Following a mysterious absence of several years, the Man of Steel returns to Earth in a new chapter in the powerful saga of one of the world's best-loved superheroes. While dealing with an old enemy's plot to render him powerless once and for all, Superman faces the heartbreaking realization that the woman he loves, Lois Lane, has moved on with her life. Or has she?

Superman's bittersweet return challenges him to bridge the distance between them while finding a place in a society that has learned to survive without him. In an attempt to protect the world he loves from cataclysmic destruction, Superman embarks on an epic journey of redemption that takes him from the depths of the ocean to the far reaches of outer space.

19 years after "Superman IV: The Quest For Peace" and numerous television series after it, Superman returns to the big screen in the grandest way possible. Christopher Reeve, who was without a doubt 'Superman' to a generation, may be resting in peace but he would be happy to know that his legacy will go on for a long, long time. Newcomer Brandon Routh has taken over the cape and tights for the new generation.

Keeping true to its roots, director Bryan Singer has managed to pull off the biggest movie of 2006. From the breathtaking opening sequence (which mimics its predecessors) as well as its closing bit, Superman fans will definitely get a kick out of this one.

Taking place five years after the events of "Superman II" ("Superman III & IV" were disregarded); Superman has gone home in search of his roots in Krypton and has returned after finding a destroyed planet. Not much of how or when he left for Krypton, but that is how the story begins. Due to his absence, Lex Luthor was released from prison much earlier due to Superman not being able to be a witness during his trial. It is after his release, when Lex decides to go to Superman's 'Fortress Of Solitude' and learn all he can about Kryptonian technology. It is there that Lex finds out that he can create land masses as large as continents in order to bring governments to their knees.

Despite its lacklustre plot, it is the cast that saves the day. Brandon Routh is no Christopher Reeve, but then again who is? He has the look and physical attributes, but he lacks a certain presence. Kate Bosworth steals the show as intrepid reporter Lois Lane. She has definitely matured and has shown that she can do dramatic roles as well. Frank Langella outdoes Jackie Cooper as Editor In Chief Perry White. His character and personality personifies the comic book character. Kevin Spacey on the other hand, takes Gene Hackman's version of Lex Luthor to a more sinister level.

The special effects of the new millennium have definitely taken Superman to a new level. Without comparing to the older movies, Superman can now do even more 'super' things. Like lifting and island off to saving a crashing plane. Simply 'super'! It also helps that the movie retains John Williams' Superman theme from the original movie. If there was ever a perfect score for a movie, it has to be the Superman theme (no offence to "Indiana Jones" and "Star Wars"). Hearing it simply brings back memories and also drives this movie perfectly.

The culmination of the movie may leave one desiring for more, and I am sure that we will be getting more. Some questions are left unanswered, which leads me to believe that a sequel will soon be in the works.

Verdict: Watch this in all its glory on the big screen. Superman is back and here to stay.

When "Superman the Movie" opened in 1978, it blew cinemagoers away with its out-of-the-world plot, heart-warming love story and mind-boggling special effects. People 'believed' that Man could actually fly! Women started looking for something more in their men... and some even wished that their man could read their minds.

A lot has happened during these 28 years, with the movie churning three sequels. Lots of other comic book characters had come out of the printed pages on to the big screen and these were accompanied by inspired scripting and state-of-the art special effects.

Relying only on incredible save-the-world scenes is not enough now. There has to be more and more each time around to wow the audiences. They have to be impressed, entertained and be 'involved' at the same time. Bryan Singer's "Superman Returns" is so respectful of the Man Of Steel traditions that it tries very hard to emulate and even rehash them. When Kal-El (Routh) returns to Earth after visiting his doomed planet of Krypton, he is pretty much back in the Metropolis of the 70s. Little else has changed except that Lois Lane (Bosworth) is now married to Richard (Marsden), nephew of Daily Planet publisher Perry White (Langella) and they have a son (Tristan Leabu as Jason). Of course, Lois and Superman still have the hots for each other and this is played out with an interesting 'soapy' twist at the end.

The main plot has Lex Luthor (Spacey) up to no good again after being released from prison. This time around, he causes even more havoc than what his 'alter ego' Gene Hackman did in the first movies.

Similar to Hackman, it is Spacey who spices up the movie every time he appears. Given the charm-less, humour-less performance of Routh in this overdrawn two-and-a-half hour movie, I would have nodded off to sleep if not for Spacey. All Routh managed to achieve here is a bad impersonation of Christopher Reeve's Clark Kent and Superman. Bosworth and young Tristan Leabu fare better and I even like Parker Posey's air-head Kitty, a revised version of Luthor's blonde stooge Miss Teschmacher.

All right. Perhaps I am asking too much of director Singer and his writers. I had expected to be 'blown away' again by this return but got just 'another' Man Of Steel adventure instead.

Recommended for Superman and Smallville fans and those who like soap operas.