Superman for the 21st Century - Fantastic fun

Rating: 10/10 (31 July 2014)

Superman is an absolute icon of popular culture. Perhaps the biggest appeal is that it gives us a chance to see what life would be like if we, as a species, had a guardian angel watching over and protecting us. If Zack Snyder's Man Of Steel is anything to go by, it may not be as rosy as you might think, but it sure will look amazing.
But how do you introduce the character of Superman to the iPad and Facebook generation whilst retaining that which made him so popular in the first place? How do you tell an age-old origin story without making it feel like a pointless retread?
Well, thankfully, Man Of Steel avoids that potential pitfall thanks to some clever plot pacing and outstanding action set pieces. A fantastic opening on Superman's home planet of Krypton provides just enough backstory and exposition before the movie jumps forward 30 years to show Clark/Superman working on an oil rig. It then jumps back and forth as it gives us glimpses of Clark's upbringing. It was a brave decision to tell the story non-chronologically, but it works. With Superman's origins already well known, there could have been a sense of deja vu had Snyder told the story in a conventional way but this keeps it feeling fresh and exciting.
The second half of the movie deals with Superman's attempts to prevent the misguided General Zod from destroying Earth and rebuilding Krypton in its place. It's fairly standard comic book fare and gives Snyder the chance to wow us with some awe inspiring action scenes. You will marvel at Superman's first flight, his epic tussle with two of Zod's henchmen and his final fight with the man himself. This is truly the first Superman movie where he actually feels super.
After the disappointment of Superman Returns in 2006, Zack Snyder has brought the character back with a bang. An abundance of action, a clever and interesting take on the origin, fantastic acting from all involved and a Hans Zimmer score which rivals John Williams iconic tune, all contribute to make Man Of Steel an absolute triumph.