Lisa Johnson Mandell’s Superman review says this is the most fun Man of Steel movie ever, mostly thanks to Jame’s Gunn’s cheekiness and Krypto’s gleeful debut.

For the past couple of decades, I’ve been of the opinion that there are too many Spidermen, too many Batmen, and I was about to add Supermen to the list.

Then I saw director James Gunn’s latest entry in the Superman amalgamation, and lo and behold, I was dazzled. Now I can’t wait for the sequel—imagine that!

It’s all about bringing Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy signature cheekiness to the party. Less dark and dreary introspection more fun! Although the bad guys do seem to have the dangerous upper hand throughout a lot of the film—it’s not short on danger or suspense. But it also has just the right amount of self deprecation, whimsy and irony, so you leave the theater feeling energized rather than depressed.

The hulking David Corenswet in the lead has a lot to do with that uplifted feeling as well. You may or may not remember him from Twisters or Pearl, but with the endearing dimension he adds, you will not soon forget his first Superman outing. Not only is he bold, brawny and buff, but he’s also (dare I say it?) cute—and a little goofy—full of boyish idealism that you can’t help but wish was more present in the leaders of this day.

And this is a film that’s definitely of this day. It begins with an event that happened a mere three minutes prior, as the caption tells us. Superman crashes to the frozen earth, bloody and beaten, and lays hapless and helpless on the frozen tundra. A sharp whistle brings a cloud of snow hurdling towards him. From it emerges the true star of the show, Krypto the Super Dog, who bounces gleefully on his master, unintentionally inflicting even more pain.

Superman review — The pooch steals the picture

How can you not fall in love with a movie with a scene like that, and a dog like that, even if he is one of CGI’s best? As good as the other characters are—Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, Anthony Carrigan as Metamorpho, Nathan Fillion as the coif challenged Green Lantern, and Nicolas Hoult (from whom I would have liked to see a little more mustache twirling) as Lex Luthor—they don’t hold a candle to Krypto, who is reportedly based on Gunn’s own rescue dog, Ozu.

Also to this film’s credit is that there is no tiresome rehash of Superman’s the origin story, and no 50’s comic book period settings. This is a Gotham City of today, in which Lex Luther is an arrogant, powerful and insufferable tech genius who is able to create dismal pocket universes and corridors without sinking the world into a giant black hole. Who knew that was a threat?

Also, this iteration is subtly packed with messages we don’t hear often enough at the cineplex — treasures like it’s all about choices you make, your parents don’t dictate who you are, and what are sometimes perceived as weaknesses can actually be strengths. Superman may have been born an alien with superpowers, but his earthly upbringing has given him human qualities that can actually make him even stronger. His humanity shines through, and that could be what saves the day.

Sure, the film is a bit overstuffed, with one too many Superman clones, cosmic rifts and platinum haired dollies at the Daily Planet—the film would have been much tighter and neater without those complications and red herrings cluttering up the screen. But that’s the nature of today’s superhero films, which always seem to adhere to the theory that more is more.

But I’m willing to forgive Superman almost anything for the gift of Krypto and the buoyant fun he fetches. It has become my favorite blockbuster of the year.

Rated PG-13

2 hours 9 minutes

If this Superman review convinces you to fly over to the cineplex, beat the crowds and get tickets ahead of time at Fandango.com.

Lisa Johnson Mandell’s Superman review says this is the most fun Man of Steel movie ever, mostly thanks to Jame’s Gunn’s cheekiness and Krypto’s gleeful debut.