rating: 3.5

Please Note: This is a completely spoiler free review. Superman has endured for seventy five years as the most recognizable superhero of all. Even the term superhero owes its origin to the character. As the original comic book superhero, each subsequent creation not only owes a debt to his first car-hoisting appearance, but comes as a new branch from that initial trunk. Other heroes like Batman and Spider-Man have proven to be more popular, or at least more profitable, than Superman, but those characters only succeed as a reaction to or subversion of the standard set up by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster in 1938. Terms like up, up, and away and this looks like a job for... along with concepts like a super suit worn beneath street clothes and costume changes in phone booths are all second nature to us at this point. We take for granted just how novel Superman was because weve been flooded with so many other heroes since. That may be why so many dismiss Superman as being too powerful or unrelatable. Fame seems to have hurt him in some ways; being known as the ultimate Big Blue Boyscout has limited a character once imagined as anti-establishment. Its difficult to depict your messianic figure hauling corrupt politicians away by the collar. While 1978s Superman: The Motion Picture is often hailed as a brilliant example of the superhero film genre, the franchise gradually devolved. Superman IV: The Quest for Peace was a big enough failure to keep Warner Bros. from tackling a Superman movie until 2006 with the much maligned Superman Returns, a film that tried so hard to recapture the magic of the original that it forgot to add any of its own, relying on nostalgia instead of starting fresh as the critically acclaimed Batman Begins had the previous year. With The Man of Steel, Warner Bros. has its chance to correct the mistake from seven years ago and build from the ground up, unencumbered by the ghosts of Christopher Reeve and Richard Donner. Involving Christopher Nolan in the creative process, along with the Superman-less title and muted color palette, indicate that Warner is trying very hard to repeat the success of The Dark Knight franchise. Theres a lot riding on this movie, as Warner has stalled any motion on other comic related properties until the figures come in. Its a widely known fact that the likelihood of a Justice League movie hinges on this film being a success. So, does this movie make up for Superman Returns? In short, yes.This is a Superman for the 21st century. He doesnt fly away with the gentle sound of wind blowing; he launches into the sky with a sonic boom each time. Henry Cavill embodies Superman perfectly. When he smiles its the perfect blend of midwestern American corniness with enough earnestness to keep you from wanting to make fun of him. The suit looks amazing, perfectly acknowledging the original design while modernizing it and making it practical. Shirtless scenes prove that theres no padding underneath. Cavill is massive; its easy to accept he could perform these physical feats. He really does feel like the Man of Steel. The other characters dont fare as well. The movie relies on us to carry in our own sense of who these people are as a shortcut from telling us much about them. Its certainly difficult to walk the line of explaining too much about figures that are already in the public consciousness, but its not enough to just say look its Perry White! and expect us to have any emotional attachment. Zod works as a villain who can be as maniacal as Lex Luthor but also go toe-to-toe with Superman and youll be glad for his presence because of that. However, theres not much more to him than that shouting maniac. The villains on Zods team have little motivation or personality other than do what Zod says. In fact, its not even explicitly clear how many of them there are. Why they increased the number from the classic three of Superman II is a mystery since its only about three of them we have any investment in anyway.Sometimes, it feels like the movie is rushing. Zack Snyder wisely keeps the pacing fast enough to keep you from asking certain questions and an anachronistic story keeps things from dragging (you wont find yourself clamoring for Clark to just put on the suit already), but you may feel odd about your limited exposure to Clarks terrestrial parents or any firm grasp of who Lois Lane is. Occasionally when the action starts it feels like things are just happening on screen in a way that unfavorably brings to mind video game cutscenes. The special effects are great when theyre not being used to make pointless Kryptonian animals. Where they excel the most is in displaying the ferocity of super powered fight scenes. (Think the Hulks rampage from Avengers but more elegant.) When the Kryptonians fight each other the sound mixing creates explosions with each punch; the full scope of their destructive capabilities is displayed incredibly well. Its also nice that Superman doesnt solve this problem by tossing it into the sun.Some heavy and interesting themes like Social Darwinism and the limitations of class are toyed with but eventually forgotten. This is not a movie for thinking; this is a film designed to showcase how awesome Superman is. Its a shame, however, that the conversations between characters are kept as brief as possible. Actors like Kevin Costner, Diane Lane, and Laurence Fishburne are capable of heavy lifting but are more often tasked with carrying empty boxes. Certain decisions involving the dynamic between Superman and Lois may cause some people concern but bear in mind that this is a story that owes a lot to the Smallville television show. (Unfortunately, it also imports some sins from the program.) While the movie has problems you will definitely believe a man can fly again. You will once again be amazed by the Man of Steel. If this is the future of the DC cinematic universe - this style, this tone - then I think were in good hands. If anyone in the future says that Superman is boring or unrelatable, this will be the movie that proves them wrong.Man Of Steel is in cinemas from Friday. Click "next" below to read our more detailed reaction - Man of Steel Review: 10 Reasons Why You Will Love This Film This review was brought to you courtesy of Nokia Lumia 925. Win Zod Mask Here Courtesy Of Nokia Lumia 925 HERE Join the conversation with #MANOFSTEEL #Lumia925 on Twitter