Man of Steel is the 42nd episode of Screen Junkies comedy series Honest Trailers. It was written by Spencer Gilbert, Dan Murrell, Charley Feldman and Andy Signore. It parodies the 2013 superhero film Man of Steel. It was narrated by Jon Bailey as Epic Voice Guy. It was published on November 12, 2013, to coincide with the film's release on home video and Blu-ray. It is 4 minutes 36 second long. It has been viewed over 10 million times.
Watch Honest Trailers - Man of Steel on YouTube
"A mopey, violent reboot guaranteed to depress adults and frighten small children, where one of America's greatest icons, Superman, is played by this Englishman with the acting range of a crumpet, but my God, what a beefcake" ~ Honest Trailers - Man of Steel
Script
From Zack Snyder, the visionary director behind Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole, comes the world's most hopeful superhero in his inevitable dark, moody Christopher Nolan update, because God forbid a Superman movie be any damn fun for anybody: Man of Steel.
Prepare for a mopey, violent reboot guaranteed to depress adults and frighten small children, where one of America's greatest icons, Superman, is played by this Englishman (Henry Cavill) with the acting range of a crumpet, but my God, what a beefcake.
He's the hero who stood for truth, justice, and the American way, but this time stands for destroying American property, the Canadian Arctic, this guy's (Ludlow) livelihood (shows Ludlow finding his truck impaled on multiple telephone poles), Bruce Wayne's satellite, downtown Smallville, ah- and, like, half of Metropolis. It's a bird, it's a plane, it's coming right for us (shows Superman smashing into a building)! Everybody run!
Journey to Superman's birthplace of Pandora...er, Krypton, an alien planet full of Avatar birds, Matrix babies, sepia tone, way too many subplots, and ships shaped like wangs. Meet General Zod, a Kryptonian out to destroy humanity with the power of dubstep (shows a Kryptonian terraformer zapping the Earth, with the sound mixed like a dubstep song). In order to defeat Zod, Superman must decide which of his two Robin Hood dads to listen to: Space Dad (Jor-El) says "Show off your powers to inspire humanity", Farm Dad (Jonathan Kent) says "Hide your powers and let innocent people die". Watch Superman honor them both as he shows off his powers and lets innocent people die.
Meet Lois Lane, a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter.
Lois Lane: I'm a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter.
That's what I just said. She's a superhero in her own right, with the powers of staying alive in sub-freezing temperatures, scaling ice mountains, seducing hot space dudes, and showing up wherever the plot needs her to be.
Faora Hu-Ul: General Zod would like this woman (Lois) to accompany me.
Come on, there's no reason she should be on that military plane.
Lois Lane (trying to insert the S-key into the Phantom Drive): It's supposed to go in all the way!
Heh, that's what she said.
When Lois uses her Nikon camera to photograph this Budweiser-drinking alien (Clark Kent), she'll discover the truth from his friend at the IHOP; but when Zod sends her a message on this Nokia phone, it's up to Superman to take him on with this U-Haul truck, through this 7-Eleven, back to the IHOP, and inside this Sears.
So if you loved the Christopher Reeve-era Superman movies, but wish they made them less hopeful, killed countless civilians, visualized our worst fears of urban terrorism, and had Superman overcome his first villain by murdering him with his bare hands, DC has made the reboot for you, psycho. (shows Superman snapping Zod's neck and killing him) Yikes.
Starring Specific Zod (Michael Shannon as General Zod), April O'Neil (Amy Adams as Lois Lane), Ghost Dad (Russell Crowe as Jor-El), Fallout Box Art (Zod in a helmet), Kevin Costco (Kevin Costner as Jonathan Kent), Perry Black (Laurence Fishburne as Perry White), Superman Pooping (shows Superman scrunching up his face while flying), and Those Pin Art Desk Toy Things...you know, from Spencer's Gifts? The one you used to press your face against? You guys know what I'm talking about, right?
Man of Steel.
Can't believe I'm now actually rooting for Ben Affleck to kick this guy's ass.
Trivia
- Honest Trailers have been produced for several other Superman movies, including Superman (1978), Superman IV: The Quest for Peace, Superman Returns, Batman v Superman and Justice League.
- An Honest Trailer Commentary for this episode was recorded and was available on the Screen Junkies Plus until the website/app was discontinued. Screen Junkies don't currently have any way of releasing the video.
Reception
Honest Trailers - Man of Steel has a 97.3% approval rating from YouTube viewers. CinemeBlend found the Honest Trailer notable for calling out the film's excessive destruction, also writing "not even this Honest Trailer could make real light of the fact that Superman, one of the most iconic visions of altruism ever conceived, up and broke Zod’s neck like dry spaghetti." CinemaBlend also appreciated the starring section, writing it's "my favorite portions of these videos." JOE wrote that the Honest Trailer reminded them "how forgettable Man of Steel actually was, as there are multiple moments that we genuinely can’t remember ever seeing in the cinema." The Mary Sue said the Honest Trailer successfully "makes Superman fun again" and pondered, "why can't we get trailers like this before movies are released?" Bustle wrote that "YouTube sensation" Screen Junkies have created a video that "touches on everything you were thinking when sitting through the two-hours-too-long flick."
Production credits
Directed by Andy Signore
Executive Producer Mitch Rotter
Series Created by Andy Signore & Brett Weiner
Episode Written by Spencer Gilbert, Dan Murrell, Charley Feldman and Andy Signore
Edited by Dan Murrell
Voiceover Narration by Jon Bailey
External links
- Man Of Steel Honest Trailer Points Out That Superman Is Kind Of A Dick - CinemaBlend article
- 'Man of Steel' Honest Trailer: 'A Mopey, Violent Reboot' (Video) - The Hollywood Reporter article
- Video: Man of Steel gets the excellent Honest Trailer treatment - JOE article
- Man of Steel’s “Honest Trailer” from Screen Junkies Makes Superman Fun Again - The Mary Sue article
- Honest Trailer: Man Of Steel - Uproxx article
- 'Man of Steel's "honest" Trailer Says Exactly What We Were All Thinking - Bustle article
- ‘Man Of Steel’ Gets An Honest Trailer Because God Forbid A Superhero Movie Be Any Fun - The Huffingtom Post article
- Man of Steel discovers Honest Trailers is its own kind of kryptonite - io9 article