Man of Steel

The film, Man of Steel, is a 2013 superhero blockbuster from Warner Bros. that reboots the iconic DC Comics character Superman, played by Henry Cavill. The movie, directed by Zack Snyder and written by Christopher Nolan, David S. Goyer, and Goyer's wife Susan, delves into the origins of the Last Son of Krypton, and explores the conflict between human and alien. The film begins with a dramatic image – a massive spaceship hurtling through space and crashing onto Earth, specifically in small-town Kansas. Jor-El, Kal-El's father, plays a role similar to a prophet, warning the ruling council of Krypton that their once-great world is doomed. Krypton, the planet of advanced beings, has become aware of its downfall due to nuclear armament and environmental decay. The council refuses to believe Jor-El, but the scientist hides their infant son, Kal-El, and sends him to Earth via a cryptic message and an escape pod, just before Krypton implodes. Kal-El crash-lands on Earth, where Jonathan Kent, played by Kevin Costner, a kind-hearted farmer, and his wife Martha, a schoolteacher, find the infant boy. They give the child the name Clark and raise him as their own alongside their biological son, Jonathan. Clark struggles with growing up on Earth, feeling vastly different from those around him. He experiences accelerated maturation and rapidly develops incredible abilities, but concealment becomes a necessary virtue as Jonathan Kent instructs Clark to use his powers wisely. Years pass and Clark's parents pass away, and an orphaned Clark begins to unravel the mystery of his identity. He confronts his half-brother, Zod, General of the Kryptonian military who feels the destiny of the human world was over, thereby causing Clark to put that mission behind, and learns more about his planet and the reason he was sent to Earth. Clark's desire for truth and understanding of his identity clashes with the increasing awareness that Krypton was about to die, a key phrase given in the message that Jor-El sent, an invisible key left on an ancient data crystal. Clark's dual existence fuels a tense inner conflict. On one hand, he aspires to connect with his community and respect their boundaries, ensuring he'd never be a rogue alien who threatens their world. On the other hand, he starts to sense a distant memory emerging in his subconscious linked to his home planet. Using the data crystal, Clark realises the significance of his life on Earth. However, it's then that Lois Lane, played by Amy Adams, witnesses Clark's struggle and provides him with compassion, helping to awaken his long-probing question about his Kryptonian past. As Krypton's remnants enter Earth's orbit, Superman learns about the hostile General Zod who breaks away from the military in a desperate bid to save the heritage. Confronted with his interplanetary legacy, Clark has to make an inevitable choice: make good on his human identity or proceed on a full-fledged voyage towards confronting his rightful destiny, therefore opening up to war not merely between humans but also alien nations intent on rescuing or eradicating their lost heroes.