Trailer Review: Man of Steel (2013)

The latest trailer for Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel is truly epic. It begins with bad guy General Zod (Michael Shannon) issuing a menacing warning to the inhabitants of Earth. If Superman aka Kal-El (Henry Cavill) surrenders then Zod’s armies will not tear the planet apart. Zod and his army are then seen landing their spaceships on Earth and all hell breaks loose. Kal-El will have to use all his strength in order to defeat a small army of bad guys from his homeworld.

The trailer does a great job of getting the viewer pumped for the film. It contains plenty of spectacle and also hints at some of the more dramatic moments. Superman will be tested by Zod and his mooks while his love for the human race will be exploited. Some details are also revealed in the trailer which should make the film even more interesting. Zod and his crew are rather sensitive to the sun when they land on Earth. Fans of the comic books and early Superman films will know the sun has a profound effect on aliens from Krypton like Superman and Zod.  It is actually the source of Superman’s power and it is the reason why he is able to perform superhuman feats on our planet. This is the main reason why his father Jor-El sent him here. His father knew his new powers granted by the sun would protect him from harm. Unfortunately the sun also grants powers to Zod and his group. However when they first arrive on the planet the sun is too strong for them. They initially have to wear suits that prevent them from absorbing too much sunlight and overheating. Their powers then start to evolve gradually as they become acclimated to the planet. Superman has the advantage as he has been on Earth for years and his powers have grown over that time. Zod has the advantage of strength in numbers and ruthlessness.

Zod’s second in command is also revealed. She is a warrior known only as Faora and she is played by the German actress Antje Traue. Traue is convincing as a hard nut and she played a similar character in the sci-fi thriller Pandorum. Some other cast members are also shown including Laurence Fishburne as Perry White the editor of the Daily Bugle newspaper and Amy Adams as Lois Lane. Kevin Costner, Russell Crowe and Diane Lane are not shown but they appeared in earlier trailers. The film has a good cast and they should all deliver top performances. Henry Cavill was a surprising choice for Superman. He had some exposure due to his roles in Immortals and The Tudors but he was not yet a household name. Man of Steel will definitely make him a big star. He looks good in the trailers as he is actually capable of emoting which is a big benefit. Clark Kent doesn’t appear to be a journalist in this film which is a change. Based on the trailer it looks like he spends his time drifting from one town to the next until he accepts his fate and becomes a hero. Sometimes it is cool for a film to change the source material slightly if it is a benefit.

The music is outstanding and very dramatic. It sounds like something from a Godzilla movie and is just as epic as the visuals shown. The editing is nice as one scene fades into another early on in the trailer.  As the trailer progresses and the action starts the fades are replaced by quick edits and cuts which accentuate all the punches and kicks on display. Superman is also seen screaming in anger as he loses his cool and that is when his heat vision manifests. This ability appears to be one he only uses when he lashes out in anger. It is a devastating attack and one that Zod also learns how to use. The difference is Zod doesn’t care who gets caught in the blast when he does it. The trailer contains an ominous shot of Superman buried in a big pile of human skulls. Maybe that is what happens when Zod lets loose with his heat vision. Zack Snyder is a master of spectacle and he knows how to direct an action scene. The set pieces in Man of Steel should be joy to behold.

Man of Steel may turn out to be the best comic book film of the year. It has everything a viewer could want from that kind of movie. Hopefully it can deliver the goods and bring the Superman movie franchise back from the dead.

The film will be released on June 14th. Check out the trailer and share your thoughts.