"Man of Steel" Starring Henry Cavill: Superman is Reborn

Christopher Reeve's portrayal of Superman/Clark Kent is, perhaps, the most loved and revered, at least in Superman and Superman II. While I have great respect for the late actor, I always found those films to be a throwback to who the man of steel used to be, as opposed to who he was in the present day. The lighthearted nature of those efforts never really resonated with me, even when I watched them as a youngster. Of course, as the Superman series moved on, the quality disintegrated and, for nearly two decades, Superman movie projects failed to get off the ground. However, the character continued to thrive on television, in Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman and then in the long running Smallville on The CW. I was a fan of both series, but they also depicted more of an "aw shucks" version of Superman. However, during Smallville's ten year run, the tone became more serious, even dark, at times.

The last Superman film, Superman Returns, hearkened back to the original film, directed by Richard Donner, but failed to provide any character development for Kal-El, who was so silent that I thought he may not have learned how to speak fluently. Overall, I liked Superman Returns, but it really did nothing to reignite the legendary character who, frankly, deserved better. The past is gone and the future for Superman films looks more promising now with the recently released Man of Steel, starring Henry Cavill. While the film is not perfect, I think Cavill is the best actor to portray Superman to date. I know, many will disagree.

Man of Steel is a contemporary take on Superman and does not follow conventional rules that viewers have come to expect. Cavill's mostly understated performance perfectly captures who the man of steel really is - a soft spoken do-gooder who wants to use his powers and abilities to help the people of Earth. However, Cavill is able to transform appropriately during battle scenes and when tragedy strikes. His calm, secure demeanor in many scenes is juxtaposed by the passion and heartbreak of others.

The film begins as an origin story, as the planet Krypton is in serious trouble due to years of exploitation of its natural resources. Those in charge do not share the doom and gloom viewpoint of Jor-El (Kal-El/Superman's father, played by Russell Crowe) and his nemesis General Zod (Michael Shannon), who overthrows the ruling council and takes control of the faltering planet in the hope of saving it. Jor-El refuses to help Zod and, as a result, pays a hefty price, but not before he and wife Lara (Ayelet Zurer), launch their infant son in a ship that will eventually take him to Earth. In addition, they inject a genetic codex into Kal-El's cells that holds the key building blocks for the Kryptonian race. Before Krypton explodes, Zod and his team are captured and banished to the Phantom Zone.

The film then time travels, as Superman/Clark's story is played out. His younger days on Earth are depicted as a struggle, as Clark begins to learn how to control his powers and is seen as an outcast among his peers. As a young man, he journeys about doing odd jobs, but is always around to save those in need. The relationship between Clark and his Earth parents, Martha (Diane Lane) and Jonathan (Kevin Costner), is heartwarming and effective despite a limited amount of screen time. The central story begins to unravel when Superman investigates the discovery of a Kryptonian vessel that is currently being examined by scientists and government officials. The ship, which was constructed by Jor-El, also draws the attention of intrepid reporter Lois Lane (Amy Adams). Before long, Lois runs into Superman, who has to save her from the ship's defenses, and in the process, reveals his superhuman abilities.

When Lois tries to sell her incredible story to editor Perry White (Laurence Fishburne), it is rejected, but she is undeterred until actually meeting with Clark Kent and learning his story. After fully understanding what is going on, Lois shelves the proposed exposé, which is not the only sacrifice that she makes for her new alien friend. However, Superman's problems are far from over. When he entered the ship, a distress signal was picked up by Zod and his people, who have somehow survived, and they make a beeline towards Earth. Zod is intent on finding the codex so that he may recreate Krypton on Earth, even if it means killing the current residents. Of course, Superman disagrees with the madman's approach, which sets up several battle scenes and lays the groundwork for the balance of the film.

One of the reasons why Man of Steel works so well is due to the perfect casting of many integral characters. For instance, Russell Crowe delivers a pitch perfect performance as Jor-El, whose essence sticks around for much of the film and allows him to communicate with his son. In addition, Michael Shannon is mesmerizing as the maniacal Zod and delivers a searing performance. Furthermore, the aforementioned Diane Lane and Kevin Costner are superb in their brief appearances. Finally, even minor roles are populated by talented actors, including Christopher Meloni, Richard Shiff and Harry Lennix.

Amy Adams is well cast as Lois Lane, but she does not have a great deal of screen time. I trust that will be rectified in the next installment. The same goes for Laurence Fishburne as Perry White. The conclusion of the film hints at the Daily Planet playing a more prominent role in the next installment, though. In addition to the performances, I enjoyed the references to other characters in the Superman mythology, including Pete Ross and Dr. Emil Hamilton, which added a degree of continuity to the story.

With that being said, Man of Steel does have a couple of problems. The extended battle scenes seem overdone and unnecessary and there is a noticeable lack of humor that helped to offset the dark tone of the recent Batman trilogy. Viewers have to wait until nearly the end of the film to enjoy a humorous moment. Overall, however, I found Man of Steel to be well acted and entertaining. The tone of the film feels appropriate and contemporary and the new leading man of steel, Henry Cavill, has the talent to make this role his own for the foreseeable future and I look forward to the next installments, if, of course, there are any remnants of Smallville and Metropolis still around to use after the intense battles depicted throughout the film.

Independent Film Recommendation: "Mud"- Starring Matthew McConaughey

Mud can be described as a coming of age story, and that is accurate, but it is so much more. Writer/director Jeff Nichols has crafted a masterpiece that pays attention to detail, fully fleshes out the principal characters, and features an amazing cast of veteran actors and relative newcomers. The story is set in the southern United States along the Mississippi River, where two young teenage boys, Ellis (Tye Sheridan) and Neckbone (Jacob Lofland), frequent a local, uninhabited island whose main attraction is a riverboat that is stuck in a number of trees. The boat serves as a tree house, of sorts, for the youngsters until they discover that someone else has been using it. Shortly thereafter, they encounter a drifter who goes by the name of Mud (Matthew McConaughey). Their initial meeting is tense as the surprisingly worldly young men size up Mud, who is actually running from the law, as well as the family of a man he killed.

The friendship between Neckbone and Ellis, along with their relationship with Mud serve as the two central storylines. Neckbone clearly looks up to Ellis and basically follows his lead as they decide to do what they can to help Mud, including reaching out to his old friend/father figure Tom Blankenship (Sam Shepard), contacting his love interest, Juniper (Reese Witherspoon), and stealing old parts so that he can rebuild the motorboat and escape to a new life. Of course, helping Mud and not telling his parents about it comes back to haunt Ellis, but he remains steadfast in his decision to do what he can for the drifter. Despite dealing with problems at home, both young men appear to have been raised well, but are caught in that difficult place between childhood and adulthood when hearts are easily broken, friendships seemed like they would last forever and coming to the understanding that things seldom turn out the way you expect them to.

The interplay between all of the characters feels authentic. In fact, Mud never hits a false note, which is impressive considering the large cast and their various storylines, which all come full circle by the end of the film. Neckbone and Ellis are trying to forge their own paths with the help of Mud, who provides words of wisdom about life and love. Mud seems like a decent person, but has made a few serious mistakes and yet the youngsters somehow empathize with his plight and do whatever is in their power to help, even when they are bound to pay a price for their actions.

The cinematography by Adam Stone is remarkable. The images of wildlife, along with the seemingly desolate landscape bring the rural surroundings to life and add greatly to the overall effort. In addition, Jeff Nichols brings out the best in his cast, which includes a supporting turn by Joe Don Baker and a mostly understated, but completely effective turn by Ray McKinnon, as Ellis's father. The sublime Sarah Paulson and Michael Shannon round out the talented cast. As good as all of the veteran actors are, it may be the performances of Sheridan and Lofland that viewers remember and talk about long after Mud has come to an end. This is surely one of best films of 2013, so if you have  a chance to see Mud, do not pass it up.

Movie Recommendation: "Premium Rush" - Starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt

Photo Credit: Columbia Pictures

Joseph Gordon-Levitt continues to impress with each and every performance. The former Indie darling has expanded into mainstream films over the past two years, with roles in Inception, 50/50, The Dark Knight Rises and now in Premium Rush, where he delivers a physically impressive performance as a bicycle messenger who is being chased by a crooked cop, Bobby Monday (Michael Shannon). Gordon-Levitt portrays Wilee, who is tasked with picking up an envelope from a local University and delivering it to Chinatown. However, after he secures the package, he is stopped by the "head of campus security," (actually police detective Bobby Monday) who says that a mistake has been made and asks for the envelope back. Wilee, sensing that something is not quite right, and living up to his namesake, thwarts Monday's attempt to get the envelope and a chase ensues.

The envelope that Wilee is carrying contains a very valuable claim ticket that is worth a lot of money and has far reaching emotional consequences that could impact a family if not delivered to the correct person. Monday, who has a serious gambling problem and is in debt to gangsters who reside in Chinatown, is offered a chance to clear that debt if he can obtain the ticket. As a result, he frantically races across New York City trying to catch Wilee, who always seems to outsmart the detective. As savvy as Wilee is, he manages to catch the attention of a bicycle cop who experiences that same frustration with catching him as Monday does. Eventually, things get even tougher for Wilee, who then has to request help from his dispatcher and fellow messengers in order to deliver the package.

Premium Rush is loaded with exciting bicycle chases through the streets of New York City that must have been challenging to choreograph. Joseph Gordon-Levitt spends much of the film on a bicycle and looks like a professional, as he navigates through crowded intersections, traffic jams and many near misses with other vehicles (and was even injured during filming). While the tone is essentially dramatic, there is a good amount of comedy, courtesy of Michael Shannon (Bug), who has mastered the art of playing bizarre characters. As annoying and crooked as Monday is, Shannon infuses a degree of sadness into the character, who is desperate to pay off his gambling debt, or face serious consequences. As a result, viewers may find themselves feeling empathy for the hapless detective.

Director and co-writer David Koepp has crafted an exciting, pulse pounding, well acted and entertaining film that never loses momentum. Thankfully, the focus remains on Wilee and his mission to deliver the package, even though he is being paid very little for his considerable trouble. However, he senses that what he is doing is very important and will not be deterred by anyone, including members of the NYPD. Wilee is a character who audiences will want to root for and follow every step of the way on his mission to do the right thing. I am not sure how realistic Wilee is, but I had a great time rooting for him to succeed, nonetheless.