By keeping the spectacular possibilities open, through the opening scenes of the destruction of Krypton, and the subsequent growth to manhood of the planet's only son on the plains of the Midwest, the film allows naiveté and knowingness to coexist.
Superman: The Movie (1978)
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work ![]()
Reviews Counted: 46
Fresh: 43
Rotten:3
Average Rating: 8/10
Consensus: 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.
Runtime: 2 hrs 31 mins
Genre: Science-Fiction/Fantasy
Synopsis: The Superman myth is well told, from his birth on the doomed planet Krypton to his childhood in a small Kansas town and beyond, in Richard Donner's blockbuster. After he comes of age, young Clark Kent, as his Earth parents have named him,... The Superman myth is well told, from his birth on the doomed planet Krypton to his childhood in a small Kansas town and beyond, in Richard Donner's blockbuster. After he comes of age, young Clark Kent, as his Earth parents have named him, learns the truth of his alien birth on a voyage of discovery to the Arctic. It is there that he learns--through a link to his long-dead birth parents--of his superhuman abilities and his responsibility to preserve and protect "truth, justice and the American Way." Once he adjusts to life in the big city, Metropolis, he discovers that hiding his superpowers as mild-mannered reporter Clark Kent (Christopher Reeve) isn't easy as he flirts with hard-nosed Lois Lane (Margot Kidder) and battles supervillain Lex Luthor (Gene Hackman). The film's all-star cast includes Jackie Cooper, Marlon Brando, Ned Beatty, Glenn Ford, Terence Stamp, and Valerie Perrine, among others, all camping it up wonderfully. [More]
Starring: Christopher Reeve, Margot Kidder, Marlon Brando, Glenn Ford
Starring: Christopher Reeve, Margot Kidder, Marlon Brando, Glenn Ford, Terence Stamp, Gene Hackman, Ned Beatty, Jackie Cooper, Valerie Perrine, Trevor Howard, Susannah York, Phyllis Thaxter, Marc McClure, Jeff East, Larry Hagman, Phil Brown
Director: Richard Donner
Director: Richard Donner
Producer: Pierre Spengler
Screenwriter: Mario Puzo, David Newman, Leslie Newman, Robert Benton
Composer: John Williams
Reviews for Superman: The Movie
Remains a defining high point of Hollywood's tumultuous relationship with superheroes.
The film ranks among the greatest crowd pleasers in cinema history, an achievement it will surely hold for a long time.
The film is best when it takes itself seriously, worst when it takes the easy way out in giggly camp -- as it does, finally and fatally, when Lex Luthor enters the action.
In Christopher Reeve, the casting department found someone with just the right charisma to pull it off.
Vem envelhecendo bem justamente por compreender que, mais do que respeitar o espectador (e respeita), é fundamental respeitar seu próprio universo.
...the film has aged incredibly poorly in the years since its 1978 debut.
Donner keeps his film briskly funny and exciting, with smart and spectacular action....The greatest effect of all, however, is Reeve's miraculous performance.
Still stands as one of the finest Superhero Movies ever made ... and I suspect it always will.
Latest News for Superman: The Movie
September 07, 2008:
Further Reading: Superman's Musical Moment in It's a Bird... It's a Plane...
The 1975 TV special It's a Bird It's a Plane It's Superman is so seldom-seen it tends to get written off by people who only judge from ropey clips in documentaries which bulk... More...
September 03, 2008:
Mark Millar Plots Seven-Hour Superman Trilogy ![]()
Now that Warners has confirmed its plans to reboot the "Superman" franchise yet again, Mark Millar is shedding a little more light on his dream for an epic Man of Steel trilogy. More...
May 01, 2007:
Frank Miller on "300," "The Spirit" & "Sin City 2"
Frank Miller had to suffer through some really terrible years where Hollywood is concerned, but now with "Sin City" and "300" behind him, and an adaptatation... More...
August 31, 2006:
Actor Glenn Ford Dead at 90
People of my generation (and younger) most likely remember the widely-admired Glenn Ford as "the actor who played Pa Kent" in Richard Donner's classic... More...
Related Forums for Superman: The Movie
by: Allen000 7/13
More DVDs
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| Iron Man | |
| Forgetting Sarah Marshall | |
| Sex and the City - The… | |
| Leatherheads | |
| Made of Honor |
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| You Don't Mess with the Zohan | |
| The Happening | |
| Paranoid Park | |
| The Visitor | |
| Stuck |
What’s Hot On RT
Other News
Around The Network
- Superman: The Movie at Rotten Tomatoes
- Superman: The Movie at IGN

Top Critic


