NAIMA LETT | BLOG | HOLLYWOOD CHRISTIAN
Superman: Man of Steel, Man of God?
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© Man of Steel © Warner Brothers, DC Comics

“Did God make me this way?”

That’s what a young Clark Kent asks his earthly father in the new Superman reboot, Man of Steel, which grossed approximately $125.1 million in US box office sales over the weekend.

Very Faith-Friendly

I refuse to spoil the film for all who haven’t seen it yet; but let’s just say it’s VERY faith-friendly. So much so, that the L.A. Times reports that Warner Brothers specifically marketed the film to pastors and churches and created a Pastor Resource Site for pastors to “download clips and photos from the film, or print out entire sermons with topics such as “Jesus — The Original Superhero” and “Jesus — More Than Our Super Man.”

I personally find that last part hilarious, as I’d never download and preach an online sermon. But I guess, to each his own. LOL!

Superman/Messiah

It’s no secret.

Anybody who has followed the origin of Superman knows that the creators of the character intended Messiah-like similarities. Superman is sent, as an only son, by his heavenly father, as a god-man to grow up among the people he’d eventually save.

The two creators, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, were Jewish and said in interviews that they were influenced by several sources including the Old and New Testament. Some say Superman is a cross between Moses (aka Mosheh/Drawn Out/Saviour) and Jesus (Yeshua/Joshua/Saviour).

The story of Jerry Siegel, one of the creators, is told in a way that says he created the bulletproof Superman after his immigrant, store-owning father died in 1932 during a robbery attempt in Cleveland. Siegel and his partner developed a hero who essentially defied death and who would seek justice and keep the bad guys at bay.

Man of Steel’s screenwriter, David Goyer, agrees with the Christ-like connections and says he also thought of Moses. Nobody tried to hide the original storyline.

Hollywood Loves Redemption Stories

I’ve pointed out before that Hollywood loves making redemption stories where the hero is willing to risk his life to save another. Apparently, we love seeing them too. They mark the biggest selling box office films of all time:

Avatar, $2.782 billion
Titanic, $2.185 billion
The Avengers, $1.511 billion
Harry Potter, Part 2, $1.341 billion
Iron Man 3, $1.203 billion
Transformers: Dark of the Moon, $1,123 billion
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, $1,119 billion
Skyfall, $1,108.6 billion
The Dark Knight Rises, $1,084.4 billion

Each film has a hero who risks dying to save others. And all of them take a page from God’s great redemption story in which Jesus, the Son of God, “the One Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death — even death on a cross. For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2.

Man of Steel

Superman is no different. In the comic books and in movies like Man of Steel, he throws himself right between death and innocent people again and again.

On a side note, this reboot is a bit more violent than previous ones. Before you take little Shemar or ReRe, watch the trailer and read the reviews to make sure you don’t give them nightmares. There’s a lot of fighting and stuff blowing up. Just saying. And let’s be clear, during His first advent, Jesus often took the humble, turn-the-other cheek route. He let His enemies crucify Him. Super ain’t doing that. He’s fighting all over Smallville and Metropolis. Tearing stuff up. Now, Jesus’ Second Coming on the other hand, might look a little bit more like this film.

No Teaser

And there’s no teaser at the end. We stay through the credits a lot. Sometimes, we’re rewarded with a teaser of what’s to come i.e. The Avengers series. Not this time. Just thought you should know, just in case you’ve got to go to the bathroom really badly after the 2.5 hour film. Not that it happened to me yesterday, but you understand.

Have you seen the film?
What do you think?
Naima

Rev. Naima Lett, D.MIN, ABD
The Hollywood Christian®
Author of coming release Confessions of a Hollywood Christian®

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P.S. Looks like I wasn’t the only one who woke up with this very similar title on my mind this morning. Man of Steel, man of God? Gotta love it when that happens.