Superman (M) - 129 minutes

Huge on effects, writer and director James Gunn (Guardians of the Galaxy) takes Superman into a newly imagined DC universe.

The film’s opening sets up the contention that, for the first time, the superhero has been beaten … and it has just happened.

He lays bloodied on the snow, barely alive, and needs to call upon Superdog Krypto – who is more intent on rough play and licking him to death – to rescue him.

Superman is literally dragged by his cape to his secret fortress (which appears above ground like a castle of icicles), only to be revitalised by his loyal automatons.

From there, it is up, up and away, more specifically to a showdown with the all-powerful force that grounded him.

It is the conceit of the ruthless billionaire head of Luthorcorp, Lex Luthor, who is out to damage Superman’s reputation and destroy him once and for all.

To that end, Luthor frames Superman, spruiking the idea that the superhero is on a power trip, looking for domination.

He badmouths Superman to government officials and in the media.

Luthor has also built a formidable fighting force that he controls remotely, like a video game.

That includes a shape shifting character called Engineer, who can call upon her razor-sharp cutting blades at any time.

Meanwhile, even Superman/Clark Kent’s reporter girlfriend of three months from The Daily Planet, Lois Lane, is beginning to question him.

And fighting alongside Superman in this movie, to various degrees of success, is a trio of metahumans known as The Justice Gang.

They comprise the self-appointed, self-absorbed head, who sports a blonde bowl hairdo, Green Lantern, along with Hawkgirl and Mr Terrific.

Let me start by saying there is a heck of a lot in this movie. James Gunn has thrown the proverbial kitchen sink at it.

He has capitalised upon the latest technology to create a visual spectacle.

It has got a fabulous look to it. Production values are mighty impressive.

I also liked the key characters.

David Corenswet has done a good job assuming the mantle of the caped hero, honest, upright and severely tested, time and again.

He has a virtuous look throughout and doesn't have tickets on himself.

Rachel Brosnahan is feisty ... hardly a pushover as Lois Lane, who isn’t convinced that Superman is right for her.

She puts it well when she says she has never been good at relationships.

Nicholas Hoult plays deranged well, spewing venom at every available opportunity as Lex Luthor. Clearly, he was told nothing exceeds like excess.

In fact, the biggest problem I had with this Superman reboot was the lack of plausibility involving Luthor’s selling of the superhero as a bad guy.

As far as I am concerned, that needed far more work.

That aside, the key ingredients – action, effects, humour and emotional resonance –were all there in plentiful supply.

With surprises aplenty, Superman makes a largely triumphant return to the big screen.

Rated M, it scores a 7 ½ out of 10.