My return is brought on by a subject that is
already old by todays wham bam thank you señorita entertainment standards.
Where we exist in an universe where a movie is jammed down our throats via
previews months and years out, as the must see movie, the blockbuster of the
year the one that is going to change our religion, and then is in and out of
theaters in three weeks only to be on DVD by the end of the month. Or for those of you "hipsters" too cool to
go to theaters anymore because your HD/3D/TK421/1080p/PiP/ 84 inch television rivals that of any modern day picture
house I use the example where a T.V. show with what we are told is
written and stars the comedic genius of three generations is only given four
episodes to gain an audience. I choose to write about a subject that is already
in well on its way toward senior citizen status since the movie in question was released four weeks ago today.
I am here to take what seems to be the minority
opinion on two issues dealing with the recent Superman retool - Man of
Steel.
First opinion.
I am so tired of the remakes where we
have to re-introduce the mythology and then take a few twists and yanks making
it feel as if your imagination has strapped in for a ride on the Comet
(roller-coaster) that try to convince us that this is a new and fresh version of an already established story. Why do we have to reinvent the hubcap every time we want to take the Studebaker out for a ride?
I did not like it with a litany of other remakes most recently including Star Trek (ohhhh YEAH I went THERE) and The Amazing Spiderman (more on that at another time) and now I am once again reminded how much I don't like it and how I feel it insults our intelligence with the new Superman.
Of course in this case those of us around since the 80s had to suffer not just once
but twice. These money grabs are sucking the life and pleasure out of me (and not in the good way...) when it comes to wanting to pay for
movies. I get it Superman had to be explained for the uninitiated masses that were too young for the Richard Donner's Superman most excellently portrayed by Christopher Reeves or even further back for the George Reeves Version from the 50s. Or for those that missed out on the chance to read one of the Thirtyteen gazillion comics by DC Comics where it all began with Joe Schuster with Action Comics #1 in June 1938.
Ok so to recap - I am not a fan of retreads or having a director/screenwriter retell a story that was good enough already, in their own way, just so they can show us how smart and talented they are.
Point Two
So the part I liked best about the new Man of Steel was actually the first 15 minutes on Kryton. We get to see a whole new world. The entire opening segment I was asking my self - what was that creature? how does that communication device work? then I was amazed of the mix between cool new creatures and unique space ships, designs I don't think I have seen before, and a whole new world was opening up. I was actually thinking I was going to enjoy this movie since this movie was obviously going to explore Krypton and we were going to see things we never have before (full disclosure - I grew up reading Marvel and later Dark Horse, so I am not as familiar if this was all old hat for DC readers). I somehow forgot about the previews and how all this was going to have to end since we were going to have to be transported to Earth and continue the story.
I actually did not mind the set up on Earth either, would like to have seen more of Smallville (spoiler alert) BEFORE it was destroyed in the first fight scene. But once Zod gets to Earth the creative team that wrote and filmed this two hour long car crash, used every possible sound and visual effect in the library to show mass destruction. It was not new, not fresh and kind of wore me down. I was physically tired before the movie was over from sitting and watching this. Even though the movie preached over and over that Kal'el should choose to become the humans champion and show us "the way" no human (except one Air force pilot and to a lessor extent Lois Lane) really got to get in on the action and make a sacrifice or become a hero.
One part I DID like was the casting for Zod and his sub-commander Faora-UI. Zod played by Michael Shannon was (in my humble opinion) well done. I have heard comparisons to the Zod of Terence Stamp. I have nothing against Terence Stamp either as General Zod or Count Douku but I think the way we Zod was written in this recent version we see more of what makes him tick, and he is a bad ass no doubt. As for Faora-UI, played by Antje Traue, well she is just HOT, and I was getting a little excited when she was beating Superman. But even with all that super sexual tension the fight scenes went on far too long.
Another criticism I have heard was that Henry Cavill is NOT Christopher Reeves. Well no crap.... And Reeves was no Reeves (George that is...) my point is, I think Cavill came as close as your going to get if you are trying to clone Christopher Reeves' Superman, and if you are I would stay we should stick to the script and not try to recreate the story.
Recap. The casting was as well as it could have been, that was not the issue. The movie was three parts. Set up on Krypton, Set up on Earth, and two looong fight scenes. The fight scenes took up 80% of the 143 minute movie.
Ok so to recap - I am not a fan of retreads or having a director/screenwriter retell a story that was good enough already, in their own way, just so they can show us how smart and talented they are.
Point Two
So the part I liked best about the new Man of Steel was actually the first 15 minutes on Kryton. We get to see a whole new world. The entire opening segment I was asking my self - what was that creature? how does that communication device work? then I was amazed of the mix between cool new creatures and unique space ships, designs I don't think I have seen before, and a whole new world was opening up. I was actually thinking I was going to enjoy this movie since this movie was obviously going to explore Krypton and we were going to see things we never have before (full disclosure - I grew up reading Marvel and later Dark Horse, so I am not as familiar if this was all old hat for DC readers). I somehow forgot about the previews and how all this was going to have to end since we were going to have to be transported to Earth and continue the story.
I actually did not mind the set up on Earth either, would like to have seen more of Smallville (spoiler alert) BEFORE it was destroyed in the first fight scene. But once Zod gets to Earth the creative team that wrote and filmed this two hour long car crash, used every possible sound and visual effect in the library to show mass destruction. It was not new, not fresh and kind of wore me down. I was physically tired before the movie was over from sitting and watching this. Even though the movie preached over and over that Kal'el should choose to become the humans champion and show us "the way" no human (except one Air force pilot and to a lessor extent Lois Lane) really got to get in on the action and make a sacrifice or become a hero.
One part I DID like was the casting for Zod and his sub-commander Faora-UI. Zod played by Michael Shannon was (in my humble opinion) well done. I have heard comparisons to the Zod of Terence Stamp. I have nothing against Terence Stamp either as General Zod or Count Douku but I think the way we Zod was written in this recent version we see more of what makes him tick, and he is a bad ass no doubt. As for Faora-UI, played by Antje Traue, well she is just HOT, and I was getting a little excited when she was beating Superman. But even with all that super sexual tension the fight scenes went on far too long.
Another criticism I have heard was that Henry Cavill is NOT Christopher Reeves. Well no crap.... And Reeves was no Reeves (George that is...) my point is, I think Cavill came as close as your going to get if you are trying to clone Christopher Reeves' Superman, and if you are I would stay we should stick to the script and not try to recreate the story.
Recap. The casting was as well as it could have been, that was not the issue. The movie was three parts. Set up on Krypton, Set up on Earth, and two looong fight scenes. The fight scenes took up 80% of the 143 minute movie.
