Arts & Entertainment
Franchise fizzle?
Successful Superman reboot proves elusive with limp ‘Man of Steel’
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In a 21st-century dominated by multi-dimensional heroes like Batman and Iron Man, the Superman franchise conjures up feelings of all-American nostalgia more than anything. Zack Snyder, director of āMan of Steel,ā attempts to depart from this in his summer blockbuster, but does not replace it with anything more substantial leaving us essentially with another explosion extravaganza but little else.
Henry Cavill is a promising actor, but his performance as the extra-terrestrial from Krypton is not for one second believable. Cavill seems most comfortable during the beginning of the film, which due to production by Christopher Nolan (who also did the āBatmanā franchise), is a lengthy and morose sequence of fragmented scenes that document Clark Kentās self-discovery. Nolanās influence makes Supermanās clearly demarcated sense of good and evil feel unnatural and all too simple.
Cavill brings too much rugged sex appeal to the role, making him more reminiscent of Hugh Jackmanās portrayal of Wolverine in āX-Menā than of someone who would wear a red cape in all seriousness.
Itās a tough role to pull off ā while Brandon Routh in 2006ās āSuperman Returnsā arguably captured the role better with his more innocent approach, it clearly wasnāt strong enough to have led to a successful franchise. Cavill is intriguing, dynamic and has undeniable charisma, yet it feels like heās holding back as the script gives him little to work with in terms of characterization or complexity. While Cavillās performance leaves some things to be desired, he isnāt ultimately to blame for the filmās shortcomings.
āMan of Steelā opens with a home-birth on Krypton as the planet is self-destructing. Russell Crowe goes through the motions as Jor-El, baby Kal-Elās father, who rockets his son to Kansas to preserve his race. General Zod (Michael Shannon) is introduced as the filmās forgettable villain as he attempts to steal Kryptonās Codex ā a log of the planetās genetic information ā from Kal-El, which remains a theme for the entirety of the movie as Zod threatens to reconfigure earth into a new Krypton at humanityās expense.
Unfortunately, the dialogue in āMan of Steelā is as melodramatic and bland on earth as it is on Krypton. (The filmās writer, David S. Goyer, clearly is not afraid of clichĆ©s.) For the first hour, scenes jump from school buses and cornfields in Kansas to Arctic tundra with little context given, and some sort of loud catastrophe quickly interrupts any conversation that seems like it will reveal something about the characters.
Diane Lane and Kevin Costner do a perfectly satisfactory job as Clark Kentās adoptive parents. Amy Adams, however, never seems invested in her role as reporter and love interest, Lois Lane. Adams practically sleepwalks through life or death scenes, and her kiss with Clark Kent toward the end of the movie is awkward and forced. Itās not that Adams and Cavill lack the ability to portray a believable romance; they simply do not have the script to do so, even though āMan of Steelā is an origins story that should make the audience feel attached to its characters.
The majority of the film feels like a confusing dream of drawn-out action scenes. It becomes all too easy to forget who is fighting whom, and for what reason, as Cavill darts through the air. āMan of Steelāsā shining moments are the interspersed scenes of Supermanās childhood, with a young Clark Kent played by Dylan Sprayberry and Cooper Timberline. Both actors do a fine job capturing Kentās teen angst, sense of alienation and repressed desire to use his powers for good in a world that would not accept him.
Even though āMan of Steelā is a long 143 minutes, it goes by quickly, perhaps due to Hans Zimmerās overpowering score and the confusion caused by Snyderās non-linear plot. In the filmās defense, itās difficult to create a Superman story that appeals to contemporary America. Supermanās unwavering sense of right and wrong fit so well during the Cold War, but now his narrative seems naive with more widespread recognition of the countryās internal issues and fear that its global supremacy is waning.
āMan of Steelā ends with the promise of a sequel as Cavill puts on Clark Kentās endearingly nerdy glasses. Perhaps without the need to jumble together a creation story, itās more likely Snyder will pull off a sequel should this chapter’s box office take justify it.
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The 2024 New York City Pride Parade wound through the streets of Manhattan and past the historic Stonewall Inn on Sunday, June 30.
(Washington Blade photos by Daniel Truitt)
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The fourth annual Fredericksburg Pride march and festival was held at Riverfront Park in Fredericksburg, Va. on Saturday, June 29. The event began with a march around downtown Fredericksburg beginning and ending in the park.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
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Covering Fredericksburg Pride for @WashBlade . City Council member @WillMackintosh speaking: pic.twitter.com/tDdVD2IVsM
— Michael Patrick Key (@MichaelKeyWB) June 29, 2024
Photos
PHOTOS: Goodwin Living Pride
Senior living and healthcare organization holds fourth annual march at Falls Church campus
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The senior living and healthcare organization Goodwin Living held its fourth annual community Pride march around its Bailey’s Crossroads campus in Falls Church, Va. with residents, friends and supporters on Tuesday, June 25. Following the march, a drag brunch was held with performances by drag artists of SADBrunch: Crimsyn, Sapphire Dupree and Evon Dior Michelle.
(Photos courtesy of Goodwin Living)
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