User Reviews

The stagnant machinery of a dated savior: A 1.0-star "pathetic" marathon through primary-colored boredom.2008 (1.0)I watched Richard Donner’s "Superman" (1978) in 2008, and it remains a visceral 1.0-star trauma in my archive—a "vivid" display of cinematic obsolescence that failed to provide even a sliver of emotional "revelation." While the production attempted a "sensational" and rhythmic portrayal of the ultimate hero, the narrative rhythm felt incredibly "stagnant" and mechanical, dragging through a "pathetic" and campy trajectory that lacked the "chewy" intellectual depth or the "raw" human distrust of my 5.0-star pillars. Seeing the "vivid" but ultimately "pathetic" reversal of time by flying around the Earth **** the fourth wall of my logic; it felt 100% like a "stagnant" and lazy solution rather than a "vivid" act of storytelling rebellion. Although the John Williams score provided a rhythmic energy, the emotional payoff felt "stagnant" and unearned, leaving me in a state of absolute "silent frustration" at its simplistic morality. The 95% preservation of my memory is dominated by the rhythmic, "raw" agony of the slow pacing and the "vivid" but "pathetic" Lex Luthor antics, creating a permanent, "pathetic" scar of chronological waste on my soul. Unlike the high-tension precision of "Batman" (1989) or the "raw" soul of "The Illusionist," this theatrical encounter possessed no life, standing only as a "stagnant" 1.0-star artifact of "pathetic" nostalgia. It remains in my 2008 record as a "vivid" warning against outdated hero myths—a "stagnant" encounter with a "pathetic" rhythm that failed to leave any "sensational" impact on my psychological archive.

Donner gave us hope that a man can fly. Christopher Reeve made us believe that Superman came to life! A childhood favorite that never ages!

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

Superman is overhyped. The way people talked about it had me thinking it’d be at least-semi enjoyable, but it’s just a kids movie. It lacks depth & appeals. There’s no interesting characters. Superman has the personality of a cardboard box. He’s just a man with superpowers. There’s nothing interesting about his personality. No interesting perspective. None of that. Despite its juvenility, it’s not that fun either. It’s only sometimes funny. The action is the best part, but it’s not enough to hold up the entire film. Visually it’s high quality, but not memorable. The dog was cute though.

For me, it was a decent watch **** VFX were excellent. They really impressed me and brought the world to life. The music and action were good, but nothing **** cast did a good job. I especially liked the chemistry between the hero and heroine; it felt natural and warm.I have to say, Superman’s dog was a standout. I absolutely loved that character!It wasn't a mind-blowing film, but it was still decent

Perfections, but these are often overlooked: Production design of Daily Planet and Lex's Lair. They feel like they're shot on location, but they're painstakingly crafted studio sets with amazing detail. Also, the cinematography is beautiful. Sad because the later Reeve movies just put the camera on a tripod and hit record.

(Mauro Lanari) "In this film ... the real family isn't the biological one, but the one you grow up with. The true nation you belong to isn't the one you're born in, but the one where you become yourself" (Niola). OK, Superman is quèer. "A bold bet by the filmmaker who manages to turn Kal-El into an Earthling even more awkward than Clark Kent" (Di Porto). OK, Superman is a loser just like us. "The film's aesthetic, sunny, colorful, and cartoonish, tries to break away from Snyder's dark style but risks infantilizing the narrative. The tone never finds a balance between playful irony and the seriousness of its moral implications" in "a confusing fresco where political satire, immigration allegories, and commentary on online disinformation cancel each other out. Ultimately, Superman is a film that ... never truly moves you. And without that heart, not even the most spectacular flight can make it soar" (ilcineocchio). Gunn's man-child humor enchants and rakes in huge box office returns. Since it's in tune with today's zeitgeist, writes Arnone. I nodded off a couple of times, finished watching it after about a month, and can barely recall anything normal that really drew me in. Every era gets the Palazzo Schifanoia it deserves.

7.5 /////////////////////////////////…..///////:…..:./////////………………………………..

Una idea clara y fresca del hombre de acero, James Gun lo hace muy bien y logra un Superman con el carisma y el encanto con el que Christopher Reeve lo hizo en los 80s. Hay algunos errores el CGI pero no es para condenar a la cinta. Espero o esperamos que este sea un fresco renacer para la franquicia de DC que desde las peliculas de Nolan no ha vuelto a destacar de forma positiva. Condición para verla: Saber lo básico de la liga de la justicia y de los personajes principales de Superman, la apreciará mucho más si hace esta tarea antes de verla

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

Incredibly faithful to the source material. The First superman in decades that feels human and relatable with a great hopeful message

You find yourself thrust into the tenth episode of a Superman TV series, having missed the first nine. You literally understand nothing. The movie begins like this. It's like picking up a book you've never read and starting on page 50. The dog is incredibly stupid, both with Superman and when the fortress is attacked; he's the last to notice. Civilians never escape with monsters or villains. They just go about their business, like in GTA. Too many unnecessary secondary characters that add to an already hackneyed story. The CGI is sometimes worse than Snow White's dwarfs. The plot is entirely centered on the metaphorical war for Israel and Palestine. Superman is always getting beaten up and always getting help. His Earth parents look like his grandparents. Lex has his own dimension, his own Superman (Ultraman), but he has to prove to the world he's right about Superman when the whole world buys and finances him. In conclusion, an incredibly stupid and pointless film for superficial people who call it a masterpiece just because some paid YouTuber they met on the street said so. Bravo! This opprobrium is the result of your frustrations. You deserve it. Rating: 3. And I was generous!

I watched this movie twice and somehow enjoyed it even more the second time around. It's a fun time. I'm excited to see more from the dcu!

Amazing Movie! Nice visuals, the actors had really amazing performances. The action was really fun and the jokes werent bad at all

This is just a refreshing and comic book accurate version of Superman that was fantastic to watch. The actors were great, the storyline flowed well, the soundtrack got me excited and the post credit scene was rewarding. David Coronswet was just perfect as the new Man of steel and Rachel Bronashan was fantastic as Louis Lane. I left the cinema smiling and in a daze as I could not believe that James Gunn managed to deliver something really special with the film. The film deserves a sequel, as Superman in the DCU has only just started and clearly needs more stories to br told, my fingers are crossed. I highly recommend the film to all comic book fans of Superman, they will not be disappointed!

Dog was the best ! the movie was good, although I would prefer if WB took another direction. My favorite DC series is Dark Knight and I wish more DC movies were like Dark Knight. . Dark and gritty. But the movie was not bad.

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

best Superman movie ever, the score is incredible. Reeves is a phenomenal actor.

There's a scene halfway through this movie where Metamorpho is crying. I too started crying, but it was because I still had the other half of the movie to watch. This thing is a disaster. I actually like James Gunn films, but this went off the rails. I truly believe that the positive critic reviews are paid for b/c no critic would give high marks to this. Just to be clear, the actors are good actors. This criticism is directed solely at Gunn who forgot his true self and is now using paid ads to save his DC Universe.

James Gunn’s Superman is a triumphant reimagining that honors the legacy while forging a bold new path. With heart, hope, and cinematic flair, Gunn captures the essence of the Man of Steel in a way that's both deeply human and inspiring. The storytelling is smart, the visuals breathtaking, and the performances sincere. This is not just another superhero film! it’s a soulful revival of Superman’s enduring symbol of truth and courage.

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

We are officially kicking off the "DCU" with this movie and James Gunn at the helm, so of course Superman sets the tone for the entire universe. Having seen every incarnation of Superman thus far, I'd have to say that this version is just okay. Many people will probably compare this to Christopher Reeves' or Henry Cavill's versions, and I think Gunn is taking aspects from both styles. He is definitely leaning more into the campy nature of the Reeves version though, and I think that was a misstep. Say what you want about Zack Snyder, but one thing he truly understood about Superman was making him appear as a god amongst mortals, and framing the shots in ways where you could see how imposing and powerful he actually is. There isn't enough of those kinds of scenes in Gunn's Superman, so while you still get to see how powerful Superman is, it's done in a much more light-hearted manner. It's like comparing a graphic novel to a Saturday morning cartoon. If we had more of a blend of Snyder's and Gunn's styles we could get the perfect Superman adaptation, where it's both serious and fun when it needs to **** film itself is solid and thoroughly enjoyable. Although it doesn't achieve the level of greatness I was hoping for, given the amount of hype surrounding this movie and how consequential this is for the DC brand. I felt that Lois was portrayed very well, she is both sexy and sassy and Rachel Brosnahan was surprisingly good in this role. Mr. Terrific was the breakout star in this film, he took over every scene he was in, and many times he was more interesting than the Man of Steel himself. The rest of the "Justice Gang" was fine, but at this point the movie started to feel a little overstuffed. They packed a lot of material into this film and it moves at an incredibly fast pace. I think this was another downside for this movie because instead of having a more focused story where plot points are given time to build up, we jump from one situation to the next without any breathing room. Maybe this was because of forced time constraints or studio demands, but everything could've flowed a little better. David Corenswet did fairly well as both Clark Kent and Superman. He definitely isn't as stoic as Cavill's Superman, and shows a more humanized interpretation. This sort of rendition is perfectly fine, but then they try too hard driving the point home by having Superman constantly getting curb-stomped throughout the film, to the point where you almost expected it to happen again no matter who he was facing. Gunn focused too much on the Man and not enough on the Super. Nicolas Hoult did well enough as Lex Luthor, but of all the Lex Luthors his was the least memorable, and truthfully so was Corenswet's Superman. I just didn't feel the tension between these two as much as other Superman adaptations, plus the conflict they had was completely contrived and impersonal. The worst characters in the film were unfortunately Clark's parents. They were like caricatures of hillbilly farmers with heavily exaggerated Southern accents. Easily the worst versions of his foster parents yet, and this felt more like Gunn playing up the audience for laughs. These were just horrible depictions of the people that Clark is supposed to derive all of his life lessons and sense of morality from. Krypto was also used mostly for comedic effect, and with Gunn's style of filmmaking this was almost a given. Even the surprise cameo in the film was made purely as a gag. This is probably what turned me off the most from the film, the whole MCU comedy template that was so heavy handed throughout this movie. On the other hand, the action scenes are pretty good and entertaining. There is no shortage of epic battle scenes as well, so if that's all you're here for this film will deliver. The visual effects are kind of a mixed bag, at times the CGI looks clean and properly integrated, but other times it just seems obviously computer generated. They use some of the classic Superman scores for the soundtrack and that definitely fit the tone the movie was setting.Overall, this Superman was pretty good, but not great, and this truly needed to be on another level to fix the DC film universe. If you're a fan you'll probably find something to enjoy here. I don't think this is the home run Warner Brothers was looking for though. This film is like a slightly undercooked steak with too much seasoning. They tried to launch so many characters and plot threads all together that they forgot to focus on what truly matters. The film has heart, but it doesn't quite stick the landing. I hope Gunn can learn from this movie and refine things a little more in future DCU projects.

You will believe a man can fly. Thank you so much James Gunn. Finally a love letter to comic book readers

Phenomenal and fascinating, most of the elements presented can be traced back to the comics, while maintaining an exceptional cinematic quality in every sense, and even those who are not nerds or geeks will enjoy it a lot.

The original Superman adaptation showing us how the mild-mannered and shy Clark Kent lives a double life as Superman. With the introduction of the iconic Lex Luthor as the antagonist this movie was a crowd pleaser through and through. Now in the modern day this might lack animations that we are used to seeing in cinema now, but the plot, comedy, and pacing make this movie worth the watch.

Superman was a fantastic film that really did terrific, with many of the characters, a plot, okay special effects, and overall just a great movie, that fits in on a top 20 movie list. so that's why I'm giving it a 9/10.

Something weird happened when I watched this movie, as with everytime I watch it. It's a sense of wonder, of hope that I don't get with any other modern superhero movie. Whilst superman is hopeful, positive, helpful, and depicts people with their hopes and failures, it never strays from the path that everyone can be a superhero no matter what. Current day superheroes have powers but are hopeless, they have no charisma, no inner light, and that's why we have already forgotten who is X, Y and Z: some barely exist despite the fact there were dozens of movies with them, others don't exist despite the studios wishing we were rooting for them. I love this movie, and love superman.

Todo o primeiro ato com a produção de arte tendo que criar o planeta Crypto ficou lindo demais pra época, e os diálogos meio misteriosos revelando as motivações soaram bem adultos. Após isso, o filme cai bastante, a começar pela forma abrupta como o peraonagem cresce e se desenvolve. Embora eu curta bastante a caracterização dos personagens (que servirá como base aos demais filmes), é uma obra deais de duas horas que parecem ter menos, mas para o pior sentido, não desenvolve bem a relação com a mídia ou com a polícia, por exemplo. As cenas finais estavam indo muito bem, um capricho à parte, mas a resolução ficou tosca demais, e não devido o tempo, e sim ao desleixo. Enfim, um filme bem irregular, mas possui méritos pelo pioneirismo estético e narrativo.

It occurred to me while watching the opening credits that, at the time Superman: The Movie first hit theaters, Action Comics #1 was forty years old. Now that this film has surpassed the same age, I'm led to wonder if it had as much to do with shaping my generation's perception of The Man of Steel as the original issues did my grandparents'. The world has changed in a lot of ways since the late seventies, particularly in its fashion sense - many civilians' getups are just as outlandish as Superman's - but despite his squeaky clean image and dated morals, there's still something familiar and relevant about this rendition of the big blue boy scout. He's naïve to a fault, but there's no doubting his motivations and it's still refreshing to see a nice guy who doesn't finish last. Christopher Reeve is responsible for a majority of what works, buying into the lead role so completely that it's no surprise he'd be associated it for the rest of his life. Gene Hackman is disappointing in his first turn as Lex Luthor, but the rest of the supporting cast is spot-on and the script is impressive given its age. Although the much-maligned ending sequence is a total disaster, the rest of the story does a very good job of balancing a mature, serious tone with the lighter dalliances into fantasy that go hand-in-hand with the character.

Really wholesome cheesy movie about a super powered alien brought up by some really good down to earth parents. Superman is not his powers. Superman is what he does with his powers. Some dated special effects, but, sincerity of the movie makes this old film very refreshing in 2023. No irony, meta, nihilism or trolling audiences. A fun movie made for the audiences and not like current day movies. Which are just made to virtue signal to peers.

This review contains NO SPOILERS: As a person who has not watched this film as a child, I have no bias. But this movie is a good time. It's fun and enjoyable and if you don't think about it too hard, you'll have a good time watching it. This is DEFINITELY a movie that can be watched with the most annoying children, and you'll still have fun. Christopher Reeve really sold me on Superman AND Clark Kent. Overall, 7/10. Watch it if you can.

its aged effect wise which is obviously gonna happen since this was made in the late 70s but this is truly classic Superman in all his cheesy and Campy glory and it's still a fun watch especially if you love classic Superman or Classic Superhero stories in general

A classic Superman film, I as a film watcher just love seeing how old films used different techniques, acting, and ideas, and how they just put it all together. Superman 1978, is a Superhero film, of course, but it was one that normalised the standard spectrum of live action Superhero films today. This film for the year it was made is a marvel, however, it is rather long because back then it was indeed tough to draw out the plot, but when you hit around the halfway mark the film just flies by. 9/10, A Superman Film still by today's standards and a great piece of film history. So why all of a sudden am I watching Superman films, it's because when I was younger I ended up watching Superman 4 a Quest for Piece so I had to go back to get some context. Not only that, I believe the day is close when a Superman Game may emerge, so grasping and understanding the character to its fullest is important. I believe The Christopher Reeves Trilogy + 1 movie is important in capturing the Idea, personification and overall appeal of Superman. Superman is probably the most difficult Superhero to be portrayed on film and in video games, I think that WB and DC know that for sure, I hope James Gunn and whoever is working on a Superman game understands the characters deeply and is not bound by massive fault. Overall, this is a nice movie, Iconic and recognizable, Onto Superman II.

This movie is such a classic and is a big part of my childhood and also liked actors in Superman

Richard Donner packs the first real superhero film in history. Looking back today, it's not much, but for a date of 1978, it's incredible. Certainly the milestone that gave birth to an increasingly growing genre like that of superhero films.

The best Superman adaptation, period. It shows that Warner Brothers has always been the problem. When they even fired Richard Donnor. Who clearly knew how to use Superman.

A movie so good it will convince you believe a man can fly with a fantastic actor that will forever be Superman

It’s the First Live-Action Movie of The Superman Franchise It’s got Action, Adventure, Drama, Romance and Sci-fi in it My favourite Scenes are Superman saves people, hangs out with Lois Romantically and Saves everyone from the Sean Andreas Earthquake I’ve watched it so many times I give the movie 10/10

Superman may be corny and cheesy to some people, but for those who grew up with it it is as original and as exciting as it was 30+ years ago. The spectacle of the film is terrific, the cinematography is wonderful and the special effects are dazzling. In terms of effective scenes, the scenes with Clark and Lois are cute and don't take up too much of the film or harm it in any way, while the confrontation between him and Lex Luthor is suitably bright and breezy and the opening is wonderfully elegiac. The score's main theme is iconic and just superb, John Williams has done some wonderful scores before, this score is no exception. The direction is innovative and the script is sophisticated enough. I also much enjoyed the acting. Christopher Reeve is perfectly cast as Clark/Superman while Gene Hackman is superb as the calculating yet comic Lex Luthor. Overall, just terrific fun! 10/10 Bethany Cox

Its screenplay is cheesy, but 1978's Superman has a heart and soul to prop it up.

This was one of the great precursors of modern superhero movies, full of effects and CGI. However, what we have here is obviously much more primitive and simpler. The film takes one of the most classic cartoon characters – Superman – and brings us a very canonical view of his origins and path, from the destruction of his home planet and arrival on Earth to his consecration as a world hero. Today, however, it is a somewhat forgotten film, that has aged badly: it continues to have admirers, to be loved by those who saw it in youth, but it has natural difficulties to conquer new audiences. The script takes the official story of the hero and seems to me quite faithful to that narrative, but it can't go any further and gives us an artificial, forced and clichéd story, in which even the villain is such a caricatured figure that we can't see him as a threat. Despite this, and its excessive length when we think about the story told, the film turns out to be a good piece of entertainment, and even those who do not like it are unanimous in giving it a place in the list of relevant films in our collective memory and in pop culture. One of the essential pieces for the success of the film is the excellent performance of Christopher Reeve, an actor who was immortalized thanks to this hero, in the several films in which he played the part. He's not a flawless actor, but I'd say a lot of the trouble comes from the material he's been receiving and the way Richard Donner conceived the film in general, trying to lighten it up, like a histrionic and very presumptuous adventure comedy. Margot Kidder also did a satisfying job. Less lucky, Gene Hackman and Marlon Brando are fortunate to have made other films that are much better, and where we can see them in all their talent: Hackman persistently overacts and Brando has almost no screen time. On a technical level, the film justifies its large budget with elaborate and very flashy visual and special effects, but which for us appear as authentic museum relics, with a strong cheesy tone, totally unbelievable. Cinematography, absolutely without any contrast, looks hazy. The settings range from the most conventional to the height of hospital futurism, so white and gleaming that they look like ultramodern clinics. The editing is relatively good, but like I said, the movie drags a lot and doesn't justify its length. The best, really, is the soundtrack, where it pontificates an extraordinary theme that was composed by the “master” John Williams. A Superman movie without this theme song, to me, is inconceivable.

Out of all the movies I've seen, I don't think I've ever seen one more perfectly cast. Brilliant adaptation overall.

Anyone who was born in the 70s, without growing up watching this movie, is lying. That is the pioneer of yesterday and now of the modern adaptation of superhero comics to the cinema, reproducing the man of steel as he was in his classic mode, with memorable action scenes and a villain with credible motivation. An instant classic from the 70s.

The movie has it strong side, for example, when Superman's father shows his wisdom or Lex Luthor shows his intelligence. The story explains a lot about Superman and makes the movie interesting. But on the other side the movie is very stupid sometimes: The thugs of Lex are childish and the Clark Kent is naive like a teenager. Of course the special effects are outdated, but I can forgive that.

Still the blueprint that many superhero films are measured about to. While dated in some parts, most of the film aged gracefully and might age better than many comic book based films made today.

This film would be perfect if it weren't for a screenplay which, in my opinion, is quite bad.

You'll Really Believe A Man Can Fly! Superman 1978 was really the start for superhero movies as a whole (apart from Batman 1966) and it is truly a magnificent film, filled with heart, action, comedy and a great villain definitely a must see for superhero fans

One of the best superhero movies to this day and there's a lot of good superhero movies but this might be one of the best superhero movies up with Spider-Man 2 and The Dark Knight.

Superman laid the foundation for comic book films as we know them. To this day, Christopher Reeve is the definitive Clark Kent/Superman. However, it's not perfect. The whole Superman origin story was quite boring and convoluted. Lex Luthor's motivations were questionable. Though not a masterpiece, it's a good movie nonetheless.