There he is.
Okay, Warner Bros, well-played. Right now, they’re doing a full slate reveal at CinemaCon, complete with presentations on films like “Pacific Rim,” “The Hangover Part III,” and, of course, “Man Of Steel.”
I wrote recently about how much reserve they were showing in the trailers thus far, and I wondered when they were going to finally start showing off the massive action in the film. It appears that the answer to that question is “Right now,” and based on this trailer, I think it’s safe to say Zack Snyder is going to turn out to be a positively inspired choice for director.
This doesn’t look like every other superhero film. It doesn’t really look like any other Superman film. Instead, it appears they’ve taken the recognizable story and design elements and they’ve used them to make something that is both new and yet instantly recognizable.
First choice I like? Lois Lane isn’t just someone he meets. Instead, it looks like she is actively searching for the man behind these news stories during the years that Clark is hiding himself and his identity. She believes there is a person doing these remarkable things and she is determined to find him.
Second choice I like? If that’s the Hans Zimmer score, I think we’re in good hands. I know how much people wish they had the Williams score back, but I like the idea that this film will have its own signature, its own sound. If it’s going to stand alone, it should stand alone, and this sounded great.
Third choice I like? Kevin Freakin’ Costner. If he’s this emotionally affecting in a trailer, I’m going to cry like a baby in the theater, right? What is it about Costner playing father/son material?
Fourth choice I like? Everything else. It just looks great. It looks like a real Superman movie. It looks like a giant action movie. It looks like it really explores the notion of heroism and what it means to stand up for something. Superman’s not just a dude with easy powers. He’s someone struggling to do right, to make a difference in the world. He is a fully engaged Superman, and that’s the way I like it.
Krypton looks great. The design of the film is really working for me so far. I dig the Fortress Of Solitude being a Kryptonian vehicle buried in the ice. I love the moment where Superman first emerges, ready to go become the hero he believes he can be. I love the way he cuts Lois off just as she’s naming him to go punch the silly out of someone. I love the way the action looks, the way the lasers and the creatures and the explosions all look.
Please be great. Please be what this trailer is promising us. Right now, “Man Of Steel” just went from, “Sure, I’m interested,” to “OH GOD IS THAT OUT YET?” and I suspect I’m not the only one feeling that way.
Bring it on. “Man Of Steel” flies into theaters June 14, 2013.