But ageing effects and the United States’ need for a hero in these worrying times has seen Superman return in a CGI-fest that attempts to combine wonderful effects with earnest performances inside a world that, quite literally, leaps from the screen.

The IMAX version of Bryan Singer’s movie comes replete with four sequences designed to be shown in three dimensions, a move that would appear gimmicky… if it wasn’t so much damn fun.

Ordinarily, movies shot for 3D are done so in such a way as to maximise the awe that the imagery can inspire. Which is why it’s all the more impressive that Singer’s film works for both the 2D and 3D audiences. There are no contrived scenes involving Jaws’ teeth flying toward the screen here.

In fact, there are far more sequences in Superman Returns that lend themselves to the 3D process than most 3D movies, without ever feeling as though they were conceived with that in mind.

Clark Kent floating above the ground, a mobile phone teetering in front of your nose or even an airliner rocketing toward earth in flames, all the sequences seem perfect for the treatment.

But, given the occasional car-sick feeling the film gives you (the immense size of the screen alone can be overpowering for some), it’s just as well the sequences are limited to four.

Then there are times when one struggles to work out what exactly is happening on screen, but that’s an issue likely to affect those sans glasses such is the frenetic pace of Singer’s action.

The key question here is whether or not the added technology can improve the movie.

As a work of art, the extra visual dimension is redundant, but in terms of improving the experience as a whole, there’s no doubt that donning the glasses, gazing at a football pitch-sized screen and pawing thin air is something we should all be doing this summer.

Some of us might not be ready to let go of 2D just yet – but your kids are gonna love it.

Rich Phippen