Man Of Steel

Maybe it’s because I saw Pacific Rim so recently, but I can’t help noticing a few basic similarities here: powerful entities battling each other with fists, inter-dimensional travel, family members sacrificing themselves…

Plot and story details aside, why do these fights always involve people or creatures tossing each other around and smashing into things clearly made of material less durable than they are? For example: Superman punches a guy - some heavily armored Kryptonian dude - and yeah, that probably stings a bit, but then the guy hurtles through the air, and through a building, which crashes down on him...then he gets up and punches Superman. So the hurtling and crashing didn’t really faze him, and I wouldn’t expect it to - but apparently Supes wasn’t thinking that far ahead.

Both these movies are like that. It looks nice and all, the expensive effects achieve their money’s worth, but it’s essentially meaningless, and devoid of dramatic weight. Which is really what I’m looking for. I won’t get that, however, when Kevin Costner’s Jonathan Kent only dies because he and his family were too stupid to take the dog with them when running from a tornado, and he has to go back for it. The same thing nearly happened in Twister; did they not see that flick?

I have to admit I was never much interested in this movie, as I’m just not into the comic book spectacles - but I don’t object to them either, so I’m bound to see them eventually. The major draw for me, however, turned out to be the biggest disappointment: Michael Shannon as General Zod. The guy’s a compelling performer, but the character had nothing going for him. Apparently on Krypton, everyone’s genetically designed for some particular purpose; he got military training. But why does Krypton need a military? Whom are they defending themselves from, or at war with, besides each other? Maybe that’s why he’s so pissed off all the time - he’s got fuck-all to do but pick a fight.

Amy Adams didn’t have much to do either, but is always interesting. I did like Russell Crowe. And Henry Cavill, wherever he came from to star in this, was totally ripped. A decent actor, too, but let’s be honest, most of what he had to do was look super.

Maybe the next movie, which involves Batman, and possibly Lex Luthor, will have a better focus on story and character - because they are mere humans, and ol’ Kal-El can’t just go around super-punching normal folks like that. It also has Wonder Woman, but he probably won’t be smashing her into buildings and gas stations...probably. Hollywood does stupid things sometimes.

Pacific Rim

When this movie first hit theaters, I asked a couple friends of mine who’d seen it opening weekend if it was about anything more than giant robots punching giant monsters...because, based on the trailer, that seemed to be the extent of it. One said “There’s some emotional stuff too, kinda” and another said “No, but so what?” They’re both right, I guess, if you want to look at it their way.

In all honesty, I can readily support a movie being mostly spectacle and not bothering much with substance - though I do wish the substance weren’t so lame and familiar. At least try to do something new with it. And yes I do expect more from Guillermo del Toro because he’s made such astoundingly brilliant and beautiful movies before; seems like he could at least bring a taste of his talent for story and character along for the ride.

But he doesn’t do that here; it’s purely a visual escapade and in that realm it doesn’t disappoint. He really understands how to use such an enormous scale to his advantage, so all the scenes of monster-bashing look fantastic. If only the storyline didn’t feel like a remake of Roland Emmerich’s awful Godzilla, I might more fully appreciate what Pacific Rim is trying to be: a big-budget celebration of the low-budget Godzilla movies and all sorts of other fun influences. But with the nerdy scientist guy trying to resolve the giant monster issue intellectually (though Charlie Day is always fun to watch), said monster attacking a city yet somehow being able to hide in it, and turning out to be pregnant...too many parallels to brush off easily. There’s even an Independence Day speech - and I’m not even sure why, as only two or three of the hundreds of people who heard it actually had anything to do with saving the day, or could have.

References and remembrances aside, the story is weak, doesn’t make much logical sense, hits the same false notes repeatedly, and in the end is essentially useless screen time. Why is a flashback broken into two pieces when the supposed revelation of the second piece is something we already know? Why do the pilots of the robots (Jaegers) punch and toss around the monsters (Kaiju) instead of utilizing more kill-sure weapons right away? How do the Kaiju evolve & adapt to human weapons & tactics when they only show up one at a time after arriving from another dimension? Why does one pilot stick around to get blown up instead of using an escape pod like other pilots do later? Why are the pilots even IN the Jaegers in the first place; with all this mind-meld brain-share memory-link technology (drifting) for the pilots to work as a team, no one could figure out a way to operate them remotely?

Never mind, doesn’t matter. Ignore the fact there’s no true protagonist. Ignore the failure to have more than one significant female character, and for that one to be something other than consistently demure and constantly rescued. Forget about being interested in anything other than colossal creatures and contraptions tearing each other to pieces. Truthfully, I can’t say it any better than this Honest Trailer by Screen Junkies. They pretty much nailed it.

Supposedly there’s a sequel planned. I guess I’m not surprised, but I can’t say I care. I just don’t get excited about these things when they disappoint on an emotional level, even if the big-time action is enjoyable. It’s possible to have both. I get into it when there’s both. Bring me a movie that succeeds in all aspects and I’m on board.