Superman is Jesus but in a Cape
Micah reviews Zach Snyder’s Man of Steel
I’m not a huge fan of the superhero genre. I usually prefer my sci-fis to come in different shapes and I sometimes bemoan the fact that all of the major blockbuster money goes to movies that feel quite similar (Marvel) instead of being used to fund a wider variety of massively expensive cgi films. Valerian 2 anyone? That doesn't mean there are not some pretty quality films among the ranks of these heroic extravaganzas. One of my favorites is Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel. It's a movie that few speak highly of. Some of the main–and legitimate–criticisms include a romance that feels plastic-fruit-bowl-levels of artificial and an ending fight that nonchalantly makes the death and destruction of 9/11 look insignificant in comparison. But, the movie has a lot going for it as well. It predates superhero fatigue. Henry Cavil plays his character excellently and its shots are nearly all beautifully cinematic in their massive scale and (dare I say it) sacred/holy tone.
Last week, when I watched the film again as part of an attempt to justify my monthly expense on HBO Max, I was pleasantly surprised. It's no masterpiece, but I nearly cried through the whole thing. The Jesus symbolism in the Man of Steel movie isn’t hidden. In fact, it’s rather on the nose; at one point in the film Cavil floats out of a spaceship with his arms outstretched, making the sign of the cross over a gleaming earth in the background. But, in an age of anti-heroes and hit shows like Game of Thrones and Succession, it's truly enjoyable to watch a character who is both competent and deeply moral, both compassionate and strong. Originally inspired by the superhuman abilities of the Biblical character Samson, Superman has since become the clearest example of a Christ figure. The movie reminded me of Christ, and that is why I enjoyed it so much.
Quick comparison guide: Jesus/Superman
Like Christ, Kal-El, or Superman, has a heavenly father who sends his son down to earth. Even though he comes from such a powerful father, he is adopted by unassuming parents in Kansas (the perfect Nazareth stand-in) who raise the child lovingly while remaining perplexed by his super abilities. His hometown does not accept him (after all no prophet ever is huh?). Kal keeps his superhero abilities hidden until his early 30s at which point he begins his public ministry (also like Christ).
At this point Superman is called to lead the people of earth–giving them an example to strive towards–by the ghost version of his space dad who accompanies him here on earth. You might even describe this computer generated version of Russel Crowe as a “holy spirit” who is the same person as space dad Russel Crowe while also not being the same person (a nod towards the dynamic of the Trinity). Kal takes a baptismal first flight in his new supersuit and is now prepared to do battle with the evil General Zod, a kind of fallen angel who was thrown out of Krypton (Kal’s heavenly home) in the first 10 minutes of the film. Zod and his followers are damned to an eternity of punishment and will eventually be returned to this “phantom zone” at the end of the movie, but for now Zod has come to earth in order to rule there. But no worries! Kal is ready to sacrifice himself in order to save the people of earth, which he does, finding victory in His weakest moment when he is being crushed by Zod’s giant gravity machine.
After his public ministry begins, Kal, also now Clark Kent, maintains two identities. On one hand he is the conquering king, destroying evil by punching it in the face really hard, while on the other hand he is the mild mannered reporter who plays second fiddle to the other reporters of the Daily Planet. You might even call him a suffering servant.
Kal never speaks to the masses he has come to save directly. Rather, his closest followers (most notably Lois Lane) have access to his inner circle and write out their testimonies describing the superhero through the text of the Daily Planet newspaper (a nod to the dynamic of Christ’s inner circle of disciples and their testimony about him). You could understand Lois herself as the bride of Superman (the Bible calls the Church the bride of Christ) whose task it is to spread the good news throughout the world (she is literally a reporter). If all that wasn’t on the nose enough for you:
Kal-El is hebrew for “voice of God”
Zod seeks to up-end the natural order of the world for an unnatural one (using a giant gravity machine of course)
The “S” on Superman’s suit stands for “hope” like Jesus is the world’s one hope.
The film ends with the general asking Superman how humanity can trust him. Superman assures him that they will never be able to control him, but humanity will have to trust him, relying on the evidence that he has done good things for them.
Early in the film, Superman freely gives himself to Zod as a sacrifice for humanity in place of their deaths.
Before he gives himself, Kal has a Garden of Gethsemane style discussion about the sacrificial decision with a minister in a church (with stained glass images of the actual Christ constantly filling the background of each shot).
End of Comparison.
Some find superman a boring character to watch. He has no flaws and seemingly infinite power. Yet, I really did find myself inspired by the film. Watching the perfect hero gave me so much hope. It inspired me to look for a greater victory than I had yet imagined, a type of victory Batman could never achieve. At one point in my watching, I had to pause the movie in order to cry out to God telling Him that I longed to see, and know, and be like Jesus. I long for the person of Jesus. I want to meet him, to talk to him, to see him act and preach and save. I want him to teach me how to fly.
Snyder’s slow and sacred wide shots, matched with a deeply moral and expectantly pregnant soundtrack brought those desires to their zenith. Any movie that engages my heart and soul that deeply deserves to be hailed as quite a good one.
Justice League is a terrible movie.
Zack Snyder’s version of Christianity
In case you're wondering why Snyder, the irreligious director and screenwriter, would lift up Christian ideals so much in his film, there is a bit more to the picture. Snyder does some of his own theological mixing to make his Superman, at times, an unflattering ironic version of the biblical Christ. Ultimately, the film is a critique of Christianity as Snyder interjects to make his own improvements to the salvation story of scripture.
Snyder motivates his Satan character, General Zod, by his desire to create a new Krypton which severs all but the “most pure” of bloodlines. On the surface, it is seen as a critique against a Hitler like super-racist Zod, but really the director is taking aim at the exclusionism of Christianity. Like Zod, Kal’s space dad, Russel Crowe, also hopes to start a new Krypton through Kal, although his plan is not for the extermination of humanity, but rather uses Kal as the bridge (Corwe actually calls him “the bridge between their world and ours” while Cavil does a crucifixion pose), between the two worlds, seeking a future where heaven and earth are brought together.
Despite Crowe's overtly stated idea, Snyder’s Superman rejects any plan to utilize the “codex” (a “book of life” stand in) that his space dad infused into Kal’s blood (in the film, the codex holds the identities of all the future elect). While Chrisitans see the sacrificial spilling of Christ’s blood as the key to everlasting life, Kal ultimately refuses to submit to his father’s plan. Despite his sacrificial move early in the film, Kal never spills his blood for humanity (he doesn't actually die and come back to life like Harry does at the climax of the Harry Potter series or Gandalf does in the LOTR series). Instead, the climax of the film ends as Superman wins the day by breaking his own rules and killing Zod outright, using his own power to break his neck. Kal is in anguish over this diversion from his own righteous character, but does it as a necessary evil.
Here, the Christ character Snyder sets up is acting as Snyder would like Christ to act, snuffing out all evil directly and saving everyone without making faith or the cross necessary for life; it's a type of universalism that makes Christ’s sacrifice unnecessary. This is the Christ Snyder wants, not the one the Bible gives. Here, Superman saves earth-alone, not bringing heaven to join it. Snyder is aware of how this forces Superman against his own righteous and just character and has Henry Cavil cry out in agony after he brutally murders Zod. His customization of the theology of the atonement and eschatology still presents us with a beautiful imitation of Christ, the movie’s ending is simply a hard left turn as Superman abandons his original intention to obey his space dad’s desire for a new krypton and a new earth, abandons his original attempt to sacrifice himself, and simply kills Zod. Earth, as it already is presently, is made the ideal instead of a mix of heaven and earth which is destined for the elect.
Interestingly, this hard left turn in the movie’s plot confused most audiences, almost as if we all know that Snyder’s ending wasn’t quite the satisfying one we are looking for.