I never saw any of the original Superman movies until this year. I had seen small parts on TV but never really watched them. I felt I needed to watch the Christopher Reeve’s movies one day and that finally came. But that meant watching everything that was in continuity or somewhat canon. So after many hours of the man of steel here is a quick rundown on the whole Superman Movie legacy.
Superman 1978
I went witht he Special Edition which apparently has more footage than the theatrical cut but not as much as the extended cut and apparently th ebest version. In a way as much as I wanted to watcht he longest version even the special edition felt too long, especially in Krypton. I like all the dated effects trying to make it look futuristic which no longer look like that but give it a specific aura that I love. Great music which really sets the mood. It’s really one long history and it’s a bit much to get through it. because it’s the basics. Perhaps it worked better back then because it was technically one of the first modern superhero movies. The first time someone could do something like that somewhat realistic? I like build up it’s just uneventful, just a movie from a different era.
Superman II
I feel this movie feels far more like a superhero movie and it’s entertaining, it’s a weird film and the fights are a bit weird but i like it. I prefer the fights over say the modern ones that feel like DBZ, each punch has some weight to it. They somehow feel more grounded than the DCEU films. a bit corny at times but it works. I was also duped into watching the Donner cut right after and it’s an awful choice. It’s mostly the same movie so it’s boring to watch it right after it. I do think I prefer the theatrical cut as its more memorable but I do also like the newer alternate scenes and takes. I think I’d do a supercut with the best of both versions as both do some things better than the other.
Superman 3
This feels like a different movie, I wish the villain could’ve been changed to Luthor. I like the black retro hacker. Overall, I really enjoyed this movie, the fake kryptonite creating the evil superman was awesome and the battle was epic enough. The end with the cyborg was cool too bad there was no fight with it, this could’ve been cool metallo like reveal. The whole love triangle with Lana Lang was handled well her introduction even if random, really wish they had played more on this on this film or in the next, a great movie.
Supergirl
I began this whole marathon because i wanted to watch this movie. Taking place before the fourth entry. This one feels really 80s and not in a bad way. I like how they set up Supergirl’s story and well how they created a villain for her that worked with that origin. I think it gets the job done. It is a bit different from the others but in a refreshing way after all this is a spin-off, and it’s not magic just technology. Clearly set in the same universe and a good film overall.
Superman IV The Quest for Peace
I loved nuclear man fight scenes, it was the super beings fight I had wanted even if we got some of that in II and III. It’s fun because it’s short. Man does Lois look old here, we needed more scenes with them. It felt like a real return of superman. Luthor back was great, he felt like a real Luthor, the same one but an evolving one. Nuclear Man felt like an actual threat more than Zod. A bit cheesy in how they handle things and how it looks. And hey at the end things go back to status quo, it can all be in continuity.
Superman Returns
I wasn’t originally going to watch it but now I understand it better than when it first released. Originally I just couldn’t get it, it felt old and long as much as I wanted to like it. I still think it’s way too long. The beginning it does feel like a better version of the original movies in characterization. Luthor was great. With the context of the original films fresh I think they did a fantastic job recreating it, even if that’s not what Superman needed in the 2000s. Superman here is a bit of a stalker creep, and also is encouring Lois to cheat. It did feel like a modern love letter and when it worked it worked.
I also watched the Super/Man Christopher reeve’s story. It’s a good documentary on the actor although going in I thought it’d be more about his role in the superma movies so I was a bit disappointed there. Brandon Routh does return as Superman in Crisis on Infinite Earths for the Arrowverse but we’ll save that for its own review. But I guess it can technically go here in this continuity.
What you can see in the movies is the smaller scale adventures of Superman from a simpler time. Clark Kent is a super man and not a super saiyan, He flies like a normal person… well you get the idea if a person could fly. He has fast speed but still somewhat normal speed. He saves people in a way that it makes sense since danger is smaller scale. The fights seem more human. Effects might not be the best, but ogerall I can enjoy every movie in the original 4.The last 2 get too much hate as well as Supergirl. Returns is a mixed bag it’s neither something new nor does it fit exactly.
As far as continuity, people say Superman Returns is only a sequel to 2 but it doesn’t really fit after 2 either. I understand the reasoning of why they say that but there’s no reason why 3 and 4 can’t be canon to Superman Returns. If you’re already bending the rules to make Returns fit then 3 and 4 do nothing to break it further. And 3 and 4 don’t feel that different from the first two even if they’re clearly not as well liked. Supergirl is also hard canon with guest characters and explanations as to why Superman is not there.