Why This Sucks: Man of Steel
Why This Sucks: Man of Steel
By Jack Falvey IV
I fully recognize that Superman is not an easy character to adapt. A hero who will always win, no matter what, is simply un-relatable. The entire reason we all watch superhero films and read superhero comics is because we see a glimmer of ourselves in the characters. Superman has never had that. He’s always been the outsider looking in. Supes looks great on paper but hasn’t had a perfect film adaptation yet. Donner’s Superman is the closest we’ve come, but even there comic book continuity was replaced with Hollywood flash and movie-star influenced decisions. While Reeve was a great Superman (and filled out the tights like a fucking champ), Hackman wasn’t the Luthor from the comics, to say nothing of the ridiculous ending. Donner did get one very important thing right in understanding the sense of wonder that comes along with Superman. Superman is a character that, in order to work, needs to be at least happy, wondrous and hopeful. He is supposed to represent the best in humanity, what we’re supposed to strive for and how we should treat one another. With Man of Steel, Snyder proved that not only does he not understand the importance and fundamental ideas the character represents but also that beyond the visual elements he has absolutely no interest in story, characters or fucking logic.
I have so many problems with this movie, but I guess the biggest one was the writing. It makes me realize the impact Jonathan and Christopher Nolan had on the recent Batman films, grounding the plot in reality and rooting that trilogy in character based plot elements throughout. David Goyer only seems interested in reinvention for reinventions’ sake. Henry Cavill looks the part and actually works mostly well for the flick, but would it kill the guy to smile one fucking time? How can the Kryptonian inspire hope if he spends the entire movie mulling around like a fucking homeless Emo kid? In the scene where he is learning the limits of his abilities, it would have been great if he acknowledged how amazing it was to be able to fly. Just once, say something along the lines of “Wow!”, or maybe even laugh a little, or smile, or smirk, fucking SOMETHING. I know people call out movies like Spider Man for doing this and being cheesy, but I really think it needs to be in a Superman story to remind the viewers of his humanity. Otherwise, we’re watching a wooden Christ-figure go through the motions like a tollbooth attendant with absolutely zero passion or emotion. It’s a fucking shame that in a two-hour and forty-something minute film that there wasn’t one moment that reminded me of being a kid again, especially in something as primal as a superhero film.
There were a lot of questionable scenes throughout, but the one that really slapped me sideways was one in which a flashback reveals a young Clark playing in his yard with a red cape on. Who, exactly, was he trying to emulate in this scene? He grows up to become Supes, so what exactly is this red cape bullshit? Coincidence? This is a minor gripe in comparison to some of the other shit pulled in this film. Prior to the release, it was announced that the film was going to leave Kryptonite out of it. This sounded great, as the third act of every Superman film incorporates Kryptonite in increasingly ridiculous ways as the films went on. Taking that plot device out seemed promising and even caught the attention of the most hardened cynics, myself included. However, despite making a conscious effort to eliminate Superman’s one physical weakness from the film, they still manage to neuter Superman at a critical moment in the film. During the pre-finale set-piece with the world-engine, Kal-El can be heard coughing while flying around the device he would proceed to then try to take down. During a scene that preceded this one, I believe Kal says something about the area around the world engine having the same atmosphere as Krypton, thereby rendering his powers useless, or at least weaker, when in the vicinity of said world engine. However, even this offhand comment is pretty much ignored when, in an instant, Superman does the same muster-his-strength pre-flight struggle-face and finds the inner power to defeat the machine, despite his momentary weakness. This is poor writing. This is the exact same fucking plot device as the super-vegemite from previous films that conveniently is only an issue for as long as the script needs it to be. Fuck that. Fuck that stupid shit. Story needs to be grown organically, plot devices shouldn’t be tacked on out of the fuckin’ blue.
Now I know this is a reboot, and DC is trying their hardest to erase Superman Returns from out collective consciousness, but there are a lot of strange substitutions/changes from general Superman lore that bother me a little. It’s mostly window-dressing type stuff, but things like no Fortress of Solitude, making Jimmy Olsen a woman and having Lois Lane know who Clark is almost from their first meeting is a series of strange choices. I don’t know how these elements are going to be handled in the next film but I feel that with the extreme realism of this flick that they’re really painting themselves into a corner with the Clark disguise angle. Just a weird choice that feels like the filmmakers have to prove something. It reminds me of Scott Farkus’ little minion from A Christmas Story, all empty threats and nothing to back it up.
I think my biggest problem with the film was how they mishandled Kal-El. People like Max Landis have gone over this in detail, but Superman, simply put, should be smarter than he is portrayed in this film. Demolishing Metropolis is unnecessary and a slap in the face of what Supes represents. He protects the people of Earth, he’s not supposed to disregard them during a fistfight, regardless of the implications. I don’t want to live in a world where Superman isn’t looking out for us. My heart fucking aches when I think about the children who will grow up with Man of Steel and not understand one of the longest lasting, most enduring characters in the history of fiction. Also, Zack Snyder can go fuck himself, and that is Why Man of Steel Sucks!
August 29, 2013 @ 10:02 pm
You make a lot a solid points. This Superman does have one genuine moment of joy and wonder though. After Clark gets the ol’ ‘S’ suit, he steps outside and jumps to try and fly. He laughs in wonder as he tries to force himself to fly before having an ‘oh shit’ realization he can’t quite do it and lands face first into a mountain top. I honestly only remember this because it stood as the one true glimmer of wonder that Clark should have. I understand the angle they wanted to do, the seclusion and awkwardness he felt knowing he was so different than every other person, but they ultimately failed at instilling the good-natured hope and heart Jonathan Kent gives him while raising him. I’m hoping all this gloom and brooding can somehow be turned around, or at least grow into a worthwhile story, since I think Cavill has what it takes to give us a truly iconic Superman, but the bits of news surrounding the sequel taking cues from Frank Miller’s Dark Knight comics as the dynamic we can expect between Clark and Bruce doesn’t instill me with a whole lot of hope. I really want them to put the superhero back into Superman. Its what makes him a classic, but also what apparently makes him boring to everyone else.
August 29, 2013 @ 10:17 pm
In times like this, its nice to be a Marvel fanboy.
August 31, 2013 @ 5:06 am
You make some solid points. Personally I think the whole movie felt empty. Zach Snyder is trying to make a small personal story, it just happens to be about a larger than life character. Snyder HAS talent. He has vision for sure, but he just doesn’t have the ability bring genuine emotion into a story. That really is the biggest problem with Watchman. Visually he hit it out of the part. He was given the “never could be filmed” Watchmen, and dammit he did film it, but there is nothing behind the look. The characters are wooden and boring, the acting is hit and miss, and there is just no emotional connection. Man of Steel fails at this as well. Snyder tries to bring the story close to the character but there is no substance to the intimacy the audience should feel when getting to know their main character. There is some emotional drama to the story, but that weight really only comes from the fact that we all already know who Superman is and what he stands for. Sucker Punch is the perfect example of Snyder’s biggest weakness, developing his characters. If DC was really looking to shake things up and “rebirth” themselves into a post-Avengers world, then someone really needed to think further outside of the box than Zach Snyder. Was there anyone further away from a Batman movie than Christopher Noland? Marvel actually took a big risk with Joss Whedon when you think about it. Ya, he is literally the perfect choice for the Avengers, but its not like he had a track record of success before he was handed the keys to Marvel. Both choices took balls, and seem to indicate greater forethought by a movie studio than is typical of big Hollywood. Picking Zach Snyder looks like someone attempting to be bold but not really understanding how to to be bold. DC wanted to take another step forward after Nolan but forgot how they took their first and just wanted to catch Marvel. If DC really wanted to go for it in the fight against Marvel, they should have taken a deep breath, looked at the Avengers, and said “Wow. Good job Marvel. You did it. Congrats on the success. What you’ve done is truly a feat that we could never hope to surpass, even with a Justice League movie. I guess we will just have to go back to hiring visionaries to sculpt our comic book films and choosing actors that will win Oscars for their performance in a movie about a man in a bat suit.” DC you should have known your game and kept playing it. Snyder has a great eye for visual style and camera behavior, he excels at it to his own discredit. I actually enjoyed how Man of Steel looked. I think in that regard Snyder showed immense growth as a director. He really took to heart what people criticized about his style in the past. In many ways he really refined his visuals in Man of Steel. I think the best thing for Snyder to do as a director is to direct a couple smaller films. He might fail miserably, but he does have the ability to learn from his mistakes, which is not a trait shared with many directors sadly. I think Snyder could make a great movie someday, but I don’t see it being a Batman/Superman movie.