Man Of Steel

For my sixteenth birthday I went to Niagara falls. I had asked to go there are my birthday treat on the off chance that Superman would turn up, ( I had watched that segment of Superman II with narrowed eyes) Of course he didn't and I didn't risk throwing myself into the Niagara river just to prompt his arrival.

I loved the first two films of the 1970s series so I was nervous that the new Superman Returns film would not live up to my expectations. However I had no need to be worried. As soon as the opening bars of John Williams original theme tune came out of the cinema's speakers a broad smile crept across my face and I was again the eight year old who fell in love with Christopher Reeves' Superman

Bryan Singer's Superman is a triumph although constantly referencing and riffing off the first Christopher Reeve film, his never feels like a pastiche, he has moved the story along and firmly positioned Superman as the only essential superhero we need bother about for the next few years.

He got a fine performance out of Kevin Spacey who stayed on this side of scenery chewing and the film is better for it. Brandon Routh was superb as both Clark Kent and Superman for me he filled the boots with ease but he also gave continuity through incorporating some of the quirks and mannerisms that Reeves gave Superman. Posey Parker brought her comedic skills to the part of Kitty and the supporting cast was uniformly very very good.

I could quibble - the McGuffin that explained away Superman's missing years was a bit weak, if you are a fan of Insultingly Stupid Movie Physics as I am, there was enough to get your teeth into but if you can believe a man can fly then you an forgive the odd cape flapping in space. Margot Kidder's Lois Lane was more feisty and believable as a go getting girl reporter than Kate Bosworth's she was too fragile and just a bit wet to really carry it off but I have a feeling that is partly how the part was written. But those are just quibbles in order to be picky even the little dodger who played Lois' son wasn't nauseating.

We didn't leave the cinema with our coats over our shoulders one arm in the arm pretending to Superman but it was a close run thing.

Overall 9 and 3/19th sloth points out of 10.