Despite the recent tragic early death of Christopher Reeve, I cannot give this film a high score just to be kind to his memory. This film is the sort of over-hyped and overbudgeted mindless film that I usually avoid. While the film is not terrible, it also isn't terribly memorable--having pretty poor acting throughout and being aimed at a young or perhaps stupid audience. I really wish the producers and writers had tried harder to make the film interesting or meaningful instead of spending all the budget on a overblown cameo by Brando as well as an over-the-top publicity campaign. In the end, the film is sort of like eating an entire meal of nothing but egg whites. It fills you eventually but isn't very satisfying.

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

I've long had a theory that science fiction films and films about superheroes started in the 70s post Watergate. Reality was something to painful to deal with so we made our films with make believe heroes. Whether it was Luke Skywalker newly created or Superman dusted off from the past watching these people do their thing was better than reality any day of the week.

After 20 years when Superman went off the small screen, he returned with one whopping budget for special effects that won an Oscar for same. It also had an A list cast and like Lawrence Of Arabia introduced a new face for the lead. Sad in real life the talented Christopher Reeve proved to be all too frail a human, still he fills out the cape and tights. Margot Kidder is the intrepid girl reporter Lois Lane, Jackie Cooper as Perry White still does not like to be called chief, and Marc McClure is the wide eyed Jimmy Olsen. All the folks that on television Superman had to save on a regular basis.

Next to those Oscar winning Special Effects the best part of this film was Gene Hackman as master criminal Lex Luthor. With his two retainers Ned Beatty and Valerie Perrine as Otis and Ms. Tessmacher I don't think Gene Hackman ever had as good a time in a role in his career. His scenes are mostly with Beatty and Perrine and they seemed to get into the tongue and cheek spirit.

As for Reeve he successfully wire walked the task of appealing both as a real hero and a Dudley DooRight. He succeeds on both levels, not an easy thing to do for an actor.

After almost 40 years Superman the movie holds up well. The seeds for Superman II were planted here with the introduction of a few characters who would figure prominently in the sequel. It appeals to those of us who like our superheroes both real and with a bit of humor.