Like most, I was suckered in by that heart-felt, Hans Zimmer-approved Man of Steel trailer. Well...it's time to let Honest Trailers speak the truth.
Oh. Right. Man of Steel is out on blu ray, digital HD, and DVD today.
Showing posts with label Man of Steel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Man of Steel. Show all posts
Tuesday, 12 November 2013
Wednesday, 2 October 2013
Personally, I'm starting to think that Wonder Woman can't be an American actress. At least, not with Hollywood's current flock of thin and pouty reality television stars. If you don't agree then just look at Lynda Carter. To this day, she remains the number one reason that Wonder Woman is part of the pop culture lexicon. For lack of a better term, Carter was a "mutt," an actress of mixed ethnicity whose extrinsic, womanly features made her perfect to play an Amazon.
So, who should play Diana? Well, my money is on the half-British/half-Native American Hayley Atwell (Captain America: the First Avenger) or...
...RockNRolla's Gemma Arterton.
But for now we'll just have to watch this fan video of some boney, late night Cinemax star tossing men twice her size around. This short isn't bad, and it makes a lot of visual choices that should be noted (**ahem**Warner Bros**cough), but I'm not getting my hopes up. Besides, I'm too busy anticipating Grant Morrison's upcoming take on Wonder woman to worry about whatever tragic thing they will do to Diana on film.
So, who should play Diana? Well, my money is on the half-British/half-Native American Hayley Atwell (Captain America: the First Avenger) or...
...RockNRolla's Gemma Arterton.
But for now we'll just have to watch this fan video of some boney, late night Cinemax star tossing men twice her size around. This short isn't bad, and it makes a lot of visual choices that should be noted (**ahem**Warner Bros**cough), but I'm not getting my hopes up. Besides, I'm too busy anticipating Grant Morrison's upcoming take on Wonder woman to worry about whatever tragic thing they will do to Diana on film.
Thursday, 26 September 2013
Summertime is like the playoffs here at ACTIONAGOGO.COM. We track these big budget monsters from announcements, which are years ahead of release dates, all the way to opening night. Sometimes we even bet on opening weekend draws. Yeah, it’s serious business ‘round here. After the smoke from all the explosions and car chases has cleared it’s become obvious that we have some problems that are being baked into every big budget action film that came out this year.
This summer came and has left me feeling disappointed. Why? I went to three major Hollywood releases in a row and came out feeling like I’d somehow watched the same movie with the same problems. Those movies were Iron Man 3, Star Trek Into Darkness, and Man Of Steel. All three of these feature characters and franchises that I grew up with and, to an extent, cherish. For me, there was a lot of excitement going into this summer movie season, and why not? The directors list was a who’s who of hot Hollywood talent at the top of their game. Shane Black, the edgy director of Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005), was going to take a swing at a Marvel movie. J.J Abrams was going to bring the thunder for a second time to the Star Trek franchise he helped bring into a bold new cinematic era. And last, but certainly not least, Zack Snyder was bringing Superman back to the big screen. Of all the directors who’ve made comic book movies, Snyder is the one who has been able to bring a level of jaw dropping cinematic artistry that brings a level of dedication to the original story, proving he’s actually read it and, more importantly, gets what makes it great.
Then it began. I went to see Iron Man 3 with the rest of the fans, packed into the theatre like sardines when the film began. I was with it. The stakes were raised. It was personal. Tony Stark (excellently played by Robert Downey, Jr.) was doing some Batman level investigating and self-actualization. He needed to do that after saving the world from aliens in The Avengers. Ok, whatever, that seems forced and suspiciously convenient, but it can be forgiven. Then the twist happened. ***Spoilers ahead*** The Mandarin, played amazingly by Ben Kingsley, is a fraud -- an actor pretending to be a terrorist so the real bad guy can get things done. At this point, when Marvel is epically trolling the entire Nolan Batman franchise, it lost me. Some hilarity ensues, Tony goes on another round of fight scenes to get to the real bad guy, and then everything explodes endlessly. And then it’s over and everything’s fine. The moral of the story being kicking ass cures alien PTSD.
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| Apparently "falling" was the new black this summer. |
Then Star Trek Into Darkness happens. And it’s good. Captain Kirk is struggling to hold his crew and ship together, and yet, it’s the same thing. The stakes are higher, it’s personal, and the bad guy isn’t who he says he is. And at the end everything explodes, with San Fransico getting owned by a Star Fleet ship and most certainly ending the lives of untold numbers of people. But everything’s all right because Captain Kirk (one guy!) is saved at the end through the magic of space medicine. Vengeance has been wrought! (Sucks for those dead people.)
Man Of Steelthen hammers home all of the points of the first two except one. The bad guy, General Zod (played by the awesome Michael Shannon) is who he says he is throughout the entire movie. Which was refreshing. The rest of the problems were all there. Superman (Henry Cavill) is trying to find himself the entire movie and even let’s his Father (Kevin Costner) commit the silliest suicide of all time so that no one finds out he has powers. What? Again, I was lost. Then Zod shows up on Earth and begins to own the entire planet. Metropolis is hammered over and over again, millions of lives are lost…and Superman isn’t saving anyone? Ok, not his fault. So he manages to turn off the destruction and fight Zod hand to hand. It’s epic! The best fight scene like this ever filmed, better than Matrix Revolutions, better than Dragon Ball Z! And then when Superman realizes he can’t win in a fair fight he snaps Zod’s neck. Then he cries about it. After this, he leaves an entire city leveled to the ground, but he is the hero.
With this trifecta opening the summer I was starting to get really bummed. Fake Bad Guy = Genius Plot Twist? Destroyed city = Victory? If Superman can’t save me, who can?
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| Our heroes came... |
But all was not lost. This summer salvation came in the form of a giant blue robot named Gypsy Danger. That’s right, Pacific Rim saved this summer movie season for me, and in flying colors. It was an original story directed by Guillermo Del Toro that didn’t rely on a franchise. It had giant robots. It had giant monsters. Characters, while at times not fleshed out, were honest and fun to watch. The story didn’t try some cheap fake me out. The stakes were high and the good guys gave their all to save the cities being attacked, with certain death a consequence of failure. Yes, this was a summer blockbuster at its finest.
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| ...and they fell. |
And it was a box office bomb. It debuted at number 3 in the U.S.A, behind children’s movie behemoth Despicable Me 2 and the Adam Sandler vehicle Grown Ups 2. I was shocked. Appalled. Saddened. But what were the reasons for this? As usual, hindsight is 20/20. First, U.S audiences weren’t ready for what looked like a Transformers rip-off, and even if they were, marketing efforts were lackluster on the part of the studio. Second, core Anime fans seemed to be rebelling against it, with many labeling it a Neon Genesis Evangelion rip off after seeing the trailer and pictures of the cast in costume. Third, it was just a crowded marketplace. Despicable Me 2 grabbed families and Grown Ups 2scooped up males in Pacific Rim’s prime demographic that decided to go with a laugh and a cavalcade of familiar faces instead or heavy metal action. Which brings me to the last and certainly not least reason why Pacific Rimdidn’t do better than expected at the box office. Blockbuster fatigue. After three straight epic city destroying, disaster filled blow outs people simply saw the poster with giant machines wreaking havoc and shrugged their shoulders. No, not this week. Adam Sandler getting pissed on and Steve Carrell talking funny was enough to knock out the most original action movie to come out in a long while. Move along. Nothing to see here.
That is a shame, but more importantly, it illustrates a disturbing trend. Audiences have gotten so conditioned to go back to the familiar that original movies, even big ones like Pacific Rim , aren’t finding eyes to grab. Even worse, the movies that are grabbing the eyes are becoming so paint by numbers similar that even when they do check them out they’ll see the same beats, verbatim, with the same forced plot twists and character developments. Long term audiences will catch on without the help of critics, and once people realize the Emperor has no clothes you’ll have diminishing return after diminishing return, and the golden age geeks have been experiencing will come to a close. Instead we are going to have even more pandering Sharknado-styled tomfoolery and a collection of streaming services with a ramshackle mix of original/interesting content and tired crap.
Despite my grievances this movie season has been a good one in terms of cash. $4.7 Billion this summer alone. And we all know movies as a medium aren’t going anywhere for a while, but I recognize a trend when I see one, and the only way for media giants like News Corp. and Time Warner to not end up like the real Titanic is to steer away from the iceberg when it’s far away and not close enough to sink the ship. The guys who wrote the book on summer blockbusters, Steven Spielberg and George Lucas, seem to see something coming. I hope the rest of us keep our eyes open as well.
Best Regards,
Derek Scarzella
Publisher and Editor in Chief of Action A Go Go
Thursday, 22 August 2013
Surprise, surprise! It looks like we have our new Batman for the sequel to Man of Steel. Ben Affleck has apparently decided to take on the role even though he's repeatedly been on recording as intentionally avoiding involvement with Superhero films after his unfortunate involvement in the 2003 Daredevil adaptation.
This is pretty big news and an exciting development for the project. The film is set to be released in July of 2015.
Saturday, 20 July 2013
A few weeks ago, I joked on Twitter that WB was going to f@#% us 'til we loved it. While the decision to get off of Warner's superhero train lands squarely on the individual viewer, it does seem that my lewd metaphor is coming true.
At SDCC today, it was announced that WB will be making a Superman and Batman team up film. Zack Snyder is going to direct. David Goyer will write.
While I'm curious whether audiences will pay through the nose for a Batman portrayed by someone who is NOT Christian Bale (but, I'm assuming, is supposed to be the same character from Nolan's film) and a Superman that spins entirely out of the like it or hate it Man of Steel, I'm ready to retire my interest in the DC films altogether.
Tuesday, 9 July 2013
I'm fairly convinced that composer Hans Zimmer was one of the few people involved in Man of Steel who properly understood the lineage of the character and his actual role in American culture. While it would seem that everyone above the line wanted to desperately subvert the iconic character, Zimmer gave moviegoers an audible experience that seemed to respectfully acknowledge the quiet strength of Superman.
In the following video, David Chen of SlashFilm.com compares Zimmer's score to John Williams' highly-regarded fanfare from 1978's Superman: The Movie. Understandably, the purpose isn't meant to pit the two composers against each other in a fanboy-styled battle for supremacy, but to better understand the method of two extremely talented individuals.
Check it out:
Today we're getting a first look at the packaging for the limited blu-ray 3D edition of Man of Steel. The set includes a 3D blu-ray version of the film, as well as regular blu-ray, DVD and an Ultraviolet copy, presumably on four or five discs.
Best start saving up pennies in your piggy-banks early cause Warner Bros. is not kidding about this edition being "limited". Only 35,000 copies of this set will be put into production, so if you're a fan of the film you may want to pre-order this one ASAP.
Man of Steel will be hitting shelves this October.
Wednesday, 3 July 2013
Warner Bros. is releasing an all new blu-ray set of Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight Trilogy this September in a six-disc set. It includes all three movies and special features which had previously been released in special-edition blu-ray releases, as well as a sixth disc which contains all new material. New material includes:
* "The Fire Rises: The Creation and Impact of The Dark Knight Trilogy", and all new documentary about the conception and creation of the trilogy, including never before seen footage and interviews with Guillermo Del Toro, Damon Lindelof, Michael Mann, Richard Roeper and Zack Snyder.
* "Christopher Nolan & Richard Donner: A Conversation", the two directors discuss how they adapted the two most famous superheroes of all time into film. And Nolan discussed how Donner's approach in Superman: The Movie influenced his approach to Batman Begins.
* IMAX sequences from The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises. Scenes from both of these films will be available in their original IMAX format.
In addition to new on-disc material, the set also includes some great collectibles including all-new artwork, and miniature models of the Batpod, the Tumbler and The Bat.
This set will be available on September 24th of this year. And as a humongous fan of Nolan's trilogy, I will most definitely be signed up for a purchase.
Tuesday, 25 June 2013
We now live in an age when CGI is so advanced, almost anything a movie studio wants to put on a screen can be created.
If you’re under twenty five, this might not seem like such a big thing, but it is. Watch any sci-fi film or television show from the 1970s or 1980s and you’ll see how far we’ve come. With such technological advances, TV networks and movie studios are mining the archives for stories to revamp, retell and reboot.
Is this a good thing?
The answer to this question depends on how two more are answered:
1) Are those that are mining the geek scriptures, mythos and archives being respectful to the original core principles?
2) Or are they simply taking the formof a franchise and disregarding the substance at its heart?
The most recent example of a reboot gone wrong…very, very wrong… would be Man of Steel. Many have gone “Oooooh!” and “Ahhhhh!” over the special effects sequences. But when one looks at the core of the Superman mythos, he does not kill. He just doesn’t. That fact defines the son of Krypton.
Is this a good thing?
The answer to this question depends on how two more are answered:
1) Are those that are mining the geek scriptures, mythos and archives being respectful to the original core principles?
2) Or are they simply taking the formof a franchise and disregarding the substance at its heart?
The most recent example of a reboot gone wrong…very, very wrong… would be Man of Steel. Many have gone “Oooooh!” and “Ahhhhh!” over the special effects sequences. But when one looks at the core of the Superman mythos, he does not kill. He just doesn’t. That fact defines the son of Krypton.
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| So, feeling really, really bad about killing someone is supposed to make it ok? Mmmmmmm…no. |
Having unlimited power and being physiologically superior to humans are not the only characteristics that make him “super”. He embodies truth and dignity and respect for life. And even though it may please many currently sitting in theaters, his snapping of a bad guy’s neck was a complete and utter betrayal of all for which the character has ever stood. Also, what many seem to have not noticed about MOS is that in previous incarnations, Superman would do everything possible to battle the bad guys away from areas where large populations could come to harm. Yet in MOS, hundreds of millions of dollars in property damage occurred and tens of thousands of lives had to have been lost and it appeared that the Man of Steel wasn’t even giving it a second thought.
The character of Superman has never been about stooping to the lowest common denominator. He has always been about inspiring others to be as noble as he. And that’s where the creators of MOS screwed up. They went with form, but not function. They tried to make Superman fit into a Rambo mold. It is the geek equivalent of making a ham and cheese sandwich for a Rabbi or asking a member of Occupy Wall Street if they’d like to donate to a Karl Rove CPAC.
Prometheus (2012, Dir. Ridley Scott, starring Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender, Charlize Theron) is an example of a reboot that’s somewhere in the middle-ground. When I walked out of the theater after seeing it, I was left with the feeling of “Meh. It was beautiful, but that was supposed to fall into the same paradigm of the Alien trilogy?” (note: And it is only a trilogy. That fourth one? With Winona Ryder? It doesn’t count. I said…IT DOESN’T COUNT.)
The character of Superman has never been about stooping to the lowest common denominator. He has always been about inspiring others to be as noble as he. And that’s where the creators of MOS screwed up. They went with form, but not function. They tried to make Superman fit into a Rambo mold. It is the geek equivalent of making a ham and cheese sandwich for a Rabbi or asking a member of Occupy Wall Street if they’d like to donate to a Karl Rove CPAC.
Prometheus (2012, Dir. Ridley Scott, starring Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender, Charlize Theron) is an example of a reboot that’s somewhere in the middle-ground. When I walked out of the theater after seeing it, I was left with the feeling of “Meh. It was beautiful, but that was supposed to fall into the same paradigm of the Alien trilogy?” (note: And it is only a trilogy. That fourth one? With Winona Ryder? It doesn’t count. I said…IT DOESN’T COUNT.)
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| Ok, so she’s not Ripley. It’s ok. Let it go. Life is change. |
However, being a hi-def visuals geek, I still picked up Prometheus on Bluray. Upon second viewing, I started to see things I hadn’t noticed in the theater. And by the third viewing, I realized how well done it was and what had been a major obstacle for me.
No Sigourney Weaver.
My mind had become so accustomed to having her involved in anything featuring the Xenomorph, that I let it hamper my enjoyment of Prometheus, which I now view as one of the best science fiction films of the past decade. A full review of it is the beyond the scope of this article, so I’ll simply put forth that if you’re ever hard up for something to watch some weekend, give it a second shot. If you keep in mind that it would be impossible to include Ripley in every flick, you’ll discover a whole new realm to appreciate.
And although some die hard Trekkies were down on J.J. Abrams’ reboots, and although many non-Trekkies didn’t dig them either, it’s fair to say that Star Trek (2009) and Star Trek Into Darkness (2013) were both amazing on many levels. Twenty years from now, when Man of Steel has fallen into obscurity, Abrams’ efforts will still be studied and enjoyed by film students and sci-fi geeks alike.
Another successful reboot? The Dark Knight Trilogy (Dir. Christopher Nolan). The Batman franchise was almost completely destroyed by Hollywood cheesiness in the 1990s. And then Christopher Nolan figured out two things. First, Batman should never be seen standing up straight. And second, he should almost never be seen in daylight. He understood that Batman was about fear and darkness and drama.
No Sigourney Weaver.
My mind had become so accustomed to having her involved in anything featuring the Xenomorph, that I let it hamper my enjoyment of Prometheus, which I now view as one of the best science fiction films of the past decade. A full review of it is the beyond the scope of this article, so I’ll simply put forth that if you’re ever hard up for something to watch some weekend, give it a second shot. If you keep in mind that it would be impossible to include Ripley in every flick, you’ll discover a whole new realm to appreciate.
And although some die hard Trekkies were down on J.J. Abrams’ reboots, and although many non-Trekkies didn’t dig them either, it’s fair to say that Star Trek (2009) and Star Trek Into Darkness (2013) were both amazing on many levels. Twenty years from now, when Man of Steel has fallen into obscurity, Abrams’ efforts will still be studied and enjoyed by film students and sci-fi geeks alike.
Another successful reboot? The Dark Knight Trilogy (Dir. Christopher Nolan). The Batman franchise was almost completely destroyed by Hollywood cheesiness in the 1990s. And then Christopher Nolan figured out two things. First, Batman should never be seen standing up straight. And second, he should almost never be seen in daylight. He understood that Batman was about fear and darkness and drama.
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| Sorry. We generally avoid graphic and disturbing imagery on Action A Go Go, but this image had to be shown. Never again. I say, never again! |
And possibly one of the best reboots ever made? Before I go into detail, watch this video. Although created for comedic purposes, it holds much truth.
The very essence of the power of the series is best summed up in the lines:
Him: One more episode?
Her: Yah!
I have watched the complete series three times and own it in its entirety on Bluray.
When Ronald D. Moore rebooted Battlestar Galactica (2004-2009) he created what many consider to be the very definition of science fiction purity. He took the basic themes of the original, expanded upon them, creating new depths of character and storyline. Camerawork and visuals constantly challenging one’s ocular range and capability. Music that was unique and compelling and haunting. Plot twists that rip one’s heart out and that give one hope.
And although the form was changed, some ways subtle, other ways major, he still stayed true to the essence of the original series. Humans figuring out what it means to be human and trying to find a new home.
So, when the topic of reboots and remakes arises in conversation with friends, my mind as of late has wanted to just block out any and all neural pathways that may be storing knowledge of the existence of Man of Steel, and I plunge into the areas that are holding onto the likes of Prometheus and The Dark Knight and that shining gem…that mother of all reboots….Battlestar Galactica.
So say we all.
Stephen Sumner is the sci-fi columnist for Action A Go Go.
Did you hate the Death Of Superman? So did the people at adjacentFILMS!
Plenty of hate (and laughs) below!
Enjoy!
Friday, 14 June 2013
Our man Andrew Allen took a crack at reviewing Man Of Steel. What follows is his take on the film. You can get the first review by our Sci Fi Columnist Stephen Sumner here.
Superman is back and he's ready to take out the trash, Zack Snyder style!
In a movie landscape dominated by superhero flicks based off of Marvel comics, it's easy to forget that there's even another contender in the playing field. DC comics has always struggled in the film industry, their track record is filled to the brim with lackluster efforts to bring their heroes to the screen (I, personally, have never particularly liked any DC based films prior to "Batman Begins"). With Marvel only gaining box-office traction, it seemed like it may be time to call it once and for all..... That is, until "Man of Steel".
"Man of Steel" has the vision, the heart, and the torque to bring DC comics to the forefront yet again, and to make people care about one of their heroes that isn't Batman for the first time in decades. Superman is a tough one to crack, nigh impossible to make a film about him that won't have audiences rolling their eyes every ten minutes at the sheer, juvenile implausibility of the whole shebang. But Zack Snyder and Chris Nolan have set out to drag the bad-sequel weary Kal-El into the realm of the legitimate, and although they don't succeed at every turn, boy do they try, and their unrelenting dedication to their goal is well worth the price of the ticket.
The film kicks off with a lengthy introduction which takes place entirely on Krypton, a somewhat revisionist version of the history established in the most mainstream versions of Superman lore, though the basics of it stay the same. Krypton blows up, Zod expelled to the Phantom Zone and baby Kal-El launched into space.
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| Jor El, played by Russell Crowe, watching his world crumble. |
From there on out we get a narrative mainly concerned with Kal/Clark finding his identity in a world where he simply doesn't fit in. Trying to find a way to use his powers to help others, while still not really sure what his purpose is, or where he's trying to go. Then everything changes when General Zod shows up with an army of pissed off Kryptonians, threatening Kal-El and his adoptive home world. And that's when the show really gets started.
The good:
The cast is stellar, far more stellar than a franchise this tired really deserves, and they sell this movie like nobody's business. The MVP in this one is Supes himself, Henry Cavill. More than just a hulking mass of uncontrollable masculinity, Cavill brings genuine charm to the role of Kal-El. There are dimensions to this version of Superman that I had never seen before, and that credit goes largely to Cavill for bringing that to life.
Though the rest of the cast does great across the board, the runner-up for MVP will have to go to Michael Shannon for his portrayal of the fearsome General Zod. Zod is truly the result of the failures of Kryptonian civilization, he's almost a robot programmed with one goal, one reason to exist: to ensure the survival of his people at all costs. Shannon plays the role with a grim gravitas, yet also with a pitiable naïveté. Yes, he's a battle-hardened general from space, but he also seems genuinely convinced of his jingoistic life purpose that it's hard not to feel some sort of pity for such a blinded individual.
One of the film's greatest successes is the modernization of Superman as a hero. From slight costume changes, to a fleshed out backstory, to a deepened character arc, this new Superman is a story that feels thick with storytelling potential. And, for the most part, Snyder and co. make fine use of that potential. It's a fascinating experience "rediscovering" such an iconic figure, and DC made the right decision banking on the vision of established film makers instead of hawking half-baked scripts off to indifferent directors (lookin at you, "Green Lantern").
And last, but not least, the action is awesome. A little CGI-heavy, but tons of fun none the less.
The bad:
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| "What's going n here?" |
As much as it pains me to say this, the narrative structure of the film deeply hinders the story's development. Which is really unfortunate because I really liked what they were shooting for, in theory. Most of Clark's childhood is told through flashbacks placed strategically throughout the film, which allows for the story to jump directly into his adulthood after the prologue and for relevant information to come to light as the movie chugs along. Unfortunately, our understanding of Clark as a person is very shallow without those flashbacks. Some of the key elements of his childhood are withheld until later in the film, so a lot of the earlier events in the movie ring hollow as they don't have enough narrative structure supporting them. By the end, the story does form a cohesive whole, I just wish I could've been as engaged toward the beginning as I was toward the the final acts.
Another rough patch is when the story turns it's focus towards General Zod's invasion of Earth. His appearance is somewhat unceremonious and therefor doesn't make much of an impact. An oddly paced sequence with Lois and Clark on Zod's ship serves as a poor reintroduction to his character and prevents the film from gaining the momentum it needs to propel itself into it's final act. The actual contents of that final act are just great enough to overcome a lack of proper set-up, but I can only hypothesize how much better they would have been had they gotten their proper intro.
So is "Man of Steel" ACTION A GO GO approved? By my standards, most definitely. Even when the story becomes clunky in places, the charisma of it's stars and the interesting twists on age-old characters keeps the film well-above sea-level. Also, this is the perfect film to show those people who have a grudge against Superman. A friend of mine who had been convinced from the very first trailer that it simply wasn't possible to make an interesting narrative out of Superman became a convert after this movie.
Personally, I'm already excited to see the sequel. Bring on Lex Luthor!
4/5 Arnolds
By Andrew Allen
By Andrew Allen
Man of Steel
Directed by Zack Snyder
Starring Henry Cavill and Russell Crowe
Just left a midnight viewing of Man of Steel not more than 20 minutes ago. The worst villain turns out not to be General Zod, but Christopher Nolan (writer/producer) and Zack Snyder (Director).
The movie is bloated with CGI and special effects. Since this review is on Action A Go Go, one would think that’s a good thing. But it’s like getting a cake that’s 99% icing. My gut tells me that at some point in time on the studio lot, someone with creative control had to utter the words, “You know, if we inundate the masses with explosions and space ships, they may not notice the script actually sucks.”
The movie is a vehicle for one-dimensional character development that left me with a complete absence of feeling for anyone in the film.
Directed by Zack Snyder
Starring Henry Cavill and Russell Crowe
Just left a midnight viewing of Man of Steel not more than 20 minutes ago. The worst villain turns out not to be General Zod, but Christopher Nolan (writer/producer) and Zack Snyder (Director).
The movie is bloated with CGI and special effects. Since this review is on Action A Go Go, one would think that’s a good thing. But it’s like getting a cake that’s 99% icing. My gut tells me that at some point in time on the studio lot, someone with creative control had to utter the words, “You know, if we inundate the masses with explosions and space ships, they may not notice the script actually sucks.”
The movie is a vehicle for one-dimensional character development that left me with a complete absence of feeling for anyone in the film.
And although a handful attempts were made (emphasis on attempts), there is almost a complete lack of any humor.
Since this is to be a spoiler free review, all I can say is that towards the end, something occurs that is essentially Nolan and Snyder taking an easy out and pissing on 70 years of Superman canon.
Therefore, instead of going to see this insult to Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster (the original creators of Superman), I would recommend taking your hard-earned money and buying the Blu Ray of this:
Since this is to be a spoiler free review, all I can say is that towards the end, something occurs that is essentially Nolan and Snyder taking an easy out and pissing on 70 years of Superman canon.
Therefore, instead of going to see this insult to Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster (the original creators of Superman), I would recommend taking your hard-earned money and buying the Blu Ray of this:
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Superman (1978, Christopher Reeve) |
Then anytime you ever think about watching Man of Steel, you can watch something that adds to your life, instead of wasting precious hours of breathing instead.
1 OUT OF 5 ARNOLDS
This film gets one Arnold on the Action A Go Go Arnold Meter because the special effects were pretty amazing. But in 2013, more than good CGI is needed to carry a movie. Other things, like, oh, I dunno….decent acting, character chemistry, talented script writing and respect for origins are expected as well.
Stephen Sumner is the science fiction columnist for Action A Go Go. If you want to understand why he has classified Nolan and Snyder as super villains, please refer to an earlier piece he wrote, entitled Untouched by the Abyss: The Essence of Superman.
Tuesday, 11 June 2013
Superman is more than just a pop icon, his character is a direct link to an American way of life. He is a reminder of the bygone spirit of the
Best of all, he’s an export. A sentinel of "Truth, Justice, and the
For that reason, no person should be without Superman. Fortunately, the recent decades have had plenty of avenues to properly re-introduce the character to the uninitiated. But they weren't in the movies or on TV (sorry, Smallville fans), no…they were exclusively in the comic books.
If you’ve ever wondered why people feel so strongly about that cornball superhero, the answers lie in the following five titles. This is…5 Superman Comics For People Who Think Superman is Corny.
5. It’s A Bird…
Writer Steven T. Seagle and painter Teddy Kristiansen give us a very offbeat take on the Man of Steel.
Seagle opens up about his own experience writing for an American icon. His initial disregard for the character turns into true understanding as he ends up using the strength of the fictional hero to lift up his spirits during a personal bout with Huntington’s disease.
It’s very meta. But more importantly, it’s the type of character dissection that really brings you to the heart of what Superman is supposed to mean.
4. Luthor
Lex Luthor. His name is nearly as synonymous as Superman and heroism. But what makes him such an important part of the mythos? Writer Brian Azzarello knows, and he invites us to see things completely from Lex’s perspective in Luthor.
The layers that can be found within the arch-nemesis of arch-nemesis are many, and Azzarello uses that to makes a strong argument for Luthor. Hell, you might even find yourself secretly rooting him on after this.
3. Superman: The Last Son
The movie that Superman Returns should have been.
If it turns out that you enjoy Superman: The Movie and Superman II as much as Bryan Singer, this straight-up superhero adventure is right for you. Written by fan-favorite Geoff Johns with director Richard Donner, this blockbuster-styled graphic novel officially introduces General Zod and crew to modern comics.
A new last son of Krypton arrives to Earth. This young alien boy is instantly rescued by Superman from the clutches of big government. For the first time ever, Superman is now on the other side of the law.
To make matters worse, the incarcerated General Zod and his fellow Phantom Zone inmates land on Earth in similar pods across the globe. What seems like proof that Superman isn’t alone in the universe turns out to be a full scale Kryptonian prison riot – with Earth as the prison.
Bonus: Some copies come with 3D glasses for the Phantom Zone sequence. Amazon
2. Kingdom Come
Alex Ross’ amazing painted images and Kurt Busiek’s lively imagination give birth to one of the crown jewels of any comics collection.
A new breed of ruthless and careless superheroes have taken up the mantle. The difference between the good guys and the bad guys has drastically narrowed and Earth’s three biggest powers (Wonder Woman, Batman, and Superman) have hung up their tights.
What happened to the man of tomorrow? Did he turn his back on humanity or did humanity turn their back on him? When did the golden vigilante, Magog, take over Metropolis, and what series of events put all of Earth’s greatest superheroes into retirement. More importantly, how bad will it have to get to bring Superman out of retirement? Answer: Pretty bad.
1.All-Star Superman
Like all great stories, All-Star Superman is simple yet full of emotion.
This Technicolor dream introduces us to a decaying Superman. Ironically enough, the sun -- his power source -- is killing him. Naturally, Lex Luthor had a little something to do with it but the Man of Steel's greatest challenge isn’t that megalomaniac, it's the guarantee of his earthly legacy. He just wants to know if we’ve learned anything from him.
Humble as always, even Superman doesn't know in the end. He’s too busy crossing off his list of final things to do.
Tuesday, 4 June 2013
Look! Up in the sky! It’s a bird! It’s a plane! No! It’s…..a middle-aged Caucasian-looking alien male in the depths of an existential life crisis all confused about what he’s supposed to do and how he’s supposed to relate to the mother of his unplanned child and…wait. Stop. That’s not right.
Sorry Mr. Singer. That’s not what we wanted, but it’s what you gave us when you created Superman Returns (2006, Brandon Routh, Kevin Spacey).
Superman is a good guy. The quintessential good guy. Focused. Confident. Honorable. Strong on myriad levels. And he’s supposed to know what his purpose in life is.
Aside from his early years, when he still hasn’t fully grokked where he’s from and what he’s supposed to do, Superman is supposed to be very simple. He shouldn’t be wrestling with complexities on the level of Nietzsche’s Übermensch (“Overman”…”Superman”….get it?) And he especially shouldn’t be a character as seen through the eyes of Hollywood writers that completely miss what the essence of the franchise should be. Incorporating “relevant social themes” such as disrupted family households, absent father figures, and religious overtones? Really?
Sorry Mr. Singer. That’s not what we wanted, but it’s what you gave us when you created Superman Returns (2006, Brandon Routh, Kevin Spacey).
Superman is a good guy. The quintessential good guy. Focused. Confident. Honorable. Strong on myriad levels. And he’s supposed to know what his purpose in life is.
Aside from his early years, when he still hasn’t fully grokked where he’s from and what he’s supposed to do, Superman is supposed to be very simple. He shouldn’t be wrestling with complexities on the level of Nietzsche’s Übermensch (“Overman”…”Superman”….get it?) And he especially shouldn’t be a character as seen through the eyes of Hollywood writers that completely miss what the essence of the franchise should be. Incorporating “relevant social themes” such as disrupted family households, absent father figures, and religious overtones? Really?
People go to see a Superman flick to get away from that kind of stuff.
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| This? This is awesome |
The Superman of the 1950s television show (1952-1958, George Reeves) was awesome. Bad guys are doing bad things. They are stealing. They are smuggling. They are kidnapping. They don’t mind hurting people. Superman is not there for soul searching. He’s a good guy intent on action. Quickly crack the bad guy on the jaw and send him to jail. Done.
And the Christopher Reeve Superman? I can pay him one of the highest complements I think possible. He makes you want to be a better human. Just by watching Superman The Movie (1978, Christopher Reeve, Gene Hackman) you can’t help but want to have more dignity and honesty and selflessness in your own life. He’s humble. He politely points out the negative effects of smoking cigarettes without being judgmental. He keeps his promises (even the one he made to Lex Luthor’s squeeze, Ms. Teschmacher.) And for gosh-sakes, he takes the time to safely retrieve a cat from a tree.Regardless of how difficult one’s life seems, watching this film is guaranteed to make you feel better.
And I don’t know if I should admit this to the general public or not, but I’ve watched every single episode of Smallville (2001-2011, Tom Welling, Erica Durance). No matter how bad the acting was, or how tired I was of Lana’s whining, or how affronted I was by Oliver Queen’s OCD regarding his phobia of wearing shirts, I kept coming back. The reason? Clark was a good guy. He was the guy that if you threw up in his car on the way home from a Friday night party, he wouldn’t mind.
More frequently than I’d like to admit, I thought, “Clark….just freakin’ TAKE THAT DUDE OUT! Pick him up and throw him at the Sun already!” But he didn’t. He always found a way to be the good guy. He was able to fight with the abyss without being touched by it.
And I don’t know if I should admit this to the general public or not, but I’ve watched every single episode of Smallville (2001-2011, Tom Welling, Erica Durance). No matter how bad the acting was, or how tired I was of Lana’s whining, or how affronted I was by Oliver Queen’s OCD regarding his phobia of wearing shirts, I kept coming back. The reason? Clark was a good guy. He was the guy that if you threw up in his car on the way home from a Friday night party, he wouldn’t mind.
More frequently than I’d like to admit, I thought, “Clark….just freakin’ TAKE THAT DUDE OUT! Pick him up and throw him at the Sun already!” But he didn’t. He always found a way to be the good guy. He was able to fight with the abyss without being touched by it.
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| Super heroes are super heroes and church is church and never the twain should meet. |
Superman is not about family dynamics. He’s not about Christ-like imagery. And he’s DEFINITELY not about voyeurism. Watching a family going about their evening activities with one’s x-ray vision is simply creepy and dark.
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| Artist : Jim Lee |
For example, Batman is darkness, with light struggling to maintain control. He uses fear. He actively functions in a manner that displays that he wants to kill the bad guys (but he still never does, hence the internal conflict). When he’s getting information from a bad guy by hanging him off the ledge of a ten story building, one gets the distinct impression that he really would like to drop that guy.
Splat.
There is only a fine line between the Dark Knight and the Joker.
But Superman? He is light, with darkness occasionally trying to seep in. He doesn’t use fear. He’s civil. He inspires. He doesn’t want to kill the bad guys, although he knows he could with just the flick of a wrist or a quick blast of heat vision. With all the accompanying restrictions and frustrations, Superman is supposed to be a paragon of ethics and morality. In the good way, not the puritanical, school-nun-hitting-your-knuckles-with-a-ruler kind of way.
He knows that he can’t save everyone on the planet all the time. But he knows that he can inspire others to try to be just as noble as he strives to be.
What should we demand of Man of Steel (2013, Henry Cavill, Russell Crowe)?
No existential crises. No worries about a son born out of wedlock. No pummeling to death of the bad guy. No darkness. No rage.
The bad guy is supposed to have rage. Superman is supposed to have focus and clarity and compassion, even for the villain with which he’s fighting.
I can’t speak for the entirety of the Realm of Geekdom. But what I want, and what I think the world needs, is not another dark, cynical anti-hero. We want and need a Super Hero. Capital “S” and capital “H.” A hero who knows who he is and what he has to do. One that doesn’t want to kill. One that doesn’t take joy in the suffering of his enemies. One that lifts mountains and moves planets. One that doesn’t lie. One that saves kittens from trees with the same intent that he has when he’s trying to keep California from falling into the ocean. One that impels me to be a better human being.
When I walk out of the theater after watching Man of Steel I want to feel like I need, and can, do something to save the world.
Not turn my back on it.
Written by Stephen Sumner, Action A Go Go’s Sci-Fi columnist.
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