Superman IV - The Quest for Peace (1987)

Enough already. . .

SUPERMAN 4, THE QUEST FOR PEACE wasn't a bad idea. Chris Reeve really wanted to make a statement about nuclear weapons. Problem is, he literally stands there and makes his statement. Now, where do we go from here?

Nowhere.

Okay, Gene Hackman is back as Lex Luthor. Now, he just wants to sell lotsa weapons to anyone who will pay. Oh, yes: he also creates a clone (Eighties buzzword alert!) of Superman's DNA who buzzes and sparks a lot, and is called Nuclear Man (or new-kyoo-ler man, as Hackman pronounces it). New-kyoo-ler Man and Superman fight. Big whoop.

The Salkinds did not produce this fourth go-round. Quickie producers Golan-Globus' Cannon Group put this one before the cameras (DELTA FORCE, DEATH WISH 3, ENTER THE NINJA, ALLAN QUATERMAIN AND THE LOST CITY OF GOLD. . .you get the picture). As with SUPERMAN 3, a tiny budget was ONE of many problems (they use the same exact tough-guy Supe Flying At The Camera shot over and over and over again!), along with script, color matches, SEVERE editing which made what script there was incomprehensible, and so on.

To his credit, Chris Reeve does give Superman his best, which is more than this movie deserves. He is always worth watching. Margot Kidder, Marc McClure and Jackie Cooper are also back, and do what they can with their roles. Cooper does get a nice bit at the end.

On the Deluxe DVD, the film is letterboxed in 2:35 to 1, with a decent transfer of picture and sound. Also included are the original theatrical trailer, outtakes, trimmed material (including an early version of Nuclear Man played for laughs), and commentary by co-screenwriter Mark Rosenthal.

SUPERMAN 4 is merely okay. If you are a completist, add it to your library. If not, rent it first. July 17, 2008

The Super That Clearly Wasn't

I can tell that the filmmakers were trying to correct some of the biggest weaknesses of the last outing--and I can't really blame them--but in doing so, they overlooked what made the first two movies so great, while trying to focus on what they thought had ruined the third one.

* For instance, the third one suffers from a lack of Lex. Introducing a billionaire Luthor wannabe just doesn't cut it. So they brought back the domed one himself.
* Additionally, there is not much sense that there is really much at stake in the third one. Sure, Webster was trying to control the worlds oil, but ... that's about it. Here, Superman takes on the threat of nuclear holocaust. That's a global problem if ever there was one.
* Then there's the fact that fans want to see Lois and Superman together and Lois had less than five minutes air time total in the third movie. Well, she's back now.
* And fighting a computer at the climax of the movie is not nearly as thrilling as reversing time or kicking the trash out of the Zod Squad. Here we get a super clone (sort of) of the man of steel himself.

And now the problems that they overlooked:
* The special effects plain suck. I know that good effects do not a good movie make, but they are very essential to this franchise. The main advertising for the first one was the line "You will believe a man can fly." If you can't actually believe that Superman is flying, you can't get pulled into the movie and lose yourself to it. Every bad effect just pulls you out of the movie and sets you back down in your seat, watching a sub-par superhero movie.
* The super clone couldn't act his way out of an open doorway. This is a far cry from Terrence Stamp who can effectively play both Zod (movie II) and Jor El (Smallville). Stamp is just such an imposing presence whenever he is on screen, but Mark Pillow, this former Chippendale's Dancer (it's right there on IMDB) can barely keep our interest, even at his evilest.

Of course there are many more things that could be brought up, but those are the biggest ones. Fortunately, this one is kept short at just 90 minutes (making it the only one that actually comes in under two hours). May 6, 2008

Good idea, disappointing results

Christopher Reeve's final appearance as The Man of Steel SHOULD have been a great way to close the Superman franchise. Reeve agreed to return to the role one last time, provided he could use his story idea about the controversy of nuclear disarmament. So, there was every good intention to make a terrific movie. But then, you know what they say: Good intentions do not necessarily make a good picture.
Its faults are biggies: 1. Cheesy special effects. 2. Gaping holes in logic from the script. 3. A corny villain. The original Superman film was a marvel in technical achievements compared to this shoddy sequel. Its cheapness (reportedly, a budget cut was made during production) is never so apparent than here. Bad back-screen projections, visible wires and god-awful flying scenes (a toy figure streaking through the skies??) succeed in undermining the film's integrity. And really...tiny figures bench-pressing the Statue of Liberty? Not amazing, just laughable!
On top of this, scientific logic is thrown out the window as: Mariel Hemingway seems to be able to breathe in the cold vacuum of space; the moon shifts from night to day; Superman succeeds in "corking" an active volcano; and Lex Luthor (how did Gene Hackman, great actor that he is, get roped into doing this film??) escapes---in broad daylight!---in a slow-moving vehicle, making it easy for Superman to catch him...and he's supposed to be a criminal genius?? And Nuclear Man is a one-joke idea; a grimacing, growling neanderthal (with bad 80's hair, no doubt) created to antagonize Supes. Luthor's correct when he comments: "Not one of your great thinkers!" I say: Bring back the criminals from Krypton, they were much more fun!
What saves this film from being a total disaster is the amusing Clark Kent moments, as well as the subplots: Clark doing a farcical quick-change routine with Lois Lane (the always-wonderful Margot Kidder) and Lacey Warfield (Hemingway),including his poignant scenes re-visiting the Kent farm; Jackie Cooper delivering a great send-off performance as irascible Perry White, buying out owner Warfield (Sam Wannamaker) and saving the Daily Planet from becoming a tawdry, irresponsible tabloid mag; cultural 80's references to "fad" gyms, corporate greed and, of course, the problem of the arms race as Supes faces a great moral dilemma.
It's a shame that "The Quest for Peace" wasn't better; Reeve and the entire cast deserved a more dignified send-off than this. April 20, 2008

Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (A Noble Failure)

After more than two decades, yes, it is still all too easy to pick apart this dreadful movie featuring Christopher Reeve's final appearance as the legendary Man of Steel.

However, I recently thought the special edition version was at least worthy of a cheap DVD rental, so my two-year old son could witness the real "Superman," Christopher Reeve, in action regardless of the film's shoddy editing and dismal special effects. While my little boy was fascinated at seeing a living, breathing Superman before him, I, too, became fascinated (albeit, for a different reason).

While watching the film, I developed a more insightful appreciation for what the late Christopher Reeve truly intended this movie to be, and he certainly deserves credit for some noble aspirations. Here's the premise once more: an initially reluctant Superman (Reeve) is inspired by a young boy to end the nuclear arms race once and for all; meanwhile, old nemesis Lex Luthor (Gene Hackman) conjures up his own nuclear-powered super-villain (Mark Pillow). The end result is, of course, predictable, as Superman discovers why no single person (not even Superman) is ultimately up to the task, when only the human race can bring itself lasting peace.

Although this movie originated as Christopher Reeve's bargaining chip for a more substantive, gritty drama he starred in entitled "Street Smart," it appears, from viewing his earnest performance here, that he clearly gave "Superman IV" his best effort, even though he no doubt suspected it would be the franchise's last gasp. Still, when compared to the FX-driven mega-movies of today's generation, can any of them legitimately claim they have something positive to say about making a difference in the world? Since we know what the answer unfortunately is, Reeve's truly admirable legacy as Superman will indeed stand up for generations to come. "Superman IV," despite its laundry list of flaws, is proof positive of why his interpretation of the Man of Steel still matters.

If it had been gifted with a hefty budget equal to that of the first two "Superman" films, this fourth installment could have been a worthy addition to the franchise. However, the deficient budget isn't the only reason why this movie failed. Director Sidney J. Furie, despite some solid credentials at the time, had been reduced to making schlock movies by the mid-1980's (i.e. 1986's "Iron Eagle") and it clearly shows here. Since Richard Donner wasn't available, I can only imagine what other capable directors like Irvin ("The Empire Strikes Back") Kershner, Nicholas ("Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan") Meyer, or Lawrence ("Wyatt Earp") Kasdan could have done in reshaping the script and enhancing the actors' performances to a comparable level of the first two films.

Speaking of the actors, the original film's supporting ensemble of Gene Hackman (as Lex Luthor), Margot Kidder (as Lois Lane), Marc McClure (as Jimmy Olsen), and Jackie Cooper (as Perry White) all return with decent efforts, though Kidder and McClure clearly appeared too old by this point to effectively portray their characters. Newcomers Jon Cryer (as Lenny), Mariel Hemingway (as Lacy), Sam Wanamaker (as Mr. Warfield), and Mark Pillow (as Nuclear Man) are hardly noteworthy, but again, a more inspired director could have made a difference with them. Also, reliable Ned Beatty (as bumbling Otis) is sorely missed from this installment.

As for the DVD's special features, there are the following: a series of mostly unfinished deleted scenes, screenwriter Mark Rosenthal's insightful commentary, cast filmographies, and the obligatory trailer. Of the deleted scenes, the extended, unfinished sequence of Superman taking Lois on a flight across the country, which includes Lois "flying" on her own, is a nostalgic wink back at the original film's exuberant romanticism.

In today's world, "Superman IV" wouldn't have qualified as a theatrical release, but rather as a forgettable Sci-Fi Channel original movie. Still, at least this movie aspired to be far more than its end result. Fans of Christopher Reeve's timeless portrayal of the Man of Steel should fondly remember "The Quest for Peace," more for what it could have been and for what Mr. Reeve deserved it to be.

My Grade: a strong 2/5. All factors considered, including Christopher Reeve's heartfelt sincerity, I am being realistic here. However, let me put this way: try sitting through 2006's "Highlander: The Source," and you will see why "Superman IV" is an Oscar contender by comparison. April 7, 2008

SILLY, SHODDY AND UNNECESSARY! 1 3/4 STARS!

'SUPERMAN IV THE QUEST FOR PEACE' is entertaining on a pure camp level. The film is bad, the FX run from good to laughable(flying wires clearly visible)and some truly stupid decisions. I don't know what they paid Hackman to be in this unnecessary retread, but I hope he had fun spending the money. Everything in this film has a "been there done that" feel to it. The film is the shortest one in the series by at least 30 minutes but, I found myself dozing off a few time only to awaken with Mariel Hemingway breathing in outer space! LOL! It's sort of fun to watch if you know what to expect. I have heard there is a longer version.......I hope not! ....and I hope Spider-Man 4 doesn't come out this bad! I rated it 1 3/4 stars for a good laugh. April 2, 2008

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