First Impressions: “Man of Steel” Trailer
Daniel Kendi ’16 / Emertainment Monthly Staff
The Man of Steel trailer is here and it is everything that fans have hoped for. This reboot to the Superman franchise truly shows that it’s going to be a new film that goes in a new direction. The trailer lets viewers know that this isn’t your parents’ Superman; Man of Steel is taking Superman to a darker and more grounded tone thanks to director Zach Snyder and producer and writer Christopher Nolan.
After a brief teaser trailer earlier this year, Man of Steel’s second trailer truly shows us the story we will be see in cinemas this June. The trailer begins with a bearded Henry Cavill as Clark Kent floating in the ocean and surrounded by debris. This shot could possibly be from when Clark travels to “find himself.” Shots are then shown of pencils, chalkboards, and what is most likely a young Clark running through the hallways of his school. As we see a young Clark then crying in a dark closet we hear a voice over conversation between him and his mother Martha Kent (Diane Lane). Clark speaks about the world being too big and his mother reassures him by telling him to focus on her voice. This could possibly be a scene in the film where Clark is first learning of his powers. He is discovering his super hearing and is unable to control it.
The next sequence shows a school bus sinking in the water a teenage Clark lifting it to safety. A voice over is heard of a parent of one of the students on the bus. She claims that her son “saw what Clark did.” A scene is then shown between Clark and his father Jonathan Kent (Kevin Costner). Clark’s father explains that he has to hide his powers from the world. He cannot show them his “other side.” We then get one of the most interesting moments of the trailer. When Clark asks, “what was I supposed to do just let them die?” his father replies “maybe.” This is really showing us Snyder and Nolan’s new take on Superman. They are taking the character and looking at him in a more human way. They are grounding him to show that even though Superman is practically invincible, he still has many non-physical problems. He must make important decisions that will affect himself and those around him in huge ways. As Jonathan Kent says later in the trailer “You just have to decide what kind of man you want to be Clark. Whoever that man is…he’s going to change the world.”
The next part of the trailer shows an adult Clark discovering his Kryptonian origins. He is first seen in a dark passageway with a single light shining on him and strange pod like structures around him. One of these structures could possibly be that spaceship that brought him to Earth as an infant. We then hear the line “I have so many questions…where do I come from,” and a shot of a ring with the “S shield” on it. This could possibly be when Clark first talks to his father Jor-El (Russell Crowe). Shots are then shown of Clark finally wearing the Superman suit and walking around a snow filled area. This could possibly be the area where the Fortress of Solitude will be built. The trailer then quickly changes to a quicker pace as Superman powerfully flies into space.
As the trailer continues, shots are shown of what looks like Krypton being destroyed and Jor-El and Lara (Ayelet Zurer) with a baby Kal-El. Some more shots of destruction are shown and we see a glimpse of a once again bearded Clark on fire. We then see alien ships landing near Smallville and finally a shot of Michael Shannon as General Zod. This is followed by shots of a hurt Superman and then Perry White (Laurence Fishburne) running away from what might be the Daily Planet building being destroyed. We later see the shot of Superman captured by the army that is the focus of the most recent poster for the film. There have been a lot of questions as to why Superman would be captured by the army. Why doesn’t he just break apart the handcuffs? This most likely ties into this new take on Superman. He has to prove to the people of Earth that he is a hero who is trying to help them and is willing to listen to the law. We later see a shot of Superman flying down a building towards a figure that could be General Zod flying up towards him. We then see a detailed shot of the Superman suit and a shot of Superman being thrown into a safe. This safe shot is the first image that was ever released for the film. The trailer ends with the line “my father believed that if the world found out who I really was…they’d reject me. He was convinced that they weren’t ready…what do you think?” and the first shot of Superman and Lois Lane (Amy Adams) together and surrounded by soldiers.
The Man of Steel trailer is an amazing look at the upcoming Superman reboot. Snyder and Nolan really show us that they’re doing something new with this film. This is a new type of Superman film that’s going in a completely different direction. Lets hope the film is just as great as its trailer when it’s released to theaters on June 14, 2013.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVu3gS7iJu4&w=560&h=315]