Superman has never been a superhero that I was drawn to due to all the obvious reasons about him being too difficult to kill, etc. As I get older, I do find him more fascinating at the very least as a pop culture artifact. And that brings us to this column.
For the purposes of this column, I decided to only count the Superman solo projects. Thus, Man of Steel is the only Snyderverse film being included for an example.
8. Superman III [1983]
Deciding to make the third Superman film half a Superman movie and half a PG Richard Pryor movie is one of the most galaxy-brained ideas I have ever heard of. It is all the more insane because they essentially had an opportunity with this film to make whatever Superman film they wanted to make. The origins of Superman were established. The obligatory superhero-wishes-he-wasn’t-a-superhero story was told. They could just make a fun and exciting Superman story now. And instead, they did this insane film with Richard Pryor and a knockoff Lex Luthor as the villain. This is one of the most inexplicable blockbusters ever made.
7. Superman IV: The Quest for Peace [1987]
The Quest for Peace is at great tension with itself. On one hand, Christopher Reeve’s increased role in the production (including getting a “Story by” credit) makes it automatically interesting as stars getting some measure of control of their franchises make for fascinating examination. On the other hand, everything else about the presentation of the fourth entry of the Reeve series feels like a direct-to-video (in the insulting, cash-in way, not the badass action movie way). Given Reeve’s interviews over the years regarding his politics and worldview, it is pretty easy to infer how important it was that Superman in this film was openly promoting good causes for citizens such as the value of public transportation, the dangers that capitalism presented to journalism, and the insanity of nuclear weapons. But man did everything else from this film screamed cheapness in that way that just feels so cynical. The editing clearly left way too much on the floor. The sets looked awful. The special effects seemed worse than what had come before in the series. This was clearly a step up from III and not an undignified end for Reeve’s time as Superman, but this film had a strong foundation that went to waste in its execution.
6. Superman II [1980]
It is a semi-complicated story, but basically Superman II was supposed to be shot back to back with he first one, but they did not finish before they pivoted to concentrated on completing post-production on the first one. Richard Donner was then not brought back to finish production on II, and he was replaced by Richard Lester. Lester’s sensibilities are different; there was clearly a bit more zaniness in his version of things. While I may not like some of those choices and clearly think Donner’s version is better (even half-finished), I don’t think Donner’s first Superman created a deadly serious world or anything. In fact, it’s always so interesting to get another director’s take on material that I am probably for how it all worked out. And it’s not like Donner’s version is so radically different (except for one key way that I will get to below).
5. Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut [2006]
Something about Superman just causes directors to lose control over their movies due to studio interference, get replaced by other directors, only for their original version to be restored years later. Not sure what it is.
The most interesting prism from which to view this film is in comparison with the original studio sanctioned release. With that mind, The most important thing that the Donner version that is different and better than the studio release is the characterization of Lois Lane. In the Donner version, from the jump, Lois is trying to prove that Clark and Superman are the same person and risking her life to do so. The studio backed version has Lois acting like a bozo who cannot recognize this connection between Clark and Superman and something ridiculous has to happen to get Lois thinking about it. And then Lois is thwarted by Clark and actually starts to doubt herself all over again. Donner’s version is so far superior than what Lester later put forth, and the Lois Lane stuff alone enough to make that decision. (It is also nice to have the Brando footage re-inserted.
4. Superman [2025]
James Gunn has gone full nice-core with Superman in a mostly competent film that is not unpleasant to watch but also inspires no wonder or excitement. Our latest Superman is explicitly designed to kick off a new DC film universe, but it also wants to be its own standalone film, blah blah blah we have been living in this world for almost two decades now. We know the deal. It’s all fine. The film is well cast, mostly speeds on by, is mostly inoffensive, and even has the benefit of rather bluntly and directly presents a version of America where corporations and the military work hand-in-hand to a run a series of client states around the world at the expense of the third world in order to enrich a handful in this country. To what end? I do not know, and I guess it does not matter. Maybe this is just the best we can do. Maybe the era of truly interesting films about comic book super heroes is over. Or maybe I am just too old to find any joy in the new ones. Either way, something feels irrevocably broken when it comes to big studies making movies without genuine geniuses behind the screen.
3. Superman: The Movie [1978]
What struck me most about going back and re-watching the original Superman film were the structure and pacing of the film. It feels like a film designed to let its audience discover and wonder and not at all about hitting specific plot points or building to anything. The showdown between Superman and Lex really does not kick in until very late in the film, and by that point you feel rather stunned, not bored, that there is so little time left in the film.
The film also stands out for how much it allows the audience to just sit in silence and experience the film visually. This is a movie that respects its audience and does not talk down to it. For however fundamentally silly and unserious Superman: The Movie is, it always approaches the emotions of the character with total sincerity. It helps to contribute to the warm and inviting feeling that just makes this film a pleasant experience.
Pleasant does not mean perfect obviously. Superman turning back time at the end in particular was such a delating moment in a wet fart sort of way. Despite all we are asked to suspend our disbelief about in this film, something about that just seems like a moment too far. It does not ruin the film, but it does damper one’s enthusiasm.
2. Superman Returns [2006]
It took a really long time for a fifth Superman movie to get made, and the story of false starts and cancelled projects has been documented in extraordinary detail. It somewhat makes sense to realize this relatively safe and bland idea of a Superman movie was the one that eventually got produced. I say safe because this is a movie that goes to great lengths to pay homage and honor the first Superman film. It positions itself as a direct sequel to that film and even managed to secure the rights to use Marlon Brando footage as Jor-El to really hammer home how much that is the case. Lex Luther’s mad scheme is even about him acquiring high-value real estate because his dad taught him it was the best way to get rich as mentioned in that original film.
At the same time as that, the film eschews the fantastical and whimsical (one might say cartoonish) elements of the 1978 film and instead opts to try to create a more grounded tone. In the original film, it concludes with Superman literally flying Lex Luther to prison and it works! This film has Lex point out that he got out of prison because Superman did not show up for court dates, etc – an issue that clearly could not exist in the original’s tone. This tension between devotion to the past and the desire to “update” to more acceptable present conventions makes for a fascinating viewing experience – if not a thrilling one.
And yet I cannot help but find this 2006 film more enjoyable than its intended predecessor. The sincerity mixed with the more “reality” based energy makes for an odd couple but ultimately more satisfying than the live-action cartoon version that we got in the late 70s. I cannot wholly defend this position, but ultimately it just comes down to what hit harder.
1. Man of Steel [2013]
I cannot believe I am about to say this: but I am now Man of Steel‘s strongest soldier. Free from all the discourse surrounding the film in the release, the mess of the multiple cuts in the follow-up films (that frankly deemphasized the Superman character), and the culture war nonsense of #TheSnyderCut, it was refreshing to just approach and examine this film on its own terms and in its own bubble.
This is a film about a boy becoming a man and trying to hold in his hands the two competing visions of the world and humanity that were embedded into him.
Deep in his DNA, Kal-El comes from a father who believed that humanity was capable of great things. Jor-El lived the belief that it is important not to just fight for yourself or even people you don’t know – Jor-El defined the idea that you need to fight for future generations that will never even know you existed. All for the idea that a better future for all of us is possible.
Kal-El did not grow up with Jor-El however. He did not even grow up as Kal-El. He is Clark Kent and was raised by Jonathan Kent. Pa Kent is a combination of optimistic and pessimistic. The world is bleak. The people might not be worth shit. And he is not willing to sacrifice his son to them. Much like Jor-El, Pa Kent senses the impending doom. Unlike Jor-El, Pa Kent is not in any position to protect the future of any civilization. He can just protect his son. That causes him to shield Clark from the world up until and including his final breath.
These competing ideologies exist inside Superman who must navigate the convergence of his two worlds. Krypton enacted a version of manifest destiny across the galaxy and had exhausted all their natural resources and eventually destroyed their own planet. The last survivors beside Superman are Zod and his militant group who have decided that Earth is their chosen land and that they need to commit genocide against the people who already live there in order for Kryptonians to have a future there. Superman rejects Zod’s cynicism. He accepts the reality of Pa Kent – some people cannot be saved. Kryptonians cannot be saved. He also accepts the optimism of Jor-El. Superman can help lead the humanity into the light and make a better future for them.
This is a fantastic movie that I have dismissed for far too long.
The Reel World 