Zack Snyder isn't one of my favourite directors. He has a striking visual style, which works in several of his films, but when it comes to his adaptations, they always come off as entertaining bits of fluff instead of skilled, respectable adaptations/remakes. I have nothing wrong with entertaining bits of fluff, but when it comes to creating a cinematic vision of a source material I actually care for (Watchmen), I'd rather a good adaptation instead of a cool-looking, but hollow vehicle. I had these fears for Man Of Steel. I feared that Snyder would strip away the fun, light-heartedness of the original films and leave us with a dour, unenjoyable mess that tries too hard to be darker and more modern. Most importantly, I feared it would be missing the spark that would help Superman soar. But I'm happy to say that not only was Man Of Steel better than I expected and certainly Snyder's best work, but also one of the best films of the year and one of the best superhero films I've seen in a long time.
One of the very few problems I have with the original Reeve Superman films is that Superman is never, ever in danger. Even in Superman II, with Zod, Ursula and Non, three supervillains who are supposed to match Superman in every way, it never feels like Superman is ever in trouble. Also, the original films rarely scratch the surface of what makes Superman tick and how he feels about being Earth's saviour. Man Of Steel chooses to focus on Superman's complexities: his relationship with his adoptive father, his feelings about having to hide his true powers, his coming to terms with what he is and what he is capable of. The exploration of these areas provides many great moments, including a few surprisingly emotional ones. It's in these moments where we can see how much Snyder's style has matured over the years, as the material is handled in a mature, serious and ultimately superb way.
Even though it's these character moments that made Man Of Steel such a great experience for me, there's enough dazzling spectacle here to entertain. Despite it being set in a heavily populated city area (which is becoming a pet peeve of mine in modern superhero/alien invasion films), I enjoyed Snyder flaunting his visual style, while thankfully toning down the slo-mo that populates most of his other films.
I had my doubts about unknown Henry Cavill in the iconic role, but he is perfect. He fantastically embodies what Superman is about, while brining a few qualities of his own to the role. The other highlight of the cast is (surprisingly) Kevin Costner. This has to be his best performance in ages. He's given very brief screentime as Jonathan Kent, but in his few moments, he delivers a simple, but highly engaging performance that leads to some of the film's most heartbreaking moments. Michael Shannon is unfortunately the film's weakest link, at times a moustache twirling villain and others a relatable warrior with a noble goal, not very good with either of them.
Man Of Steel won't please everyone, but it definitely pleased me, offering up a view of the complexities of being the world's biggest outcast with more than enough grit and emotion while adding a heavy dose of action and pyrotechnics. It may not work 100% of the time, but when it does work, it's magical. There isn't quite enough to make Superman soar, but there's more than enough to get him off the ground.
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