I, for one, waited this morning with baited breath following the launch of the Man of Steel viral campaign on Monday. Why this particular morning? Well, the viral campaign was born only the day before, but with it came a countdown to a reveal that Warner Bros would be posting something big online Tuesday at Noon. And now we all know that the big reveal is the 2nd Man of Steel trailer, and with it comes the hope that Zack Snyder can rebirth this franchise for a new generation.
If you haven’t checked out the new trailer, you must stop everything you are doing and watch it below right now;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUTGhNgP1ks
“The World’s Too Big, Mom”
So says a young Clark to his mother, undoubtedly trying to come to terms with what he is becoming. These are the first words of this new trailer, and they set the tone for a film where an entire franchise hangs in the balance. These words ring so true for a boy who is realizing he is not human, but something much, much more. It’s too much for him to handle, too much for him to process, and too much to take in.
In a fitting rebuttal, Ma Kent asks him to focus on her voice, and make it, the world, small; she will bring him balance and calm. This is a fantastic analogy for what Clark’s parents are so greatly responsible for. This opening scene of this new trailer delivers ever so subtlely the epic scope in what’s to come: through the words of a mother spoken to her alien son, all relived in the mind of a growing Clark Kent as he floats underwater, surrounded by chaos above.
Click “next” below for part 2…
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2 Comments
I can certainly see the hand of Christopher Nolan in this trailer. And his reputation in this genre is epic. Zack Snyder has something to prove but if Chris is giving him the reins then I’m all in.
As for the themes presented, the trailer did what it is supposed to do which is get people talking and start the six month anticipatory rush towards opening night. A couple of points:
Superman is first and foremost a messiah story. The trailer reinforces that in every shot we see. For example, the iconography of Superman being lead away in handcuffs by soldiers subliminally reminds us of the Crucifixion with Roman soldiers taking Jesus away, covered in a red robe. And of course this is the Christmas season so the timing of the imagery (here and in the poster) is perfect. The story itself seems to be a conscious telling of both the Jewish disbelief of the Messiah (the warning from his father not to draw attention to himself by offering demonstrative proof of his deity) and the Second Coming Christian belief (when Clark Kent reveals himself to save Mankind). We have loved this story for 75 (1938 to 2013) mainly because Superman allows us to have faith without the burden of believing in religious dogma. And now it would appear that we are getting a story where the focus will be on the anxiety and fear that potential messiah would feel once he learned of his power and responsibility.
To focus on that aspect of Superman is smart. We all know what he can do. But I’m hoping kryptonite will GIVE him power (or renew it) in this film, rather than take it away. And on Zod have the opposite effect.
trailer looks good but doesn’t really look like a zack snyder film