Superman

“Superman: The Movie” is a love story. It isn’t like other superhero films where the romance is tacked on. There’s still plenty of excitement and an exploration of the character’s origin, but the relationship between Lois Lane and Superman is the film’s strongest point and the key to its success.

On the dying planet Krypton, Jor-El (Marlon Brando) rockets his infant son, Kal-El, to Earth. There, Kal-El’s alien physiology gives him incredible powers, but his human appearance means he is adopted by a kindly elderly couple (Glenn Ford and Phyllis Thaxter as Jonathan and Martha Kent) Reaching adulthood, “Clark Kent” (Christopher Reeve) comes to Metropolis as a meek, bumbling reporter. Secretly, he’s Superman, Earth’s greatest hero. He begins developing a romance with fellow reporter Lois Lane (Margot Kidder) while Lex Luthor (Gene Hackman) “the greatest criminal mind of our time” schemes.

The film’s charm is in its innocence and sense of wonder. It’s a light story (where even the villain comes off as a little goofy) that doesn’t focus on the action. It focuses on the characters. We’ve got plenty of scenes where Superman is thwarting criminals while snapping them with witty dialogue, but you would hardly consider those action sequences. The point is that Superman is here and he wants to use his powers for good. As Kent/Superman, Reeve is charming, earnest and funny. There isn’t an ounce of a tortured soul here as he pretends to be a bumbling journalist that well, I guess without the glasses might look a bit like Superman but come on, Clark? No way!

During the courting of Lois Lane, your heart melts. With her headstrong attitude and eye for stories, Lois is the one that barely notices Clark during office hours, while swooning over Superman at night (rightfully so, there’s good chemistry here) Who can blame her when our hero takes her for a private flight? Yes, she gets saved by Superman a couple of times but she never feels like a dumb damsel in distress; it’s just really hard not to look a little underwhelming next to the Man of Steel.

Some of the special effects are dated, sure. They bring the filmmaker’s vision to life adequately and considering the time, are quite spectacular. “Superman” does convince you (just like the tagline says) “that a man can fly”. Among other technical achievements, the sets and look of both Superman’s Fortress of Solitude and the world of Krypton are memorable and iconic. Along with John Williams’ score, which is probably one of the most iconic musical scores of all time it captures the spirit of the comics. Right from the beginning," Superman” gets you with that fanfare and those memorable credits. You know you’re going to be in for a fun time.

It’s a movie that different audience will appreciate for different reasons. Children will like it because the film brings Superman is brought to life; our hero saves the day while the cast delivering some nice funny moments to keep the mood light. Adults will like it because of the sense of wonder, the love plot and appreciate some of the subtle touches. “Superman: The Movie” gets it right. Even after all these years and whether you’re young or old, it’s a treat. (Theatrical version on the big screen, January 21, 2014)