Ranking the Superman movies
This is actually an edit of my original list, now that I've finally seen The Richard Donner cut, so I decided I might as well update the list. My opinions may be a bit...unusual, so feel free to share your own lists in the comments.
List activity
46 views
• 0 this weekCreate a new list
List your movie, TV & celebrity picks.
7 titles
- DirectorRichard DonnerStarsChristopher ReeveMargot KidderGene HackmanAn alien orphan is sent from his dying planet to Earth, where he grows up to become his adoptive home's first and greatest superhero.The very first superhero movie, and it still holds up today. It boasts a lot of good acting, and a fun tone, that isn't overly silly (unlike later installments). Christopher Reeve proved himself the perfect Superman, and other actors tried, and arguably failed to live up to his performance. Gene Hackman was also very good as Lex Luthor. The plot is simple, which leaves us all the more time to get to know Superman, and understand what he's about, which is this movie's main focus. Are the effects a little dated and is the tone a little campy? Sure, but this is still a fun ride.
- DirectorBryan SingerStarsBrandon RouthKevin SpaceyKate BosworthSuperman returns to Earth after spending five years in space examining his homeworld Krypton. But he finds things have changed while he was gone, and he must once again prove himself important to the world.Superman Returns at second place? WHAT?! No, honestly, this movie isn't as bad as it's reputation says it is. It has some slow stretches, but it's really epic. It sets a good tone, as it is more dark, but still knows how to be fun when it needs to be. There are some great effects, and the new cast all do a good job. Complaints that this is more of a remake to the original than a sequel/reboot are not entirely un-warranted, but I still think this is a good Superman movie which manages to deliver quite a bit of what I want to see in a Superman movie. In some ways this is my personal favorite, but I have to put it behind the original, because this reuses too many plot points, so it doesn't have the feeling of freshness that the first one does.
- DirectorZack SnyderStarsHenry CavillAmy AdamsMichael ShannonAn alien child is evacuated from his dying world and sent to Earth to live among humans. His peace is threatened when other survivors of his home planet invade Earth.This movie is very divisive. Some people hate it, some people love it. I thought this was an enjoyable movie. Good effects, good action, and a solid cast. I think there's a lot of potential in this crew to turn out some really good Superman movies. Yes, it does stray a bit from the Superman mythos, perhaps they could've toned down the destruction a bit, and shown Superman actually, y'know saving people. The controversy around General Zod's fate, in my opinion, was pretty...silly. There were certainly some flaws, but I thought Man of Steel launched Superman into the 21st century; finally.
- DirectorRichard DonnerRichard LesterStarsGene HackmanChristopher ReeveMarlon BrandoSuperman agrees to sacrifice his powers to start a relationship with Lois Lane, unaware that three Kryptonian criminals he inadvertently released are conquering Earth.Yes, this is better than the original Superman 2, because there are some scenes that add to the story. Clark giving up his powers and Jor-El's sacrifice to restore them are very powerful scenes. The showdown at the Fortress is much more effective, and the better effects help the action to feel more real. Other new scenes showcase Zod's cruelty and Ursa's ferocity, but there are also scenes that just add in dumb jokes that feel even sillier than Lester's gags in the original version. Also, the time reversal thing is a cheap cop-out even more so than it was in the first one. There are also too many scenes cut out that explain some of what's going on, leaving the end result a little confusing at times.
- DirectorRichard LesterStarsGene HackmanChristopher ReeveMargot KidderSuperman agrees to sacrifice his powers to start a relationship with Lois Lane, unaware that three Kryptonian criminals he inadvertently released are conquering Earth.If there's one word I could use to sum up Superman 2, it's acceptable. It delivers a serviceable Superman adventure, and gives us a new villain, and unlike the first one, gives us some action. And yet, it has aged quite a lot. The effects, though some are still good, can look pretty lame at other times. Terrence Stamp as Zod gives a pretty good performance, but can be pretty cheesy. Still, I tend to watch this movie quite often, as it's much shorter than the three ahead of it on this list, and serves as a standard Superman outing. The highlights are how desperate everything feels once Clark gives up his powers, and Zod actually succeeds in taking over the world.
- DirectorRichard LesterStarsChristopher ReeveRichard PryorMargot KidderSynthetic kryptonite laced with tar splits Superman in two: good Clark Kent and bad Man of Steel.Superman 3 stars Richard Pryor as Gus Gorman, a computer hacker. That should tell you all you need to know. The first two Superman movies have always been light-hearted, but taking the series in such a comedic direction was a very poor decision. Christopher Reeve manages to find some redemption for this movie, with his take as the selfish and cruel evil clone of Superman. Aside from that, this movie can only be watched in a sense of 'so bad it's good'.
- DirectorSidney J. FurieStarsChristopher ReeveGene HackmanMargot KidderThe Man of Steel crusades for nuclear disarmament and meets Lex Luthor's latest creation, Nuclear Man.On paper, this movie should be better than Superman 3, having Superman dealing with a real world issue was a good idea by Christopher Reeve, but unfortunately, it's lost in the execution. Say what you will about any of the movies above this, but they all have two things that this doesn't. One, they can all be enjoyed in some way, and two, the effects don't look like they were created on a budget of twenty bucks. The new villain, Nuclear Man, doesn't help matters. Even Gene Hackman is horrible in this! In all honesty, this movie is almost impossible to sit through, and there are no redeeming qualities in this fiasco (aside from Reeve's dedication).