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Movies / On DVD / Superman: The Movie
Superman: The Movie

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Superman: The Movie (1978)

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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... 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

[See More Credits]

Reviews for Superman: The Movie

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1 - 20 (sorted by critic A-Z; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 3 >> >|
Arrange By:Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 

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.

Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
06/24/06
Geoff Andrew
Geoff Andrew
Time Out
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Remains a defining high point of Hollywood's tumultuous relationship with superheroes.

Full Review Source: BBC | comment Comment
10/09/01
Danny Graydon
Danny Graydon
BBC
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

No review available.

comment Comment
01/16/04
Rich Cline
Rich Cline
Shadows on the Wall

Combines cheeky attitude with wowwy effects and genuine thrills.

Full Review Source: Austin Chronicle | comment Comment
01/01/00
Marjorie Baumgarten
Marjorie Baumgarten
Austin Chronicle

Along with its 1980 sequel, no live-action version has so effectively captured the essence of the characters.

Full Review Source: ReelViews | comment Comment
01/01/00
James Berardinelli
James Berardinelli
ReelViews

Superman, The Movie is a rousing screen version about America's foremost folk hero.

Full Review Source: Spirituality and Practice | comment Comment
01/24/04
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
Spirituality and Practice

Donner keeps his film briskly funny and exciting, with smart and spectacular action....The greatest effect of all, however, is Reeve's miraculous performance.

Full Review Source: Groucho Reviews | comment Comment
07/03/06
Peter Canavese
Peter Canavese
Groucho Reviews

Superman is good, clean, simple-minded fun...

Full Review Source: New York Times | comment Comment
05/09/05
Vincent Canby
Vincent Canby
New York Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

[It] remains the single best superhero movie ever made.

Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com | comment 1 Comment
06/18/05
David Cornelius
David Cornelius
eFilmCritic.com

Not only is there the ultimate fantasy fulfillment--to be strong, to be invulnerable, to be fast, to FLY--but his story also taps into the universal feeling of being an outsider in the world.

Full Review Source: TheMovieReport.com | comment Comment
01/05/04
Michael Dequina
Michael Dequina
TheMovieReport.com

Superman is a pure delight...

Full Review Source: Chicago Sun-Times | comment Comment
10/23/04
Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

The film ranks among the greatest crowd pleasers in cinema history, an achievement it will surely hold for a long time.

Full Review Source: DVD Review | comment Comment
07/10/07
Felix Gonzalez Jr.
Felix Gonzalez Jr.
DVD Review

A classic tribute to an American pop-culture icon… the first great comic-book movie and a nostalgic ode to the ideals of a more innocent time… John Williams’ swashbuckling score completes the grand experience.

Full Review Source: Decent Films Guide | comment Comment
09/12/03
Steven D. Greydanus
Steven D. Greydanus
Decent Films Guide

It's probably because the film takes its time and lets us linger in the story's mythology that so many serious fans remember it so lovingly.

Full Review Source: Flick Filosopher | comment Comment
06/27/01
MaryAnn Johanson
MaryAnn Johanson
Flick Filosopher

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.

Full Review Source: Chicago Reader | comment 5 Comments
04/17/07
Dave Kehr
Dave Kehr
Chicago Reader

The person we will remember the most is Christopher Reeve as Superman, and this is the way he should be remembered . . . You will still believe a man can fly.

Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com | comment Comment
03/20/03
Brian Mckay
Brian Mckay
eFilmCritic.com

Superman is a lovable epic full of quaint nostalgia and incredible mysteries of logic

Full Review Source: Filmcritic.com | comment Comment
09/16/03
Christopher Null
Christopher Null
Filmcritic.com

...the film has aged incredibly poorly in the years since its 1978 debut.

Full Review Source: Reel Film Reviews | comment Comment
07/08/06
David Nusair
David Nusair
Reel Film Reviews

A serious treatment of the Superman comics...

Full Review Source: Sci-Fi Movie Page | comment Comment
01/01/00
James O'Ehley
James O'Ehley
Sci-Fi Movie Page

In Christopher Reeve, the casting department found someone with just the right charisma to pull it off.

Full Review Source: DVDTown.com | comment Comment
11/22/06
John J. Puccio
John J. Puccio
DVDTown.com
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by critic A-Z; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 3 >> >|
all

Latest News for Superman: The Movie

August 14, 2009: Siegels Win Greater Share of Superman Copyright Opens in new window
Jerome Siegel's heirs continued chipping away at DC at Time Warner's share of the Superman copyright this week, winning another court ruling that further complicates the Man of... More...

July 09, 2009: Warners Wins Favorable Ruling in Superman Case Opens in new window
Warner Bros. has prevailed in its portion of the lawsuit brought against it and DC Comics by the heirs of "Superman" creator Jerome Siegel -- but the clock is still running out... More...

February 04, 2009: Exclusive: Inside Pinewood/Shepperton - A Photo Tour
Every year, the BAFTA film awards present a trophy for Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema. Introduced in 1978, the award recognises an organisation or a person's career... More...

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...

See All

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