Should protecting your secret abilities come before human life?
That’s the debate had in the first full, two-minute plus trailer of Man of Steel, the reboot of the Superman film franchise set to hit the big screen in 2013.
The trailer gives us a look at Henry Cavill in full Superman garb, sometimes clean shaven, sometimes bearded. It starts off with Clark Kent as a child, during which he saves a school bus full of children. His father, Jonathan Kent (Kevin Costner) chides him for being seen using his powers.
“You have to keep this side of yourself a secret,” Pa Kent says.
“What was I supposed to do, let them die?” Clark argues.
“Maybe,” Pa replies.
This sequence if then following by a barrage of imagery that includes glimpses of Russell Crowe as Jor-El, with we can only guess is Ayelet Zurer (Superman’s biological mother) and baby Kal-El; Laurence Fishburne as Perry White (running for his life); Christopher Meloni as Colonel Hardy and Richard Schiff as Dr. Emil Hamilton; and, of course, Michael Shannon as General Zod.
Little is really spelled out concerning the story, although we do see giant ships and Superman in handcuffs, so we can guess at some point the Man of Steel surrenders himself to government forces to prove he isn’t a bad guy.
The trailer does lack one thing that has accompanied all Superman films since the 1970s – the famed John Williams score. This is probably a good thing, as it means the reboot is truly leaving the past behind, unlike Bryan Singer’s homage to the Christopher Reeve films, Superman Returns.
The film also doesn’t really jump out as a work by Zach Snyder (i.e., none of the overly-used slow-motion). Honestly, the visuals and the music all had me thinking this movie was directed by Ridley Scott.
How do you feel about Man of Steel now after having seen a little of it?
The film opens June 14, 2013.