen was rumored for the part which I could see him doing well. Bryan Singer originally had Zod as a character for his Superman movie but removed him because he only wanted one actor for the part: Jude Law (who I think could make an awesome Zod). Either way, he is a worthy opponent for Superman, and assures us of a good physical challenge to the character and with modern effects the ability for some super action sequences (so long as it is done wisely, it's not a Michael Bay movie after all). We don't get to see much of Zod in the trailer, only flashes in the action montage.

In general it is very clear that this next movie will be a reboot, and will take liberties to break away from past Superman screen portrayals. It definitely has potential to be good. But I am weary of how the character development in the story will jive with my understanding of Superman, and while there are some great and surprising casting choices I think for the likes of Lois Lane, the Kents, Jor-El, and Perry White it remains to be seen how our hero and villain will fare in their roles. I am particularly concerned with Cavill's character. He could surprise me, but the first impression disappointed me. Although it won't just be his fault if it is bad, we can already see from the trailer that personal struggle with being a hero and coming out as Superman will be particular features in the film, and that could be done in a way that would totally upset those who see Superman as an iconic character not just in image but in qualities.

The film does appear to feature a worthy opponent, some good screen shots, solid action, and will hopefully have a hero feel too it. And I do want Superman to gain some ground and return to movies a bit. I expect Nolan will please the general public because he knows how to give comic book characters a very real feel, but it remains to be seen if he will please me. Because I already liked Superman.