Superman
Superman
Just before the destruction of the planet Krypton, scientist Jor-El sends his infant son Kal-El on a spaceship to Earth. Raised by kindly farmers Jonathan and Martha Kent, young Clark discovers the source of his superhuman powers and moves to Metropolis to fight evil. As Superman, he battles the villainous Lex Luthor, while, as novice reporter Clark Kent, he attempts to woo co-worker Lois Lane
James Saenz reviewedJuly 9, 2025
“would you like a glass of wine?”
“no, thanks. i never drink when i fly.”
it has so much sincerity running through its veins— from the halation and sweeping camera movements in the cinematography to the awe and wonder superman inspires in the common person to christopher reeve’s stunning performance, everything looks and feels so beautiful and full of life; donner’s able to make rural kansas look like a paradise and he really takes his time with the characters. we don’t get clark in his superman costume until nearly an hour in and that restraint really makes a difference. it’s also unabashedly horny (i’m looking at you, balcony scene) and i adore that. there’s plenty narratively that feels corny or like it’s verging on nonsensical (reversing the earth’s rotation to turn back time is just batshit crazy), but that doesn’t really matter when it’s made with so much love and care for the character of clark kent; it really set the blueprint for superhero blockbusters and it’s not often that they’re able to achieve this level of artistry or authenticity.