Superman: The Movie (1978)
An adventure re-told, spanning the Man of Steel's life from his Krypton infancy and Midwest boyhood to his career as Daily Planet reporter Clark Kent (Reeve) and through his titanic struggle with archnemesis Lex Luthor (Hackman). (Warner Bros.)
Cast and Information
Directed By: Richard Donner
Written By: Robert Benton, Mario Puzo, David Newman, Leslie Newman
Starring: Ned Beatty, Glenn Ford, Gene Hackman, Trevor Howard, Jackie Cooper, Terence Stamp, Margot Kidder, Marlon Brando, Susannah York, Christopher Reeve, Valerie Perrine, Marc McClure
Genres: Drama, Sci-fi, Action, Adventure
Franchises: Superman, Superman (Christopher Reeve)
AKA: Superman
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Superman: The Movie belongs to 60 collections
1. Roger Ebert: Great Movies (collaborative: moderated by PeaceAnarchy - 80 stars)
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| Stars | User | Rating | |
| 6 |  |
AgentSnipe | 93 98th |
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Superman was the first great comic book movie and stands alone as a classic piece of cinema history. You watch it and not only believe a man can fly but you actually believe Christopher Reeve is a superhero. Christopher Reeve IS Superman.
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| 5 |  |
BattleToad | 95 97th |
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Though dated and campy, this still is the best Superman movie. Christopher Reeve IS Superman, and this movie still makes you believe it. Gene Hackman plays a more humorous than nefarious Lex Luthor, and the plot is silly, but the movie is still very good. And when you want to yell out, "That wouldn't work!" when Superman turns back time by flying super fast around the Earth, just remember, he's Superman, you're not. Who are you to decide what he can and can't do? Awesome!
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| 5 |  |
Paxton | 91 98th |
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I don't know how it holds up to a younger audience and coincidentally I don't care. Christopher Reeves is absolutely perfect as Superman and somehow even better than that as Clark Kent. There's nothing I can add to the discussion so I'm just going to mention the scene that sticks with me always. When he finds Lois dead the scream he lets out seems to go world wide. Even though the aftermath of that scene is ridiculous and a half, I appreciate the motivation. If that was a spoiler, kill yourself.
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| 4 |  |
Actionberg | 85 84th |
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This seems to me to be the most complete and well-told superhero story the medium of film has yet to express. It's daringly romantic and utterly entertaining. It truly nails what's great about Superman without being handcuffed to the myth. Reeve's dichotomous performance is masterful; the way his physical posture and demeanor shift between Kent and Superman is a good show by a great actor. For being so introspective and gradual in its development, it's incredible how quickly the film flies by.
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| 4 |  |
Gareth Watkins (FilmRot.com) | 86 83rd |
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Richard Donner's take on the Superman story is still the finest adaption of the man of steel committed to film.
Christopher Reeve's is superb as Kal-El & the films special effects have (almost) stood the test of time.
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| 4 |  |
lachapelle | 86 77th |
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A wonderful film. Christopher Reeve will forever own this role because of the quality of his performance here. Gene Hackman is a very good Luthor (although he is surpassed by Kevin Spacey in Superman Returns). Margot Kidder is perfect as a firecracker version of Lois. Go see this movie, then go see Superman II, it's even better.
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| 4 |  |
sully32 | 100 99th |
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The model for all comic book adaptations, now and forver. Christopher Reeve made this roll his for all-time. Gene Hackman was gleefully wicked and for as short of screen time as they got, Marlon Brando and Glenn Ford were top-notch. The John Williams theme song is the best ever (and got screwed by the AFI) and it sets up perfectly for the outstanding (first) sequel.
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| 4 | bossaking | 10 3rd |
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The part where superman files around the earth to go back in time can suck my cock.
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| 4 |  |
Freder | 95 92nd |
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Not only the greatest comic-book superhero movie ever, but a great American movie in its own right (though technically a British production), telling the true sweeping great American story -- the one about dreams and aspirations -- from the heartland to the city. Donner's best movie by a mile.
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| 4 | jetjaguar | 95 89th |
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Still the very best superhero ever put to screen. The pains taken to anchor the character in a realistic world pay off mightily by the end of the movie. Reeve is absolutely perfect, and Williams' score is one of the best ever composed. The time travel ending doesn't work as well as it ought to (somebody wasn't paying attention), but it's a small complaint. Just a phenomenal film.
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| 4 |  |
emtilt | 59 41st |
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Defined the super hero genre, but has major flaws. Aside from being badly dated, the plot has many loose ends and holes. Everyone knows the ending is ridiculous. The pacing has problems because there are a number of scenes that should have been cut. Reeve is good, though.
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| 4 |  |
Langelund (CinemaZone.dk) | 75 77th |
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Flawed, but mostly underrated. Reeve's leading performance is still the one to beat in the genre, Williams' score still rangs amongst the most epic ever written and the visual effects still make you believe a man can really fly.
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| 4 | aaaaaaarrggg | 86 91st |
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The Man of Steel's first big-screen adventure since the '50s was this $50-million-plus super production directed by Donner, who had just scored a big hit with _The Omen_. An unknown Reeve is great as both Superman and Clark Kent (for the first time you can actually accept the fact that those around him really think that Supe and Clark are two different people). This too often veers unevenly between parody and sincerity, but the high spirits of the cast and John Williams's soaring score make this
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| 3 |  |
hellboy76 | 73 89th |
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It's dated and cheesey and great. A defining movie of my childhood. Ovbiously there isn't much on story (because Superman is an incredibly boring comic book character) but Reeves and Kidder are so endearing they will forever be assocated with the roles (which is why I think every relaunch will fail).
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| 3 |  |
VengefulKBM | 80 75th |
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What an utter delight this movie is. I had to take off a few points for the absurd ending, but honestly the fact that the movie somehow hadn't jumped the shark by that point is staggering in itself. Christopher Reeve is wonderful in every scene.
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| 3 |  |
LookJabba... | 8 76th |
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Superman set the standard for superhero films and still holds its own as one of the best. Christopher Reeve is arguably the best cast superhero ever and carries the film effortlessly with his light hearted humour. The supporting cast is strong also with a memorable performance from Marlon Brando. John Williams score is a timeless classic that still wows. Director Richard Donner crafts the perfect supehero film for its time and despite its dated special effects, nostalgically it still entertains.
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| 3 |  |
MacSwell | 75 70th |
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Although the film's style and effects are noticeably dated, it's great fun despite an overlong runtime. The opening is laborious, but the film comes to life with the introduction of Reeve, who nails both roles as Superman and Clark Kent. Though Hackman's hammy performance is enjoyable, sadly the character of Luthor is done a disservice by barely coming across as a genius at all, and Beatty's moronic lackey is just dreadful.
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| 2 |  |
cagedwisdom | 75 65th |
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This is one of the films that reminds you just why you love hollywood despite all it's crap. Very good film.
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| 2 |  |
BillyShears | 100 98th |
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Marlon Brando saying "Krypton"
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| 2 | pompousass | 20 44th |
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Out of a desire to be definitive, this lavish Superman adventure allows itself to become bogged in biography. It presumes a familiarity with Superman mythology, and often plays on that familiarity, but it is still willing to bore the audience with elementary information about life on Krypton (where the culture is proven to be advanced by having the inhabitants speak in British accents) and about Superman's rural upbringing on Earth.
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| 2 |  |
juntakinte99 | 80 65th |
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It isn't as much "dated" as it is indebted to the Golden Age of Comics storytelling--as evident in the Depression era opening. From there, Donner does an amazing job of adapting the tone of a funnybook into a motion picture. His approach obviously influenced Batman Begins--especially with the hero's upbringing & quest to inspire people. Still, the film loses a couple of points for a hokey poem section, and questionable science in the ending. But otherwise it is solid & groundbreaking cinema.
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| 2 |  |
TimeCapsule | 85 89th |
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The O.G. superhero pop-culture icon, "Superman" altered the course of human history with this film. However unlike saving "Louis Lane", he didn't have to reverse time to become the trail-blazing hero we know him as today. Richard Donner's film set the cinematic standard for the entire superhero genre with this blockbuster smash. Despite the dated special effects and cheesy nature of the film, it remains one of best representations of the core themes and feelings behind the iconic "Superman".
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| 1 | svicciarelli | 85 50th |
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Great acting and believable special effects.
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| 1 |  |
TheDiceman | 50 35th |
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Dated.
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| 1 |  |
Ytadel | 8 93rd |
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It's dated and the ending is a ridiuclous cop-out. But despite all that, Christopher Reeve and Margot Kidder both permanently defined their roles, making Brandon Routh and Kate Bosworth look like weak knock-offs, and it established the framework for the superhero film that stands immortal.
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| 1 |  |
Vince Leo (Qwipster's Movie Reviews) | 77 80th |
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If you're a fan, or even if you've never heard of Superman before (it's hard to imagine!), this is a terrific epic film that seems to get better with age -- probably because it is about the characters and not the special effects, like so many blockbusters are today. [Full Review]
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| 1 |  |
tinythedogg | 80 83rd |
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Though it is a bit dated, this is still a very fun movie to watch. I thought that Christopher Reeve was nothing short of amazing in this film. This also had quite a punch with the rest of the cast as well. You had Brando, Hackman, Kidder, Beatty, Gleen Ford. At times this did get a little slow for me, but it really didn't bother my enjoyment of the film. You can see how this ties right into the second movie right away, but I guess I don't want to get to far ahead of myself.
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| 1 |  |
PeaceAnarchy | 74 40th |
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At times it's really good, at others it really cheesy, but for most of its running time it's an enjoyable well paced superhero film. That ending though, ugh, really brings it down a notch.
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| 1 |  |
Redeyedtiss | 79 60th |
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Very much dated, but the story and the actors meld to create a time honored classic.
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| 1 |  |
Bunyas | 90 97th |
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One of the best superhero film of all time with Christoper Reeve's amazing performance..
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| 1 |  |
abunfk | 90 94th |
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kesinlikle ilk superman i tanıdıgımız oyunun kurallarının belirlendigi filim cizgi roman seven herkesin cocuklugunda superman adı gecmis herkesin izlemesi gereken görselligi zengin bir film
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| 1 | Dogmandont | 75 44th |
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Weird movie. It's like a bunch of different genres combined: the sci-fi epic, the press room screwball comedy, the disaster movie...minus points for that fucking VO poem Lois thinks.
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| 1 | jonquill | 92 90th |
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Still one of the most stirring themes in movie history, and everyone forgets how funny Chistopher Reeve really was.
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| 1 |  |
helfen419 | 68 31st |
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"Haven't I told you to stop telling lies?"...Smack
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| 1 |  |
Luna6ix | 79 69th |
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Although the plot is completely idiotic, it's as if a four year old wrote it, everything else is pretty well done. Christopher Reeves makes a better Superman than Superman would if he were real, and it one of those superhero movies that stands for something that is much better than the film could ever be (the idea of Superman).
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| 1 |  |
cult_of_same | 10 9th |
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You should be watching Batman instead.
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| 1 |  |
janus | 75 64th |
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The first notable product of the post-Star Wars filmscape, with effects just as wonderful and a Williams score as exciting. After a perfect prologue, depicting Superman's origins with Wagnerian beauty and bombast, the film succumbs to comedy pitfalls with the introduction of Luthor and the dopey Kent act. Ultimately its success is in its great effects, in proudly being a fantasy dressed in familiar surroundings, and in giving us Reeve, the only actor yet to do the role justice.
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| 1 |  |
walkearth | 55 47th |
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Surprisingly good fun, especially with the naturally charged chemistry between Reeves - what a great Superman he makes - and Margot Kidder with their tongue-in-cheek and alluding comedic interactions. The supporting cast of Brando (wow), Gene Hackman and Terence Stamp only serve the film well. Having said that, what drags it down is the dated special effects for their bigger part, coupled with the long run time and the 2018-abundance of superhero films making it very predictable.
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| 1 |  |
spleen | 81 73rd |
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This is the 21st century, right?! Spielberg can replace rifles with walkie-talkies, Lucas can put Banthas on Tatooine thirty years after it was filmed. Can someone please put some digital pants on baby Clark? Dang!
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| 1 | johnshaft | 80 70th |
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A bit dated, but still touching and fun, with a great performance by Christopher Reeve.
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| 1 |  |
Nroo | 79 75th |
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I want to give this a higher rating, but I really wasn't into this until it got to Metropolis. It's charming in a way superheroes are too afraid to be now. Also, the ending is cool.
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| 1 | Poseur117 | 80 66th |
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The birth of the comic book movie genre. What a good start it was.
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| 1 | birdwinboy | 60 34th |
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poor christopher...
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| 1 |  |
Matthew Parkinson (CineMarter) | 90 97th |
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Superman is a very enjoyable movie that works on pretty much all levels. It has some good drama, some intense action scenes, great visuals, a lot of wit and charm, and some good acting, particularly on the part of the two fighting enemies. It's paced almost perfectly; even though it runs for almost two and a half hours, it plays shorter than that and I only felt like it was dragging in one scene. Superman is a great movie, and I definitely recommend checking it out.
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| 1 |  |
snallygaster | 33 23rd |
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In a way, it's refreshing to revisit a superhero movie where the title character isn't some calculated version of "dark & disturbed antihero," but he is a bit dweeby.
This is a pretty fun, nostalgic movie, but the pacing & excessive length must be an obstacle for kids & adults alike. Margot Kidder launches into a little Terrence Malick parody around the middle of the movie which doesn't help, either.
By the way, people, it's Reeve, not "Reeves." It's never been "Reeves." Just stop that.
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| 1 |  |
Lord Moe | 86 66th |
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Ah, the good old days. When a superhero didn't have to be dark and gritty to be enjoyed. "Superman: The Movie" is a delightful adventure for all ages. Christopher Reeve was, of course, perfect for the role. "Superman: The Movie" is a whole lot of fun; I challenge you not to enjoy it. This movie sparks the imagination of its viewers. As the tagline says, "You'll believe a man can fly!"
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| 1 |  |
ananin ami | 1 17th |
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you can be super. not relavant sorry.
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| 1 |  |
SpikyCactus | 65 28th |
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Top badass moment? 'That' theme tune; should be included with all alarm clocks. He's got the knowledge from dozens of worlds spanning 28 galaxies, yet he’s still a do-gooding show-off Batman can both out-think and out-cool. Then again, the height of fashion on Krypton is walking about with a big S on your chest; I grew out of that when I was 6. But it’s hard not to like him, as CR makes him sooo... nice. Hideously dated and not in a good way. 1 (ugly) cat, no chainsaws or decapitations.
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| 1 |  |
ribcage | 80 77th |
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Good entertaining superhero flick. Reeve is great, hackman is fun in his only turn at luthor where he doesn't go totally off the rails camp. Good setpieces, though i could have done with more action. A good origin story without being a bore.
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| 1 | myfavchords | 74 40th |
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Superman is kind of square and very wholesome compared to a lot of heroes in modern day comic book movies. This movie is still a lot of fun and Christopher Reeve is very good in his most famous role. There are a few odd choices such as Lex Luther wearing wigs and some of the lines are corny. There are many fun action scenes and overall I recommend this super hero movie.
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| 1 |  |
Carbo-Ken | 68 37th |
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"The Man of Steel" has to battle dated special effects and a fair chump of 70s camp. Despite those flaws, and the Supe-character being a bit of a bore, it's supringsly fun; mainly thanks to a charming cast and a playful tone.
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| 1 | brandons | 86 81st |
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Superman deftly blends humor and gravitas, taking advantage of the perfectly cast Christopher Reeve to craft a loving, nostalgic tribute to an American pop culture icon.
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| 1 | DyanneThorne | 55 40th |
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Some good ideas and certainly some iconic scenes, but overall too long and too messy. The plot meanders and there's no chemistry between Lois and Clark (she totally ignores his advances) or between Lois and Superman (she making mooncalf eyes at him from the first moment). Lex Luthor and his henchman and henchwoman as combined villains and comic relief are just a mistake. If I wanted to see a megalomaniac get twarted by his sidekick I'd have watched Pinky and the Brain instead.
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| 1 |  |
Yiannos | 75 84th |
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Donner and co practically invented the cinematic vocabulary for comic book films with Superman, especially for scenes where heroes demonstrate their powers, but unlike most of their successors they make it work because they believe in the material, and Reeves really was perfect in the role of the likeable adonis with super stength. It's cheesy and dumb at times and perhaps overlong, but it has scope and an impressively uncluttered use of widescreen that modern directors could learn from.
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| 1 |  |
Boxcars | 6 32nd |
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"Superman" lays it on a bit thick at times, its effects haven't aged the best, and there's no defending its infamous ending, but Reeves is near perfect as the Man of Steel, and the film has its genuine moments of wonder.
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| 1 |  |
Fenius | 90 73rd |
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Much as I love Gene Hackman, his unfunny Lex Luthor, abetted by incompetent slapstick sidekick Ned Beatty, knock ten points off this film. And it still manages to be the best live action superhero movie ever made.
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| 1 | boesball | 42 31st |
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Grossly overrated, but still by far the best of the old superman franchise
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| 1 |  |
luord | 69 67th |
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It hasn't aged kindly, it feels goofy and the effects are dated. Still, the performances make it worthwhile and its influence is felt to this day.
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| 1 | mwestcott | 100 95th |
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You'll believe a man can fly. Even today. Superman was a film ahead of its time. There is a distinct lack of real action, which is made up for by great performances and a hard hitting story line. Despite some minor story issues and a thoroughly unlikable Margot Kidder. Superman is a terrific and colorful adventure which will stand the test of time for decades.
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| 1 |  |
Ceekay19 | 50 12th |
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Lois Lane: "You - you've got me? Who's got you?"
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| 1 | segun | 92 50th |
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Issue with unrealistic Deux-Machina moment of reversing back time
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| 1 |  |
hairsandwich | 80 21st |
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Very entertaining.
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| 1 | johnnyaluc | 90 57th |
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Somehow more movie-like than today's superhero outings. Lovely performances and it looks amazing.
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| 1 | vv238 | 85 91st |
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This movie really manages to capture the superhero mythos in a way that has been rarely seen, even in modern superhero movies. It blends its humor, plot, and strong characters to make something that is above the sum of its parts.
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| 1 | adornment | 80 77th |
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Superman is the beacon of hope that it promises to be in dark times. While overplaying the good vs evil bit, it does manage to provide a good deal of romanticism and excitement. With the help of a wonderful score and a few great performances, its place as a classic superhero movie is well-deserved.
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| 1 | JMagnesium | 91 88th |
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I saw many renditions of Superman before I saw this one. Chris Reeves defined this character. I have never seen someone match that humanly-perfect, not-quite-human charm. The story itself is pretty corny, but it is based on a comic book.
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| 1 |  |
Vaudevillian | 95 80th |
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This film is really something else.
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| Average Percentile 52.45% from 5751 Ratings |  |