# Superman - All Movies Reviewed

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfRQUtIQW0M
Recap page: https://rapidrecap.app/video/GfRQUtIQW0M
Generated: 2026-01-13T19:05:20.496+00:00

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## Quick Overview

The reviewer harshly critiques most theatrical Superman films, deeming only the 1978 classic and the 1951 short film as accurate or foundational, while finding the Christopher Reeve sequels (especially 3 and 4) and the Snyder films deeply flawed, inconsistent, or boring.

**Key Points:**
- The reviewer rates the 1951 short film, *Superman and the Molemen*, highly for its unexpected focus on social inequality, noting Superman's role was solely to advocate, "Hey guys, maybe we should be nice to people that look different from us."
- Christopher Reeve's *Superman* (1978) is hailed as a masterpiece and the blueprint for the superhero blockbuster, praised for its visuals and establishing the origin story pacing formula.
- The reviewer heavily dislikes *Superman II* (both cuts), scoring the theatrical version a 6/10 because it is too goofy, and the Donner cut (scored 6/10) as incomplete, criticizing Superman for wiping Lois's memory at the end.
- *Superman III* receives a 2/10 rating for devolving into slapstick comedy, featuring Superman splitting his soul and turning into an evil parody after being affected by synthetic kryptonite.
- The reviewer views *Superman IV: The Quest for Peace* as the nadir, scoring it 2/10, criticizing its cheap production, boring plot focused on basic rescues, and Superman's selfish, horny behavior, including grooming a woman by using his powers to impress her.
- *Superman Returns* is rated 5/10, being technically competent but too long and boring, featuring the disturbing plot point where Superman impregnated Lois, wiped her memory, and abandoned her for five years.
- The reviewer retroactively raises *Man of Steel*'s rating to 5/10 after watching the Reeve films, concluding that while Zack Snyder's take is too dark and scary, it is at least not boring, unlike the previous five films.

**Context:** The video presents a comprehensive retrospective review of every theatrical Superman film, starting with the 1951 short *Superman and the Molemen* and progressing through the Christopher Reeve era, up to the early DC Extended Universe films like *Man of Steel*. The reviewer establishes a personal baseline for the character, arguing that Superman, at his core, must be the template for superheroes whose primary goal is to prevent harm, contrasting this ideal with the often flawed or inconsistent portrayals in cinema.

## Detailed Analysis

The reviewer begins by expressing disdain for Superman's inherent strength making him boring, but quickly pivots to analyze the first theatrical release, *Superman and the Molemen* (1951), which surprisingly champions social equality by having Superman protect the monstrous-looking molemen from an angry mob, solidifying the character's original purpose as a moral template rather than an action hero. *Superman* (1978) is celebrated as the perfect origin story and the cultural benchmark for superhero films, utilizing impressive visuals and establishing a successful formula. However, the Reeve sequels quickly decline; *Superman II* is criticized for excessive whimsy, and both the theatrical cut and the improved Donner cut suffer from Superman inexplicably losing his powers due to parental directives, culminating in Superman using mind control to erase Lois's memory in the theatrical cut. *Superman III* is deemed a bizarre, Looney Tunes-esque slapstick comedy resulting in a 2/10, where Superman splits into an evil version. *Superman IV* is rated equally low (2/10) for being cheap, boring, and featuring Superman exhibiting extremely selfish and morally questionable behavior, including grooming a new love interest. *Superman Returns* (2006) is deemed a tedious sequel to *Superman II*, criticized for its excessive length and the disturbing plot point of Superman impregnating Lois, wiping her memory, and abandoning her for five years. Finally, the reviewer re-evaluates *Man of Steel*, finding it less boring than the Reeve sequels, despite being too dark and scary, noting that Christopher Reeve's later film versions were also unfaithful by exhibiting similar traits like killing villains and abusing powers, concluding that only the earliest films honored the character's core themes.

### Film Chronology and Initial Impressions

- *Superman and the Molemen* (1951) shows Superman advocating for tolerance against an angry mob
- *Superman* (1978) establishes the superhero blockbuster blueprint and is called a masterpiece
- Later films suffer from tonal inconsistency and poor characterization

### Christopher Reeve Era Analysis

- *Superman* (1978) excels with dreamlike visuals and strong performance by Reeve, despite sequel bait (Zod setup)
- *Superman II* is flawed due to excessive goofiness and illogical plot points regarding power loss
- *Superman III* is highly criticized as slapstick devolving into Superman splitting his soul and becoming mean-spirited (2/10)
- *Superman IV* is called the worst (2/10) for being cheap, boring, and featuring Superman grooming a woman

### Plot Device Critique

- The reviewer consistently dislikes Superman using mind control to erase Lois Lane's memory, calling it evil and done repeatedly across the Reeve sequels
- The recurring trope of villains threatening civilians to hurt Superman’s feelings fails to add tension because Superman always succeeds

### Modern Interpretations Re-contextualized

- Watching the flawed Reeve sequels retroactively improves the reviewer's opinion of *Man of Steel* (raised to 5/10) because it is not boring, even if it is too dark and scary
- *Man of Steel* is contrasted with *Batman v Superman*, which the reviewer still finds irredeemable, focusing on the murder plot between the heroes

### Character Consistency Issues

- Christopher Reeve's Superman becomes selfish, horny, and inconsistent after the first film, often acting like Silver Age Superman with random new powers
- Lois Lane's character declines significantly after the first film, becoming less sassy and more focused on romance or being victimized