Man of Steel Directed by: Zack Snyder Starring: Henry Cavill, Michael Shannon, Russell Crowe, Amy Adams Rating: Not Yet Rated Release Date: June 14, 2013
TRAILER SCORE: 9/10
Thoughts by TSR: I don’t need to see another piece of marketing from Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel. The two earlier teasers and this fantastic full length trailer have sold me. I’m the guy who loves Watchmen and Sucker Punch, though, so perhaps I’m just all in on Snyder. The Malick-y vibe of the teasers is still intact in the first half of this and that’s something I’m really happy about. Sure, there are a few moments that feel like a bit much – the hokey shot of a bearded Kal-El gazing at the school bus or that shot of the pencils – but overall this is a wildly successful, chills-inducing trailer.
This is really a case of everything coming together perfectly over these 150 seconds. Henry Cavill looks perfect as Superman, but before he shows up I love the moment between young Clark and Kevin Costner’s Pa Kent. In the trailer’s latter half we get some glimpses of the scope and action, both of which are impressive. Another little touch I like is the way the snow and rocks react to Superman preparing to take to the sky.
As much as I would have liked to see some bug-eyed Michael Shannon villainy, I’m glad the trailer only offers brief glimpses of him, Russell Crowe, and Amy Adams. While I’m sure later trailers will show more, it’s a nice bit of restraint at this stage. Guillermo del Toro’s Pacific Rim is still my number one must-see film of next summer, but everything I’ve seen from Man of Steel makes it a strong second.