Trailer Tuesday: Man of Steel

     After a long wait, two new trailers for the upcoming Superman film, Man of Steel, have finally landed, and seeing as it's Tuesday, let's talk about them! I get into the trailers right after the leap.
     The upcoming film due for release in 2013 is directed by Zack Snyder, and has Henry Cavill playing the iconic role of Superman. I've been following this movie's developments for a while, hoping it will be a film that goes beyond the usual unfortunate mediocrity of past Superman franchises. Thankfully, the trailers gave me a glimmer of hope.
     The two teasers recently released are exactly the same as far as scenes go, however they differentiate in the voice-overs they feature. One is the voice of Russell Crowe, who plays the father of the last son of Krypton, Jor-El. The other is the voice of Kevin Costner, who will be playing Jonathan Kent, the closest thing Superman has to a father on Earth, his new home. 
     Each of the voice overs give an interesting glimpse into what looks to be a very character driven Superman film. With Zack Snyder directing, I had worries that the movie would focus more on being a spectacle than it would being a story (as was the case with Sucker Punch and 300), but this teaser has me feeling better. A little research revealed that Christopher Nolan is producing the film, which would explain why the teaser has a direction that seems very slow and patient, hopefully showcasing a meaningful back story to Superman, a build up to his grand revelation.
     The teaser shows a rather humble story focusing more on the beginnings of Clark Kent than on the triumphs of Superman. The short preview does exactly what it should, and teases. The trailer shows clips of Cavill on a fishing boat, backpacking and hitchhiking, barely scraping by, and it paints a picture that the film will show the importance of Superman's personal journey with humanity, the importance of living among the people and not losing touch. This has always been an important creed of the hero, and I think the film will highlight it well. We do also get a nice little sonic boom at the end fromThe Man of Steel himself, which I think was just enough. 
     With Zack Snyder directing, and Christopher Nolan producing and overseeing, I think Man of Steel has the possibility of boasting amazing visuals, as well as an intriguing and touching story of a man finding his place on a new world, knowing the importance of caring for those you save. The new teaser shows a great direction, and I hope the film continues to take flight in similar fashion.