Man of Steel is worth revisiting 10 years later

People hate Zack Snyders man of Steel, and a decade later I can’t understand why the film didn’t resonate more with audiences. After Man of Steel made a splash during its opening weekend, Man of Steel plummeted at the box office, ending its run with a good, but not great, $600 million, leading to a never-ending course correction (exacerbated through Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice) at Warner Bros., which continues to this day.

“Man of Steel” became the best-selling Blu-ray of the year, which means someone liked it. But the continued outcry from moviegoers suggests that Snyder may have directed this generation’s Howard the Duck. Some say it’s too dark, violent, intense, and loud, while others bemoan the lack of goofy Marvel humor and the overwhelming dance of relentless action.

Man of Steel deserves more recognition

RRather than recreating the incredible innocence of Richard Donner’s equally scintillating Superman: The Movie, Snyder creates a darker character study centered around a god, chronicling his transformation from exiled misfit to a literal member of the (everyday) planet. As portrayed by Henry Cavill, Kal-El lands on Earth after the planet Krypton explodes, wiping out most of its people. Luckily, he ends up in the arms of Jonathan and Martha Kent, who hide him from the world, knowing full well that his appearance will drastically change the course of history. As Kal-El, who goes by the name of Clark, grows up, he discovers immense superpowers and must decide how to use his newfound abilities—for good or evil.

It’s all old hat, but Snyder goes deeper, transforming Jonathan into a suicidal, practical man who loves his son but fears what might become of him if pushed in the wrong direction – so much so that he ( in the film’s goofiest scene) He willingly sacrifices himself to keep Clark’s secret. In many ways, Jonathan’s beliefs are entirely valid. When Clark reveals himself to the world, the forces of power respond with violence and he must choose between helping his adoptive family or staying true to his Kryptonian roots.

Snyder doesn’t stop there. In a clever twist on the Superman story, the second half of Man of Steel is being transformed into a full blown alien invasion movie. Zod (Michael Shannon)a Kryptonian general, arrives in search of Kal-El, and his sudden appearance plunges our hero into a war he is unprepared for, leading to a massive confrontation that nearly razes Metropolis.

Zod is a fascinating, devoted leader whose sole purpose is to serve Krypton. He’s not evil, but he can’t see past his mark. He is a great addition to Superman’s sympathetic guardian.

Less impressive is Lois Lane, who is woven into the story here to add half-hearted romance. Amy Adams does what she can with the character, but Snyder never finds out what it’s for. She unnecessarily participates in the climax action and appears to be beeping around the sprawling city of Metropolis to support the plot. In hindsight, the character should have appeared at the end of the film, when Clark ventures into the Daily Planet and takes on his role as a mild-mannered reporter. Lois doesn’t ruin Man of Steel, but her presence doesn’t add anything significant to the narrative.

Other supporting characters are more effective. Lawrence Fishburn is fantastic as Perry White, Russell Crowe brings a serious edge to Jor-El and Antje Traue offers the perfect blend of menace and sexiness as Zod’s faithful follower, Faora.

While the human elements work incredibly well, Man of Steel’s key point is its lush action. When the first half jumps through the action with a single sentence, the second half explodes in a cacophony of violence that leaves the viewer breathless – in a good way.

I’ve mentioned repeatedly how much I love the Smallville battle, which forces a reluctant Superman into action. At this point, he’s ruthless, throwing baddies into gas stations and allowing for large-scale destruction. He has no choice and relies more on momentum than strategy. When Faora and Nam-Ek throw Superman to the ground, he responds by shooting at them with his laser eyes in a violent display of his frustration. For all his peaceful aspirations, Superman is still a weapon of war, capable of leveling cities and destroying worlds (as revealed in the later films). He’s dangerous, but that’s one of the character’s most intriguing traits – he’s a walking nuclear weapon desperate to find his place in the universe.

Snyder paints his battles on an epic canvas. When Superman and Faora fight, they smash buildings, blow up trains, and destroy entire streets. I’m having a hard time recalling a comic book action sequence that compares to this one (other than those found in Snyder’s other works):

Later, during the Battle of Metropolis, Snyder depicts the event as a full-scale alien attack. Jets fall from the sky and explode into buildings, skyscrapers collapse and thousands die in a bold, harrowing action sequence with the stakes high. Clashes inevitably ensue between Superman and Zod, and their combat is suitably awesome, with each blow dealing devastating damage. At one point Zod throws Superman through six buildings – it’s beautiful to behold.

Hans Zimmer’s music is also divine.

Why Man of Steel splits

When we were kids, my brother and I dreamed of a modern day Superman movie like this. Superman II lured us in with a similarly designed finale, but lacked the technology to sell the scene. Marvel borrowed elements from Man of Steel for The Avengers, but balked at the pathetic horror of the situation. Snyder dives right in, showing what would happen if two super-powered beings went head-to-head in the middle of a densely populated city. That’s the kind of shit you see in cartoons, TV shows, and comic books, but not on the big screen.

While people accept the onslaught on the side or in animated form, they totally reject Snyder’s brand of action on the big screen.

It all comes down to personal preference. Look, I grew up watching Christopher Reeves Superman. I ran around with a towel slung over my back pretending I could fly. I have collected action figures, comics and trading cards. I spent hours listening to John Williams’ iconic score. When Superman died I was heartbroken. When he came back with this amazing mullet I was happy. I’ve seen Dean Caine and Smallville. When Bryan Singer unveiled the first trailer for Superman Returns, my soul jumped out of my body.

Superman was and always will be my hero.

Still, I’m willing to accept different perspectives on the character. Man of Steel may not recall the whims of Donner’s original film, but it doesn’t try to. Snyder’s Superman is a modern take on the spandex sports hero, darker, more mature and heavier. His journey is far more complicated, full of treacherous obstacles and difficult choices. I find the picture fascinating and endlessly exciting.

So I’ll say it again: I don’t understand. With Man of Steel, Zack Snyder has created a spectacular cinematic summer blockbuster that requires some bold twists. I applaud his ambition. Sure, some of it’s chunky, but few big-budget tent poles are quite as daring as this Superman tale. I guess I’m surprised by the criticism – people seem to like Man of Steel for everything he’s not, instead of enjoying him for the movie he is.

I doubt we’ll ever get a summer movie like Man of Steel again. Here’s a film made by a writer with a vision. During a watch, Snyder pointed to a distant moon floating in the background of Krypton’s opening scene and explained how Doomsday – the real Doomsday – caused its destruction. This is a man who really loves comics and was looking forward to building the vast DC Universe. Luckily he’s mainly realized his vision with Batman vs. Superman and Justice League, but it’s a shame he couldn’t finish what he started.