4) Man Of Steel
As with every comic book-superhero movie since the dawn of cinema, Man Of Steel divided audiences upon its release. There were those that loved it, and those that loathed it, and there was very little common ground in between. Written by David S. Goyer – who had previously penned The Dark Knight trilogy – it caused inevitable controversy for actually going back to the real source material, rather than perpetuating what has become the popular assumptions about the character of Superman, based on previous film interpretations. Whichever side of that divide you fall on, however, Zack Snyder’s Man Of Steel is undeniably inspirational.
Kryptonian scientist Jor-El and his wife Lara – expecting the imminent end of their civilization – infuse the cells of their infant son, Kal-El, with the genetic code of the entire Kryptonian race, and launch him into space toward Earth. There, he is discovered and recovered by Jonathan and Martha Kent, who name him Clark and raise him as their own.
As he grows, Clark’s extraordinary powers become more and more evident, but his parents encourage him to keep his true nature a secret, because “the world is not ready.” Until, that is, a lethal threat to his adoptive planet appears in the form of General Zod, and forces Clark into the open, as Superman.
The entirety of Man Of Steel is about asking the simple question: what kind of person do you want to be? Each of us has skills and talents that are unique to us, just as Superman has his powers. How are we going to use them – for good, or for ill? Underlying these choices is the central theme of consideration – understanding the effect that one’s actions can have on the world, and the people in it. Truly, if we all practised a little bit more of that, the world would be a much better place.
