Return of the superhero

Film review: Man of Steel (12a)
Running time 143 minutes
Rating:***
AS with many superheroes – even Time Lords – Superman has gone through a number of portrayals, ranging from the comic book kitsch of the 1940s American television series to the latest and much more human view of our favourite good guy in Man of Steel.
While the early versions, even that of the late Christopher Reeve, drew the character and his problems in broad brush strokes, the latest incarnation shows a troubled and reclusive boy and man.
Taking the lead role this time round (and there will surely be more) is British actor Henry Cavill, who despite not being a readily recognisable face for many, can offer a workmanlike CV , which features such films as Immortals.
And, just in case audiences don’t take to the young Henry, the film-makers (director Zack Snyder), have surrounded him with heavyweight talent as backup. Russell Crowe takes on the mantle of Jor-el, Superman’s father (a role previously mangled by Marlon Brando), while Kevin Costner reprises his Iowa farmer role of Field of Dreams as Clark Kent’s Earth dad Jonathan.
The story takes on the early narrative of the 1980 Superman 2 film, with the hero sent as a baby from the doomed Krypton to survive on Earth, but is pursued by the maniac General Zod who wants to use the DNA information secreted in the baby to re-create a new Krypton – but in his own image.
Superman, in the everyday guise of Clark Kent, is advised by his father from an early age to keep quiet about his powers as he doubts the world is ready to accept him. This proves to be good advice as poor Clark is bullied unmercifully while not being able to raise a finger in case he knocks holes in the very landscape on which Iowa stands.
He wanders from one dead-end job to another, but happens to be on the spot when an alien craft is discovered in the Arctic – a leftover base from the Kryptonites ‘let’s get exploring’ phase of 18,000 years previously, but General Zod (Michael Shannon), with his evil sidekicks, cotton-on to this discovery.
There follows escalating and dramatic combat between the parties, demolishing much of the Earth’s surface as a consequence, but the dismal outlook is tempered by the presence of Superman’s girl, the loyal Lois Lane, army people fighting on the right side and others rallying to the cause, which offers just a glimmer of hope for the future.
This latest tale is a great improvement on the nonsensical ’80s version and of course, the special effects are outstanding.
The sum of the total is good movie fun, which should appeal to children and adults alike, buoyed along by characters which are, for once, believable. Superman emerges older, wiser, with a better haircut and a squarer jaw – until the next time.