Man of Steel

Image source: Cinema Blend.

“Superman is precisely what we should be teaching our children. Superman inspires us to our best,” wrote respected comic book writer Greg Rucka for The Hollywood Reporter. After explaining the importance of Superman’s selfless heroism and how it contrasts with the cynical minds at Hollywood wanting grit, Rucka dove straight towards his main plea.

I haven’t seen Man of Steel, haven’t read the script, and I’ve assiduously avoided spoilers. I genuinely don’t know if this “reality” will be present or not. I want it to be brilliant. I want it to be glorious. I want it to be inspiring. I am keeping the faith. But that PG-13 on Man of Steel is making me nervous. I don’t know what it means. . .

I just know that if you make a Superman movie you can’t take kids to, you’ve done something wrong.

Even though Rucka’s essay only express concerns and not damnation for Man of Steel, it does bring up an important question for the upcoming blockbuster. With Warner Bros. recent superhero films only finding success with gritty takes like The Dark Knight Rises and Hollywood heavily favoring this movement, will Superman’s younger fans be left in the dust for his latest flick? Or to be more specific, should a Superman movie be rated PG-13?

As a former DC Comics writer who penned Adventures of Superman, Action Comics, and Superman: World of New Krypton, Rucka has some say in how the character is portrayed. His concerns are also genuine, as he talked about his son being unable to see the last Superman movie (Superman Returns) because of its content. With that said, Rucka’s argument against a PG-13 Superman movie is a little misguided.

 

You Will Believe A Man Can Fly

Mentioned on the comment section of Rucka’s article, the PG rated Superman films by Richard Donner existed four years before the PG-13 rating. Would the Donner films be PG-13 if they were rated today? Superman sleeping with Lois Lane could have pushed the rating for Superman II in the MPPA’s fickle eye, but one can’t say for sure. However, if the Donner films were rated PG-13, it wouldn’t destroy the optimistic sense they accomplished. As Rucka said in his article, Donner made people believe a man could fly not because of special effects, but for his imaginative and uplifting take on Superman. And considering anything that could be seen as explicit in the Donner films was either suggested or softened, they wouldn’t be inappropriate for children.

 

Kids Love Marvel’s PG-13 Films

The last point is important to remember when the superhero movies from Marvel Studios are taken in consideration, as they feature more explicit content than Donner’s Superman films, but are seen by kids with their PG-13 rating. While certain storylines like Tony Stark’s alcohol problem are rejected for fear of parental outrage, Marvel still film scenes like Tony sleeping with a reporter, Loki gouging someone’s eye out, or Wolverine telling Magneto and Charles Xavier to get lost in his own way. This is attributed to the Saturday Morning Cartoon feel the Marvel movies often strive for, but with recent and upcoming films like Iron Man 3, Thor 2: The Dark World, and Captain America: The Winter Soldier edging towards heavier content, there’s no impending risk of Marvel losing their younger audience. And with Warner Bros. finally producing a Superman movie that displays his full strength in action, it’s unfair to ask Man of Steel to loosen up when Marvel Studios doesn’t need to.

 

Keeping the Faith

While Man of Steel lacks the bright color palette commonly found in Marvel movies and seeks believability in Superman’s fantasy world, that doesn’t mean the film is limiting itself to cynical adults. When Christopher Nolan’s name was attached to Man of Steel, many feared the next Superman movie would be bleak and bogged down by unnecessary realism like his critically acclaimed Batman movies. However, Superman sonic booming in the air in the teasers brushed off the latter notion. Man of Steel does appear more dramatic than past Superman films, but that’s to make Superman’s struggle seem more real and to put more weight in his optimistic message. It’s no coincidence that the third Man of Steel trailer ended with Superman talking about his emblem being a symbol for hope on his planet. Hope is a major part of Superman’s character and for the audience to truly appreciate that aspect, they need to see it blossom from the great obstacles he overcomes in the movie.

Just like how Superman remains hopeful in the face of danger, fans should keep the faith that Man of Steel will do the character justice and present a version of Superman that kids can admire for years to come when it opens on June 14.

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