As public opinion of Superman (David Corenswet) turns negative following an international incident, Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult) sees it as an opportunity to destroy him. 

The latest iteration of Superman eschews an origin story and places us in a world where “meta-humans” are the norm. It opens with a write up that establishes that Superman has been on Earth for three decades, announced himself three years ago, unilaterally prevented a war three weeks ago and lost a fight for the first time three minutes ago. The focus is on Superman’s vulnerabilities more than any other version of him has been before. Our introduction to him is with him physically at his lowest ebb but the main storyline is about how his goodness is both his biggest strength and his biggest weakness. 

There are however a plethora of characters and set pieces in an incredibly hectic and busy film that sometimes get in the way of that main plot line. 

Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan) is absolutely the best supporting character and the scene where she interviews Superman is one of the highlights of the movie as her chemistry with him bristles. 

Lex Luthor is a force thanks to Nicholas Hoult firing on all cylinders as someone driven by pure spite and envy. Without Hoult’s bravura his character could have come across as a rote villain. 

The trio of heroes known as “The Justice Gang” have different levels of return with Mr. Terrific (Edi Gathegi) virtually becoming a main character for one section of the movie that features one of writer/director James Gunn’s classic needle drop moments. But the rest of the team consisting of Green Lantern Guy Gardner (Nathon Fillion) and Hawkgirl (Elizabeth Merced) do much less. 

And then there are just a further array of characters that just seem to be required to deliver humour or plot. The robotic assistants in the Fortress of Solitude and Krypto the Superdog provide humour. Whilst Jimmy Olson (Skyler Gisondo) and the members of the Daily Planet team push the plot forward by solving the villains schemes. With Ma and Pa Kent given a few scenes to help Superman reframe his fears. 

It has some really enjoyable facets. It’s brighter and more hopeful than the most recent Superman films which provides something refreshing but not necessarily better. David Corenswet is genuinely good as a vulnerable and hopeful Superman who has great chemistry with his Lois Lane. And Brosnahan and Hoult deliver on the key supporting roles of Lane and Luthor. 

But it has drawbacks. It veers between realism and comic book a little too jarringly with a brewing war that feels similar to current events mixed with fights with Kaiju. It is overstuffed with characters that are all new and undeveloped that take screen time from Superman to the point that Mr. Terrific feels like the lead for a twenty minute period. But most frustratingly it fails to give Superman that single momentous moment that gives you goosebumps. 

As the flagship opening film for James Gunn’s rebooted DC Universe I have mixed feelings. As a brand new Superman film I saw glimpses of what might be amongst a busy introduction for so many other characters. 

A faltering and flawed film that still delivers some promise and spectacle.