The tone of Man of Steel is as much a mainstream experiment as the rest of it. The visuals, dialogue, and music all go back and forth between the two extremes, even within the same scenesnot necessarily enough to break the reality of the movie's universe, but enough for an audience to notice. Some people have called this uneven, but rather than careless filmmaking, it actually demonstrates a very deliberate artistic interpretation of the spirit of Superman. The action is thunderous but the emotions are multidimensional and understated. The movie is about true feelings with implications epic in their aspirations. For instance, Superman may reach for the Sun dramatically, but his face is quietly and realistically weary. Zod may give grandiose speeches, but his eyes flicker ever so slightly. The editing may jump around, but most scenes are given the time they need to develop. Although this kind of back-and-forth has gone over well for audiences with more respected movies, especially in the realm of science fiction (Blade Runner comes to mindwhich isn't my cup of tea, but I don't consider it a bad movie by any means), it is something to be testy about in mainstream blockbusters. We can only experiment with tone so much. Or can we?
Ian Boucher is many things when he is not writing for WhatCulture.com -- explorer, friend of nature, and librarian. He enjoys stories of many kinds and is fascinated with what different mediums can bring to them. He has developed particular affections for movies and comic books, especially the ones that need more attention, taking them absolutely seriously with a sense of humor. He constantly strives to build his understanding of the relationships between world cultures, messages, and audiences.
