The test of a real Superman is in the smile

Judging by the new trailer, it looks like Man of Steel might be a good superhero movie. Maybe even a good Superman movie.

What I can't tell is if Henry Cavill will make a good Superman.

Kevin Costner looks like he'll be a good Jonathan Kent.

Russell Crowe looks like he'll be a great Jor-El.  In fact, now I want to see the Jor-El defeats Zod movie more than I want to see Man of Steel.

I can't tell if Michael Shannon will make a good General Zod, but I can see he's Michael Shannon so I take it as a given he will be good, especially when he delivers his inevitable "Kneel before Zod!"

Sadly, but not surprisingly, Amy Adams looks like she's going to make a fine Amy Adams.

Lois Lane? Not so much.

But I think whoever put the trailer together wants to keep us guessing about Cavill.

We don't get to see him really smile. He gives a hint or two of a smile and a bit of an amused grin.  But no full on, joyfilled smile.

The smile will tell all.

It has to be Christopher Reeve's smile.

Reeve was Superman.  Still is Superman. Probably always will be Superman, but who knows. I used to think there'd be no other Sherlock Holmes after Jermey Brett.  Then along came Benedict Cumberbatch.  But as it stands, it's Reeve's character, and every Superman who's followed him has had to find a way to incorporate Reeve into his own portrayal while avoiding falling into doing an imitation.  Dean Cain and Tom Welling managed it by finding the joy and the humor Reeve brought to the part.  Poor Brandon Routh was forced to do an impersonation, except without the joy and the humor.

In the trailer, Cavill mostly looks somber and the only moment of pleasure we see is when he's about to take flight for the first time and then it seems to be the pleasure a soon to be ordained seminartian takes in contemplating the prospect of saying his first mass.

But we'll see.

The most Superman-esque moment in the trailer belongs to Dylan Sprayberry, the kid playing Clark Kent as a teenager.  When appears framed in the door of the bus he's just pulled from the river, that's when I see...Superman!

Ok. Superboy. But still.

Comments

[Ken Houghton]

Amy Adams? Ginger Amy Adams?

Are you sure she's not supposed to be Lana Lang?

[wwolfe]

When I saw that Zack Snyder is the director, my heart sank. His visual style in the 10 minutes or so I managed to see of "Watchmen" was what I can only describe as repellant. I can't imagine how that style, and what it says about Snyder's view of the world, can be squared with the need for a joyous Superman. But I'll hope for the best until there's evidence to the contrary.

[Lance Mannion]

Ken, that's exactly what I thought when I heard she'd been cast in the movie. Not only does Adams look like Lana from the Superboy comics, I can see her bringing just the right mix of spunky and stubborn and annoying. Lois Lane isn't spunky. She's downright tough. And they don't seem to have asked Adams to darken her hair!

wwolfe, you've said it! Snyder is not known for bringing barrels of fun to any of his projects and the fact he's working for Christopher Nolan makes me fear a real dirge. Nolan has a sense of humor but he's stingy with jokes and reserves much of his wit for the games and contraptions he works into his films.

[Maye]

H. Cavill is my first choice to play John of Gaunt in the movie version of Anya Seton's "Katherine."