I must confess here that apart from a few notable exceptions like the work of Alan Moore , I haven't really kept up with the modern day superhero comic-book; by modern day I mean most stuff after the mid-80's. Part of this is due to the drying up of officially released DC comics in India and intermittent availability of imported comic books, which made following multi-issue storylines a nightmare. Also, I was put off by increasing levels of soap opera and what some people call the 'Frank Miller' influence, wherein all sorts of superheroes would at some point become mopey crotch-gazing Batman clones.

Which is why, even though I am a big fan of the classic DC heroes, I never actually read the series of issues that led up to the much-publicized Death of Superman, its aftermath and...wouldn't you know it...his subsequent resurrection. That's right folks, I have not acquainted myself with the source material for the Superman Doomsday movie, so hold the brickbats and regard all opinions here in that light.

The film opens with a monologue from Superman's perennial nemesis Luthor “...for as surely as night follows day, there comes a time when even gods must die.” This ominous prediction comes true not long after, when the gargantuan rampaging Doomsday breaks out of his confines, smashing and slaughtering his way towards Metropolis and then gets into a massive one-on-one with the Man of Steel. Superman overcomes Doomsday...but at the cost of his own life. While Lois and the rest of Metropolis struggle to deal with this loss, Luthor seems to have other plans up his sleeve. And then Superman returns...or does he, because this resurrected Kryptonian has a ruthless edge, believing more in street justice than the power of the law. The plot grows thicker as other events unfold, culminating in another massive all-out confrontation at the end of which one can only hope that the real Superman will stand up (For a more detailed summary but with all kinds of spoilers go here).

Bruce Timm, who gained the admiration of comic book fans for his work on the noir-influenced Batman: The Animated Series, fashions this film as a one-off adventure running a breathless 75 min. In doing so he reportedly had to significantly modify or completely remove several of the plot elements that ran through the comic book source. While I cannot comment on the exact effect of these radical changes, I find the end result a very solidly executed adventure that simmers with tension and bursts into visceral spectacle as required. I have seen some of the online reviews for this film; the complaints appear to mainly come from those who dislike the treatment for not being like the Lord of The Rings films, an intensely drawn-out saga, slavishly checking off the major plot-points of its source, and full of solemnity and import and Zeppelins worth of hot air. As of now I cannot really sympathize with their views. Yes, there are some hurried passages, logical holes, questionable character arcs (Jimmy Olsen's paparazzo detour is dull viewing) and too-obvious deus ex machina elements (as DVD Talk's review rightly points out about Superman's Robot Butler), but on the whole I find myself thrilled with the finished product. It makes its plot points without belaboring them and focuses squarely on providing us with what comic books in the good old days did...the thrills.

And my, what thrills they are. The opening fight with Doomsday alone kicks more ass than anything in Superman Returns. This is a clash of evenly-matched Goliaths and the results are explosive, with a scale of destruction and collateral damage rarely seen in non-anime cartoons. The climactic duel (which I shall not spoil for you) is a fitting bookend, taking more than a leaf from the super-brawl with the Phantom Zone criminals in Superman II. The voice-acting is quite decent and the art is bright and richly colored, although I do have issues with the mostly inexpressive eyes. The camera is fluid and cinematic, and Superman's moves, with their frequent nods to the style of the Christopher Reeve movies, are thrilling. The PG-13 rating is also well-earned with levels of blood-letting and implied violence hitherto not seen in a Superman film.

While rabid quasi-religious comic-book readers may have fidelity issues, Superman Doomsday is for all other purposes a solid and thrilling adventure, and the best Superman feature to hit the video screen in a long while.