After the much anticipated “Man of Steel” failed to meet my expectations (read my review
HERE), I believe it is only fitting to take a look at the superhero flick that started it all 35 years ago; Superman the Movie starring Christopher Reeve, Gene Hackman, Margot Kidder and Marlon Brando. It is the first time that moviegoers believed that superhero movies can be made possible. It started off a whole new genre! But does it still hold up today?
After watching the film again, I can definitely say it still holds up. In fact I would say that it’s still one of the best superhero films ever. It is still the definitive Superman movie. Why? Man of Steel is not generally loved because it failed to do the one thing that this film perfectly did right: the essence of who Superman is.
Superman has everything that would make it outdated: campiness, 50’s style talk, outdated effects, ridiculous villain plan and motivation, but what makes it timeless is its characters, performances and clean story line.
Here, we get to see “who” Superman really is instead of “what” Superman is. We see the essence of his humanity: love, truthfulness, responsibility, and hope. We also got to see his angsty and selfish side in subtle ways. As a teen, he tried to impress Lana Lang but was interrupted by the Ford kid and was left alone to clean up the football gear while the other kids drove off. Later, he ran off to the barn using his super-speed outrunning the kids in the car. It was an amazing way to show how, like humans, he has emotional outbursts.
It also leads to his scolding by his adopted father, Jonathan. While his screen time was limited, it was much more believable that he raised and disciplined Clark with all his love. And his message about responsibility was as effective as any film, amazingly without the use of the word ‘responsibility.’
He learns so much more with less, while in Man of Steel you do not know direction the parents were trying to point out. It’s also notable that in Man of Steel, Jonathan Kent was an asshole. Yes I understand that he was protecting his son, but he is Clark’s moral compass. He shouldn’t utter the words “maybe” when his son asks him “do I let them die?” Here the message is clear; Jonathan Kent is a principled and righteous man.
His death also made Superman learn who he is and what his purpose was. Here there was nothing he could do to stop Jonathan’s death. The key word being “COULDN’T” as opposed to “WOULDN”T” in Man of Steel.
We also learn about Jor-El, played by Marlon Brando, in the first act of the film. He exudes the same aura as Superman. We see him as a man of justice and honor. He was the best scientist in Krypton but nobody believed him when he said that Krypton was on the verge of destruction. So he sends off his son in hope that he survives. He also knows how his son’s biology will make him godly in Earth and the responsibilities that come with it. And when he speaks the words “the son becomes the father, and the father the son”, Clark’s transformation to become Superman doesn’t feel rushed because he foreshadows the man Clark will be. And we get the satisfaction in seeing it.
Christopher Reeve is the ultimate Superman. No one knew who he was before he took the role but after it, he is still the perfect Superman for everyone. He is perfect casting. He embodies everything right about Superman. He is both naïve and knowingly, he’s shy but also exudes hope and confidence that it is believable that just slouching and putting on glasses conceals his true identity. And while his action sequences are campy and are like literally taking the cartoons to film, it showed how much he cares for the people, which is something Man of Steel lacks.
Margot Kidder may not be the ideal Lois Lane, but she made her performance very memorable. The best being the chemistry she shares with Christopher Reeve on-screen. They’ve created a real love story/connection. It is very evident in probably the most memorable scene of the film where they fly off to the theme of the beautifully done “Can You Read My Mind” by John Williams.
Lex Luthor was not yet a well developed villain at this time. He was somewhere between the mad scientist Lex and the charismatic business tycoon/politician Lex. He was comedic and campy that he just doesn’t feel threatening. But what Gene Hackman did with it was a marvel to watch. His performance somewhat makes you forget what an underdeveloped character Lex is. While his plan for land acquisition is somewhat ridiculous, he still leads Superman to a difficult decision.
Lex launches two missiles heading opposite directions and he believes that Superman can only stop one. Indeed Superman only does stop one and in turn he loses the love of his life, Lois Lane. And what a sight it is that we see Superman grieve and scream in anger, another example of his humanity. He then makes a decision to turn back time. While it is certainly one of the most memorable ridiculous scenes, it sets off another underlying theme: consequence.
Before trying to turn back time, he saw an image of Jor-El warning him to “Do not interfere with the course of human events” and yet he still continued to. The consequences of his actions are not seen until Superman 2 which kinda sucks. It is much more ideal to see the whole story, but it is understandable that it’s too much plot to put into one film.
Well there you have it. It is not as detailed as Man of Steel. It is not dark like any superhero film today. It is very corny, campy, and flawed. It is a family movie but with very adult and dark themes. But it’s one of those that continue to entertain. It shows us who Superman really is and it also, like its tagline, makes us believe that a man can fly.
Score: 8.5 out of 10
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