Man Of Steel: 3 Things That Worked, 3 Things That Didn't

3. Michael Shannon Is Underused

man of steel7 How can it be that, given that Shannon is playing an intergalactic megalomaniac, this is the least intimidating he has ever been? Every other Shannon performance has had me trembling in my seat. Take his previous role, for example; the real-life mob hitman Ritchie Kuklinski in The Iceman earlier this year- only the latest in a long line of stellar, unsettling performances. Surely this jittery paranoia, this bubbling rage is what landed him the role of General Zod in the first place? Time was, Shannon could whisper and you'd feel every word cascade down your spine. Here he's reduced to shouting and storming about like a spoiled toddler. It's almost as if this role, which is his biggest by a significant stretch, seeks to undo all the good work that preceded it. Don't get me wrong; he isn't miscast. It's just that this wild dog has got nothing to sink its teeth into. Perhaps it's because he's not really a villain? From the outset, he's portrayed as an oddly sympathetic character, claiming to act as merely his people's representative. Of course, his definition of moral duty differs somewhat from that of his opponent's, leading to such lines as ''No matter how violent, every action I take is for the greater good of my people'' taking on a more offensive, rather than defensive, edge. Shannon himself has argued that Zod isn't necessarily the villain audiences assume him to be, instead claiming that, on Krypton, he's a decorated war hero, a man trusted to defend his people. And so when the future of his race is jeopardised, he has little choice but to fight. Speaking of fights, did Zod really have to debase himself with such trash-talk as ''There's one of two outcomes here. Either I die, or you do''? I'm paraphrasing slightly, but still, that is pretty much how a fight to the death works, sir. Thankfully, it's not quite as bad as Lois Lane's (an excellent Amy Adams) shameful chunk of exposition: ''I'm a Pulitzer prize- winning journalist!'' But now we're veering off topic... I would argue that the real villain is Zod's Sub-Commander Faora, played by Antje Traue. She has none of the mercy of her superior, kills without reason and is given only a fraction less screen time than Zod himself. At least the General tries to justify his plans for total annihilation...
Contributor
Contributor

Yorkshireman (hence the surname). Often spotted sacrificing sleep and sanity for the annual Leeds International Film Festival. For a sample of (fairly) recent film reviews, please visit whatsnottoblog.wordpress.com.