What makes "Superman: The Movie" Great?

A Template of the superhero genre even today, Richard Donner's first Superman installment still stands tall thanks to its epic scope and Christopher Reeve's iconic portrayal of the Man of Steel.

The film depicts the origins of Superman and his early ventures in Metropolis. Spamming from him blasting off from the doomed planet Krypton and his humble beginnings in Smallville, and to the dawning of his hero persona. During this, he develops a romance with Daily Planet Reporter Louis Lane and battles with the criminal genius Lex Luthor.

What's respectable about this film is despite the striking images of Superman flying in all his glory, the movie first and foremost sets out to tell a good story. Donner always intended for the film to be a grand epic and the fact that the script is from Mario Puzo, The man who wrote The Godfather. The film takes its time in telling the story of Superman. The opening segment on Krypton is still visually striking with the distinct alien look and the thrilling sequence of Jor-El and his wife sending their infant Kal-El blasting off in a ship seconds before the planet's destruction. Marlon Brando's presence in the film as Jor-El is effective throughout, and his monologue to Kal before he departs is powerful. After being given the name Clark by a couple who find him, the film focuses on his teenage years as his powers come out. These sequences all establish the ideals of Superman and are essential to the charter and what he faces later on. His stepfather tells Clark his own words of wisdom that "he is here for a reason". His stepfather passes away soon after this, and in one of my favorite scenes in the film, a saddened Clark states "All those powers, but I couldn't even save him". After this, Clark learns of his alien heritage and uses the crystal in his ship to build the Fortress of Solitude. He is then told of his purpose by a hologram of Jor-El and sets out to the world as Superman.

One of the most appealing aspects of the film is its charm, and a good amount of that comes from Cristopher Reeve's performance. People seem to debate who the best Batman is, but there is no question that Reeve is the definitive Superman. The main reason this is the case is how much effort he puts into making Clark Kent and Superman seem like different people. When his Clark Kent, he is this lovable but clumsy oaf, the kind of guy you pass by and just feel sorry for. But as Superman, he has such confidence and charisma that it makes you believe that a pair of glasses and a different hair due is enough to hide his identity. The rest of the cast is excellent as well, with the already mentioned Brando, but also Margot Kidder and Gene Hackman as Louis Lane and Lex Luthor. Margot Kidder as Louis is almost a spitting image of Louis from the comics. Her firecracker and no-nonsense personality contrast so well with both Clark and Superman and I can see why Superman is so infatuated with her. Gene Hackman as Lex Luthor is also brilliant casting. While his personality and goals in the film aren't what die-hard fans of the character are used to, Hackman does an excellent job selling this out-of-touch criminal genius, making him both threatening and funny.

It would be a sin to talk about this film without mentioning the iconic John William score. The score is almost as much associated with Superman as the famous S symbol on his chest. Hearing the full orchestra play through the opening credits always puts a smile on my face. The music captures a balance of adventurous and emotional, it's definitely one of William's best.

Superman: The Movie is a classic in every sense of the word. It laid the groundwork for so many comic book movies afterward and still has an impact on the genre today.