Harry J. Lennix

Plays like a David Lynch movie thwarted by studio-mandated rewrites and...executives hoping for another Se7en but willing to settle for another Taking Lives.

Worth seeing, mostly for its colorful period design and lively musical numbers, but this version of the "official story" takes some wrong turns.

A smart pseudo-anthology vehicle for Dushku to spread her wings (not unlike the way Quantum Leap showcased Scott Bakula's versatility) with a touch of The Prisoner in the dark overtones of the show's ongoing mythology.

On balance, this new cinematic take on a 75-year-old icon constitutes a worthy Superman movie and a modest improvement for a franchise that had creatively stalled.