Following the poor performance of Superman Returns, it was seven years before Zack Snyder and Christopher Nolan rebooted the franchise with Man of Steel in 2006. In this origin story, young Clark leaves the family farm on an existential quest, working odd jobs in his search for identity. Before he sneaks into the Army to investigate rumors of an alien ship, a relic of Krypton, Clark works on a deep-sea crabbing ship. In the films first big super-powered reveal of contemporary Superman, Clark becomes involved in the emergency rescue of an oilrig that has burst into flames. Ignoring his shipmates warnings against staying any longer, Clark races into the burning time bomb as trapped riggers panic and prepare for the worst. Suddenly, a steel door is crushed and ripped from its hinges, a flaming but impervious Clark Kent stands bathed in flames, reaching out his hand to help them to safety. As the oilrig begins to collapse, crushing the rescue helicopter, Clark throws himself underneath it, holding it up just long for the chopper to escape. This scene works both technically and emotionally. The effects are solid and modern, the excitement of seeing young pre-Superman in hesitant action was a long-awaited treat for comic fans and, coupled with the next scene of Clark as a child, tormented by his emerging powers and cowering in a closet while trying to make them stop, is a fitting introduction to the tone and questions raised by Supermans existence in the post-Nolan world of DC Films.
David Wagner is an author/musician who splits his time between Oakland, CA and Istanbul, Turkey.
David has published two novels, both available on his website, and as a fan of movies, comics, and genre television, he is happy to be working with WhatCulture as a regular contributor.
