Illinois Scenery Scores In Man of Steel
By Victoria Pietrus in Arts & Entertainment on Jun 18, 2013 4:00PM
Man of Steel soared in the box office this past weekend as it nailed the highest box office take for a movie opening in June. Director Zack Snyder teamed up with producer Christopher Nolan and writer David S. Goyer to re-introduce audiences to a completely re-imagined Superman. Henry Cavill (Immortals, The Tudors) as the Man of Steel legitimately soars in his tightrope walk between strength and vulnerability.
One of the notable aspects of the film is how Chicago and rural Illinois serve as Metropolis and Smallville. Plano, Illinois was the backdrop for the Kent family's hometown and, in honor of the requisite stardom, Plano will host the Smallville Super Fest this August, featuring giveaways, a parade, and various vendors paying homage to Dc Comics' flagship hero.
Chicago suburb Naperville was also host to several scenes in the film. Russell Crowe (who plays Kent’s biological father Jor El) and Cavill were often spotted publicly during filming.
Hints of Chicago as Metropolis can be seen during the film’s brutal scenes of Metropolis' destruction. Gone is the classic, smooth finish of Nolan’s Batman series that boasts Chicago’s elegant architecture. In its wake is Snyder’s smoldering remains of what might have somehow been identified as the Second City.
Lastly, IMDB reports that Sugar Grove, Illinois and Oswego, Illinois were also involved in the filming.
Enhanced by Hans Zimmer’s ethereal score, the often esoteric and sometimes completely demolished Illinois scenery plays a familiar role for Midwest audiences that does much to enhance the sentiment of how often real and tangible Superman’s metaphorical complexities can play out in our everyday lives.