Ready for Takeoff: Final Thoughts on the Upcoming Release

Simply put, and as stated previously both here and in other media previewing the film, there is a tremendous amount of pressure on Man of Steel to be a success.  It goes well beyond a studio (in this case, Warner Brothers) wanting the film to garner enough box office receipts to make a profit from such a high-budget project.  It goes beyond the hope to further line the pockets of stuffy corporate executives who are not seldom, but often, out of touch with the audiences to which they are catering.  Man of Steel's possible success would bring a now 75-year-old beloved character back to cinematic relevance for the first time in decades.  It would also help fix the tragic irony that in a modern era where superhero movies are abundant, in demand and consistently breaking box office records, Superman himself, the original and biggest superhero of them all, has barely even been a part of it, the only exception being the lukewarm-received Superman Returns which released seven years ago this summer and is either looked back upon with deserved criticism or is nearly forgotten altogether.

  
Man of Steel's success may not only bring Superman back to big screen prominence, but may finally welcome his DC Comics friends to the party.  Premature buzz on the film has been positive from both media outlets and the studio itself, and in recent weeks Jeff Robinov, president of Warner Brothers Pictures Group, has hinted toward a big announcement regarding the plans of future DC characters on film.  It is safe to say that such a reveal, however, is contingent upon a huge opening weekend for Man of Steel, as they are now hoping to use the world it created to usher in the hero's Justice League colleagues never before seen on film, such as Wonder Woman, The Flash, Aquaman and Green Arrow.  Such projects, particularly in the case of Wonder Woman and The Flash, are said to have long been stuck in "development hell," but the first possibly well-received Superman film in 30 years may be the only thing that could finally bring them out of it.  A DC cinematic universe launched by Man of Steel, and most likely an eventual Justice League team-up film (a la Marvel's The Avengers), would prove that Warner Brothers Studio is at last able to have confidence in superhero films directed by people not named Christopher Nolan, and may forever change the landscape of the superhero film genre.

Many years ago actor Russell Crowe (Man of Steel's Jor-El), when filming Proof of Life, was approached by an aspiring British actor who had served as an extra in the film.  Crowe being one of the young man's favorite actors, the young man asked him what it was like to be in the profession.  They talked briefly, and two days later, the impressionable Brit received an autographed picture of Crowe's character in Gladiator with the message, "a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."  That young man was none other than Henry Cavill, who now dons the red cape as our own Man of Steel.  Years later it is finally time for him to take that single step, to begin that journey.  It is time for Superman to soar to new heights long thought unreachable.  It is time, once again, for Superman to fly.                

First Listen: Hans Zimmer's MOS Theme

There are certain film scores that are ingrained into the public consciousness, ones that are forever associated with the characters and stories for whom they were written.  The accelerating, two-note build of Jaws that warns of danger lurking beneath the water.  The booming trumpets that signal the spectacle and wonder of the space odyssey that is Star Wars.  The strong but playful tones that accompany the archeological adventures of Indiana Jones.  Included among these is the iconic theme to Superman: The Movie, the orchestra's rise into a powerful symphony that introduced Christopher Reeve to the world and helped show to what scale movies of the time were capable of achieving.

In developing Man of Steel it would have been easy, and even expected, for the film's creative team to simply re-use the beloved theme composed over thirty years ago by John Williams (who, coincidentally, wrote all three of the other classic themes mentioned above), to show reverence for what came before and to appease the purists who feel that there are some film scores that simply cannot be topped.  However, just as Man of Steel will provide a modern, fresh take on the superhero, so too will the music that accompanies him.  William's memorable score would be tough for anyone to follow, even for Oscar-winning composer Hans Zimmer, who was faced with the unenviable task of creating a brand new theme for the last son of Krypton.  However, after hearing the theme (link below), it is certain that he has created something that is fresh, powerful, and of a quality that could possibly even disprove the nonbelievers.  Let's take a listen via SoundCloud.com:

https://soundcloud.com/watertowermusic/mos_poster/s-LYFjd    

Zimmer here has followed an unforgettable theme and has perhaps already created his very own.  The soft piano notes that begin the piece are touching, and unexpected, yet helps introduce the powerful strings and drums that resonate throughout the music.  The intensity continues to build until the explosion of the orchestra at the 2:04 mark, and in those moments its hard for the casual listener to not feel like a superhero.  Zimmer has succeed in composing a theme that is instantly unforgettable, music that defines Superman himself: epic, courageous, and immensely powerful.





     

Superman's Super Cast: The Supporting Players of MAN OF STEEL

To make a film on a grand, epic scale, it often helps to have a cast worthy of the high expectations that come along with it.  1978's Superman: The Movie is regarded as having achieved this feat, compiling a strong team of actors to showcase their talents in a film whose genre had not yet been displayed on the big screen.  This included Gene Hackman (then coming off an Oscar win for The French Connection) as well as Ned Beatty, Jackie Cooper and Glenn Ford, all of whom also earned Academy Award Nominations throughout their careers.  This is, of course, in addition to screen legend Marlon Brando's portrayal of Jor-El and a star-making turn for young Christopher Reeve as the title character.  Man of Steel producer Christopher Nolan has said that he was inspired to emulate this type of high-profile casting for his three critically-acclaimed Batman films, which helped lead to prestigious names such as Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, Gary Oldman and Liam Neeson filling the films' supporting rosters.

The influence can also be seen in virtually every superhero project since, and next month's Man of Steel is certainly no exception.  The following is a quick rundown of the esteemed supporting cast of the film:

Russell Crowe (Jor-El)
Taking on a role previously played by the legendary Marlon Brando is Oscar-winner Russell Crowe.  The Australian actor, who garnered American attention in 1997's L.A. Confidential, earned three consecutive Best Actor Oscar nominations in the ceremonies held between 2000-2002 (for The Insider, Gladiator, and A Beautiful Mind, respectively), winning the award for Gladiator.  Crowe has since remained one of film's most sought-after actors.

 Ayelet Zurer (Lara Lor-Van)
Playing our hero's birth mother is Israeli-born actress Ayelet Zurer.  While certainly not a household name like the majority of the cast, Zurer featured prominently in 2005's Best Picture nominee, Munich, as well as in Angels & Demons (2009), co-starring opposite Tom Hanks. 

Kevin Costner (Jonathan Kent)
Playing the superhero's adoptive Earth father is Kevin Costner, a mainstay of popular American cinema since 1987's The Untouchables.  A winner of two Oscars for his work in Dances with Wolves (directing and producing), Costner more recently won an Emmy and Golden Globe for his portrayal of William Hatfield in the three-part TV miniseries, Hatfields & McCoys.

Diane Lane (Martha Kent)
With a long film career that began at the age of 13 in the Laurence Olivier-starring A Little Romance (1979), Diane Lane has starred in a variety of film and television projects throughout her career.  Referred years ago by Olivier as the "next Grace Kelly," Lane more recently earned a Best Actress Oscar nomination for 2002's Unfaithful.

Laurence Fishburne (Perry White)
The first African-American to portray the Daily Planet's Editor-in-Chief, Fishburne will likely return to blockbuster territory with Man of Steel, after co-starring in all three of the high-grossing Matrix films between 1999-2003.  Like Lane, he has starred in a plethora of diverse films and television throughout his career, which includes everything from children's television ("Pee-Wee's Playhouse") Shakespeare (starred as Othello in the 1995 film opposite Kenneth Branagh), and popular network crime dramas (a recent stint on CSI and currently on NBC's Hannibal).  He is yet another Oscar nominee in the cast, having earned a Best Actor nod for his portrayal of Ike Turner in 1993's What's Love Got to Do With It."

Trailer #3 Unveiled at CinemaCon

Highlighting Warner Brothers' presentation at last month's CinemaCon was none other than Superman, as the studio unveiled the third (and potentially final) full-length trailer for Man of Steel.  With a running time of a little over three minutes, the trailer gave viewers a first listen to Hans Zimmer's powerful new score as well as an impressive glimpse of the super-powered action that was deemed as lacking in previously released footage.  The following is an analysis of the trailer's most memorable insights and exchanges:

Krypton
Not much explicit detail has been shown on film about Superman's home planet, but it's clear that will change with Man of Steel.  The trailer begins with a few soft, somber piano notes as the future hero's father, Jor-El (Russell Crowe) looks hopelessly out at the chaos engulfing his planet, explosions and violence filling the horizon.  Then a quick shot of a flying creature (which looks like something straight out of Avatar) is seen sweeping through the sky, this brief glimpse of Krypton's wildlife likely used to show viewers an example of the majestic, alien wonders of the advanced civilization.  It is likely in these moments that the father chooses to send his infant son, Kal-El, out to a world that, unlike their own, has a chance to survive.  What follows are touching moments of Jor-El and wife Lara (Ayelet Zurer) saying their last goodbyes to their son as they accept their dismal fates and send the boy on a journey that will forever change the faraway planet Earth.

Lois on Assignment
Until now the only footage we had seen of Amy Adams as Lois Lane was a fleeting glance in the previous trailer (see post #2) where she stands in front of Superman and slowly reaches for his hand, appearing either shocked, worried, or both.  In this trailer, however, we see Lois in action while hearing a brief narration from the journalist herself.  The footage gives us a little more insight into elements of the plot, as Lois appears to be investigating a certain elusive man said to be capable of amazing feats.  In one shot she looks to have stumbled upon Superman's Fortress of Solitude, shining her flashlight on some icy tunnels.  It is an interesting glimpse into the plot, as it suggests that her first interaction with Clark Kent/Superman may not be from being saved by him as the costumed hero, or from meeting her new co-worker at the Daily Planet.

Action!
Follower's of the film's development had been long clamoring for some eye-popping action, and this trailer certainly delivers.  Shown in very quick shots that manage to succeed in not giving away too many plot details and accompanied by the rising charge of Zimmer's score, we are shown Superman having to battle the super-powered assaults of General Zod and his followers as well as being targeted by America's military. Explosions, spaceships, and mid-air fighting are rampant, and tell us that we will finally see the volume of action that would be expected of a Superman film.  It is interesting to note that the trailer ends with a few devastating punches from the Man of Steel to his enemies, and was likely shown in this footage to help address one of the most common complaints of the last film showcasing the hero, 2006's Superman Returns, in which he never throws a single blow.

Interview/Friendly Interrogation     
The trailer concludes with the first spoken interaction we've seen between Superman and Lois Lane, presumably after he has allowed himself to be apprehended by the military.  Sitting in an interrogation-type room being viewed by people on the other side of the glass (perhaps to show a reverse in tone to the memorable Batman-Joker scene in The Dark Knight), he explains to Lois that the symbol on his chest is not simply an "S," but is rather, on his home planet, a symbol of hope.  It will thus be interesting to see how exactly Clark learns of Krypton's heritage, and how or to what extent it differs from past portrayals.  The footage here, although brief, shows a strong indication of the chemistry between Henry Cavill and Adams, with the somewhat flirty tone of the exchange suggesting the future relationship of the hero and revered journalist.

Another Classic Villain to Appear? 
Fans have spotted the LexCorp building in the distance as Metropolis is being assaulted, seen at the trailer's 2:18 mark.  Is this Man of Steel's version of the Joker card being shown at the end of Batman Begins?  Will Lex Luther have a cameo in the film, or is this just a hint at possible sequels to come?  Time will tell.