Monday, June 10, 2024

Road to Superman (2025) - Superman (1978) Review

 


Next year we'll be getting a brand new Superman movie, and what better way to prepare than reviewing what came before. Now the movie is still a year away and typically I do these when there's only a few months left. Well this Road to is gonna be very different, because I've got a couple of surprises along the way. But enough of that, let's begin.





Superman (technically called Superman: The Movie) is a comic book movie based on the iconic DC Comics' character, Superman. It was produced by Dovemead Ltd. and International Film Production and distributed by Warner Bros. Superman was written by Mario Puzo, David Newman, Leslie Newman, and Robert Benton and directed by Richard Donner.





The story is, after his home planet Krypton was sadly destroyed, Kal-El was sent to Earth and raised by two loving farmers. Now going by the name Clark Kent he soon finds out who he is and becomes Superman. What he doesn't know just yet is Lex Luthor is plotting to kill him.








  • Negatives

Now your issue or issues with this movie are gonna be much different from mine, but my biggest issue is the time travel. You know the one. Where Superman is flying around the Earth so fast that he reverses its rotation and that somehow made him travel back in time. I'm sorry, but regardless of this movie's rightfully iconic status, that part is just indefensible. Especially since it raises questions like "If he time traveled shouldn't there be two Supermans?" or "What's stopping him from doing this again?" etc. I'll always love this but I just can't get behind that part.








  • Mix

I've got nothing.








  • Positives

Now with that gripe out of the way let's get to the good stuff. Starting with John Williams' score. I really don't think I can say anything that hasn't already been said. His Superman theme will forever be iconic. When the opening credits start rolling I can't help but hum along.



Then there's Christopher Reeve's performance. Once again, what hasn't already been said about this aspect of the film? Reeve was just spectacular. Whether he had to give it his all, or just by doing something simple as straighting his shoulders, Reeve knocked it out of the park.



Let's move on to the special effects. While some did look a little iffy in some areas, for a majority of the time there really good. To this very day, whenever Superman is flying it still looks flawless.



The last thing I'll praise is the story. Now we still do get your superheroic action, that's not the film's primary focus. For a large portion of the flick, we mainly focus on character development. Mostly Superman's journey of self-discovery. Him finding out where he came from, what was his first home, grappling with what he should do with his powers, who should he be, or his growing romance with Lois. Again, I love the action, but it's the focus on character that appreciate more.








While I'll forever have that one issue in mind, I will still love this film. It's a staple of not only comic book movies, but a staple of cinema as well.








My final rating is, Great.








What a fantastic start to this Road to. Having said that, come back on Thursday, Jun 13th, for my A Look Back at review of, Inside Out. Until then, enjoy the rest of your day.

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