Movie release
He starred on the popular Showtime
series “The Tudors” for four seasons, and most recently, in the No. 1 hit
mythological actioner “Immortals.” Now, British actor Henry Cavill puts on the
iconic blue suit with an S emblem in Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures' epic
action adventure “Man of Steel.”
 |
| Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. |
Directed
by Zack Snyder (“300,” “Watchmen”), the film tells of a young boy who learns
that he has extraordinary powers and is not of this Earth. As a young man, he
journeys to discover where he came from and what he was sent here to do. But
the hero in him must emerge if he is to save the world from annihilation and
become the symbol of hope for all mankind.
When
we first meet Clark Kent (Cavill) in “Man of Steel,” he is a grown man hiding
from the world. He is unable to remain unnoticed under the watchful and
increasingly suspicious eyes of the people of Smallville—thanks in large part
to the manifestations of his superpowers and his inability to keep them
completely under wraps, as his Earth father, Jonathan (Kevin Costner), advised
him. Therefore, Clark has abandoned all he knows and loves, wandering in a
metaphorical desert of odd jobs and emotional isolation in search of his true
self.
“Clark feels he has to stay on the
fringes of society,” Snyder explains. “That way, if he’s forced to use his
abilities—if he saves someone’s life or does anything else out of the
ordinary—it is easy for him to disappear.”
However,
it is a solitary existence, one devoid of companionship and equally filled with
longing. Knowing he is not of this planet, he also worries about what humans
would do to him if the degree of his uniqueness were to be revealed. And, if he
is ever able to discover his true origins, will he find that he belongs there
instead?
The
director continues, “He’s wondering, ‘What is my purpose?’ We all ask that of
ourselves, but it’s harder for Clark because the things that he’s best at are
also the things that are most frightening about him to others; knowledge of his
existence would call into question everything we know about who we are. So he’s
on his own, trying to find out what his place is in the world, where he
belongs, what is his destiny. I think the audience will relate because most of
us share those same questions and insecurities when we are starting out in
life.”
Cavill,
who stars in the multi-faceted role, says, “Clark has always felt like an
outsider. He was raised by Jonathan and Martha Kent to never react in an
aggressive, violent manner and, most of all, never to reveal the things that he
can do. But dealing with the very real growing pains of becoming a young man
unlike any other, and being unable to share that with anyone else, has
manifested a sense of isolation in him. That isolation is only amplified by the
fact that he feels powerless to do anything about it, while actually having all
the power in the world.”
“Henry really found a way to play the
many contradictions in the character,” Snyder relates. “Clark is physically
superior but can’t show it, he has X-ray vision but must learn to regulate it,
and even though he’s misunderstood by the human race, he still finds the good
in people; he still instinctively wants to help. Henry did an incredible job of
conveying the conflict within him, while also projecting that sincerity that is
inherent to the role.”
In
taking on a part that was both physically and emotionally demanding, Cavill
says he found an ally and invaluable guide in Snyder. “Zack was fantastic,” the
actor states. “His energy was always up and, as much as the hours on set were
long, he kept things interesting and moving, and it permeated throughout the
cast and crew. We were making a Superman movie, after all, and Zack’s positive
attitude reminded us of that every day.”
According
to producer Charles Roven, playing Superman gave Cavill a boost in much the
same way it’s given every child who ever donned a makeshift cape and imagined
him or herself flying through the skies. “When he put on that suit, Henry’s
whole demeanor changed. He really owned the character, on- and off-camera, and
put an amazing amount of hard work and thought into every aspect of his
performance. It was great fun to watch.”
Cavill
began conducting his research into the part at the source: comic books. “I got
into the comics and that gave me a great baseline to the character. He’s far
more complex than I think most people know. He admittedly has a moral code, but
he’s incredibly conflicted. In the story we’re telling, his origin story, he’s
learning everything about himself right along with the audience. So, when he’s
faced with having to fight for Earth or for Krypton, well…it’s not exactly an
easy decision to make.”
“Man
of Steel” is
distributed worldwide in IMAX 3D, Digital 3D and regular theaters by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment
Company.
