by Ray Keating
(Warning: Includes what
some might consider “spoilers.”)
Man of Steel: 5 stars out of 5
If you’re going to the new “Batman v. Superman: Dawn of
Justice” movie, you should have seen “Man of Steel” (2013). If not, grab the
Blue-Ray, DVD or digital version, and give it a whirl. You won’t be sorry. In
fact, even if you saw “Man of Steel,” another viewing is in order.
While “Man of Steel” has received some real flak on the
Internet (I know, go figure, cranky people complaining on the Internet), it
quite simply ranks among the top superhero movies of all time. And director
Zack Snyder and Henry Cavill in the lead role created the best Superman on film.
It’s not even close.
From the opening on the dying planet of Krypton to the
concluding brawl between Superman and General Zod (Michael Shannon) in, above
and around Metropolis, “Man of Steel” is visually fascinating and stunning.
But thankfully, there’s much more to the film than
off-the-charts special effects. In nearly two-and-a-half hours, the moviegoer
gets to know key points about who the characters are, in particular, Clark Kent/Superman/Kal-El,
his Earth parents Jonathan (Kevin Costner) and Martha (Diane Lane) Kent, and
his Kryptonian father, Jor-El (Russell Crowe).
Jor-El sends Kal-El to Earth to both save his son from the
dying Krypton, but also as a way to save both humans and Kryptonians.
Meanwhile, Jonathan understands that Clark is bound to
change the world with his incredible powers, but also knows that he will face
opposition. Jonathan is concerned about properly forming his son’s character,
so that he is prepared for the inevitable, formidable challenges, and ready to
do the right thing. In doing so, Jonathan makes some questionable decisions
himself, but we see that it’s all done for his son.
It turns out that as Superman, Clark does work to help
others in truly selfless ways. The parallels to Jesus are present, and
sometimes less than subtle.
In one powerful moment, after Zod arrives seeking Kal-El and
taking on Earth, Clark still has not been revealed to the world. He stops in at
a church, looking for insight and guidance. As Clark wrestles with his
decision, in the background is a stained glass portrait of Jesus in the Garden
of Gethsemane. Clark tells the priest or pastor that Zod cannot be trusted, but
he is not sure about the people of Earth either. As Clark goes to leave, the priest/pastor
advises: “Sometimes you have to take a leap of faith first. The trust part
comes later.”
Clark takes that leap of faith, surrenders to mankind, and then,
on behalf of humanity, he must go to war with General Zod and his soldiers.
By the way, in the midst of the subsequent super-powered
conflict, Snyder presents a rather stirring portrait of those serving in the
U.S. military, who despite being obviously outgunned, if you will, they stand
firm, and bravely fight.
Like any war, the fight is brutal, with damage unfortunately
falling even on to noncombatants. And in the end, yes, Superman is forced to
take a life. This act has led to much of the criticism of “Man of Steel.” But
the compelling, powerful point is that Superman had no choice. He does not want
to kill, but given that innocent lives are at stake, he makes the only choice
possible with great reluctance. And after doing so, he weeps.
Yes, “Man of Steel” serves up great special effects and
plenty of excitement, but in the end, its power lies in exploring the character
of the person who is Kal-El, Clark Kent and Superman.
______________
Mr. Keating is an
economist and novelist who writes on a wide range of topics. His Pastor Stephen
Grant novels have received considerable acclaim, including The River: A Pastor
Stephen Grant Novel being a finalist for KFUO radio’s Book of the Year 2014,
and Murderer’s Row: A Pastor Stephen Grant Novel winning Book of the Year 2015.
The Pastor Stephen
Grant Novels are available at Amazon…
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