Man Of Steel: Remastered

When I first viewed "Man of Steel" in the theater, I was struck by the dour tone that the whole film had. The color timing was very dull (I assumed it was actually the theater not using the correct projector bulbs, but had the same feeling on Blu-ray). Zimmer's score never quite had the levity of previous Superman scores. I really wondered what the film would be like with Williams's cues and a new look.

Wonder no more with Agent9's "Man of Steel: Remastered." While the addition of John Williams's music is front in center here, it's by no means the biggest revelations at play. The new color timing removes the ugly dark green hues from the film and showcase how amazing the new Superman suit looks. It really pops here and is hard to look away whenever it is on screen.

This is also by no means just a recolor and a new score. Agent9 has made some great cuts and restructuring of the entire film. A pared down opening gets the ball rolling much faster than the theatrical version and feels more in line with "Superman: The Movie." Sure, there's a few bits between Zod and Jor-El that leave questions for the viewer, but all those questions get answered (as they do for Clark in the film) just 20 minutes later. The edits that Agent9 makes to the first act of the film are truly revelatory, removing the confusing structure of the narrative with various flashbacks and SFX showpieces. After the destruction of Krypton, there is a title sequence that fits in with the Reeve films. I would have preferred less oil in water constellations (as in the Reeve films) and a little more NASA material, but that is a minor nitpick really.

Then we get straight into the story through Lois Lane's perspective. Clark barely shows up. It's an interesting choice that works out really well and I would love to see it with someone who never saw the original version. The forced action sequences like the oil rig rescue (cool but mostly for trailer moments), Lois Lane getting whipped by the Kryptonian computer (what?), Young Clark's X-ray vision (the actor isn't that good) are gone. Lois really has little to go on when she does her investigation and hearing about the rescues through her perspective is far more creative than merely showing them. It isn't until much later in the film that we can see what Clark can do, which provides the proper rising suspense for the viewer.

The destruction is toned down. It's sure there and there's little that will change that, but it never reaches the uncomfortable levels of the theatrical version. Now Superman takes down the world engine a little quicker and the suspense in the scene is solely on whether or not he can do it and not on whether or not Perry White will save a character in a soundstage that the audience doesn't care for. It's crazy how well this finale works.

Now, I have heaps of praise for this cut, but there are a couple of bits that keep it from being perfect. The bus flashback needs a little more editing. Pete Ross still says his very odd curses ("Dick splash?" Really?!) and there's a little too much music laid over the rescue of the bus. This should be a moment of Clark learning what he can do and should be toned down. It's more of a feeling of the audience of proper rises and falls with emotion. There's a few too many moments that utilize the march which makes the proper Superman moments not as strong. Just a suggestion.

Also, there are two moments that need the music swapped. The music swell from Superman Returns when Lois comforts Clark after what he's done to Zod is misplaced. It's very romantic and triumphant which is at odds with what the characters are feeling in the moment. If this music swell was put in the spot when Superman and Lois kiss for the first time (after teleporting Zod's ship and seemingly saving the day) that would work. The music for this scene should be for the train station moment. I think that would work thematically far better.

Oh! Lest I forget! Agent9's new conclusion works out far better than the theatrical version. We have a nice tease of Clark working for The Daily Planet (we no longer see the newsroom in perfect shape again, which left many questions about when the scene took place following the climax) and Clark's uneasy scene with the general is the closing. It no longer feels like Clark just destroyed half of Metropolis and right after is telling the military to get off his back. It felt weird in the theatrical version and is a nice denouement here. Plus, giving the film a moment to breathe for a second made the "I think he's hot line" work. And, yes, Agent9 found a way to make the film close triumphantly like the Reeve films. Well done.

I really hope that Agent9 makes another few tweaks to his already amazing cut. Like his cuts of "Prometheus" and "Terminator Salvation" this will probably be my go-to edit for watching the film. Give it a look and be surprised at how much fun "Man of Steel" can actually be with a bit of editing.

Personally i don't think any amount of editing is going to save this movie. But ill give Agent 9 props for trying. But i don't think the John Williams music quiet fits. But there are moments during this edit that i feel like im watching a Superman movie and not one of Zack Snyder Cinematic Abortions. Because of the music and its a upgrade to Han Zimmer totally Generic Soundtrack for MOS.. I think my only complaint is i would have cut the whole Pa Kent saying "maybe" or that whole scene. I still think the ending is a mess. But i don't think there anything anyone can do about that..

Wow. I'll start off with that word.

I hated this movie in the theaters. Overlong, Henry C really needed help to emote, etc.

This edit? Boom, I had tears at the end.

Way to pull something out of this movie.

The John Williams score choice was brilliant. Maybe that's what got me so emotional, but it hit me right in the chest.

I am recommended this highly.

It's an interesting experiment, but I can't help but feel like it's a bit of a mismatch.

The color correction job is phenomenal, the brighter hue being easier on the eyes overall compared to the original's teal green. Thea ctual audio editing is commendable, there are spots where you can hear the original Zimmer score but I was shocked at how thorough the dialogue separation was. The music added is reasonably integrated, Williams' Superman score and parts of Ottman's Returns score used in mostly appropriate contexts (though some parts like Superman and Lois holding hands in the desert could have used silence. and the score would randomly appear). The restructured narrative works just fine and removes some dumb parts from the original, and I'll admit it was awesome to see the new opening credits delivered like that.

All that being said, the biggest issue with the edit is that the Williams score doesn't really fit the movie all too well. Zimmer's score fit with what Snyder was trying to accomplish, this more somber and darker take on the Superman mythos (I don't think it was good but that's beside the point), but the Williams music is too classical and plain heroic to fit seamlessly into this particular movie The direction style, the aesthetic, the writing, it wasn't made with the WIlliams music in mind and it shows clear as day during the entire Superman vs Zod battle. The music is just nowhere near as fist bumpingly intense as it needed to be in order to match, and it feels especially strange to hear the romantic Superman/Lois song blare the scene right after Superman snaps Zod's neck. It's not a bad edit by any means, I recommend this as an experiment to see how different it feels in comparison to the original, but I can't say it's "better" in my opinion.

Man of Steel Trailer #3 is my favorite movie trailer of all time, but Man of Steel the film was in many ways a disappointment. The pacing was laborious, the storytelling muddled and unevenly executed, and the action scenes exhausting. While this is not the definitive edit of Man of Steel for me (As far as I'm aware, that edit doesn't exist yet), it's a really strong alternative way of viewing the film, especially if you had no love for the original. The strongest points of this edit are pacing and economy of storytelling: The Krypton sequence is fast and furious, replacing the exhausting ordeal that was the original. The focus on Lois Lane toward the beginning of the film and the re-purposing and reordering of the flashback sequences was a revelation. The action is trimmed down to a more manageable length. Overall the film feels much more confidently told and was able to grab and hold my attention, unlike the original. Also, one of the most maligned scenes from the original film, Pa Kent's death by tornado, is thankfully nowhere to be found.

However, there were also aspects of this edit that did not work for me. The new color grading is mostly great but sometimes looks a little bright and oversaturated, like it's trying to overcompensate for the darker colors of the original. The original film had beautiful high-contrast cinematography which sometimes gets a little washed out in this color grade. kk650's recolored version of the original MOS tones down the grungy green grade while still playing to the strengths of the original photography.

The John Williams score is cool as an alternate take on the film, but in my opinion it does not really fit as well as the Zimmer score. I am probably in the minority here, but I prefer Zimmer's score to Williams, which was great in the original Superman but it's trumpeting brass and triumphant fanfares sound out of place here, whilst Zimmer's booming percussion and minimalist piano did not. The opening credits sequence also plays way too long for a modern film.

Lastly, I feel that some of Agent9's edits serve to bury some of the themes of the original Man of Steel rather than trying to salvage them. Particularly Clark's anxiety over humanity fearing and rejecting him is still here but is weakened by the removal of the Church scene, and the Williams score does more to hurt in this area, making scenes sound triumphant that should be more pensive. I also think a flaw in the original film that ought to have been addressed by the editor is that Superman dons the suit and takes flight before he's committed to revealing himself to the world. It could have been a truly earned moment but it feels like the film blows its load too early. I know it might be a bit strange to have Superman travel back to the arctic after he's returned to Smallville, but I think this could have been accomplished by splitting the the scene between Clark and Jor-El in two. The suit reveal could have been saved for later.