Nearly 50 years after Christopher Reeve first brought DC’s iconic spandex-clad Kryptonian to the big screen, up-and-comer David Corenswet plays the Man of Steel with bountiful charm and sincerity.

Superhero cinema royalty James Gunn directs the latest adaptation of Superman, the lynchpin of a brand new DC Universe of interconnected films and television. It’s a big gamble; after 15 years of being eclipsed in the shadow of Marvel Studios’ unprecedented string of box office smashes, Superman offers a different kind of superhero film. Less reliant on snarky self-reflexive humour and sequel set-up, the film seeks to embody its eponymous hero’s values of ‘truth, justice and the American way’.

With a terrific cast, including the effervescent Rachel Brosnahan (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) as Lois Lane, and Nicholas Hoult (The Menu, Nosferatu) as supervillain Lex Luthor, alongside the ever-reliable Gunn behind the camera, Superman is a joyous adventure with a heart of gold.