Movies

Super/Man The Christopher Reeve Story Film Review

Is the documentary super or just another doco? (Spoiler: it’s SUPER)

What’s it about?

Christopher Reeve became famous as Superman in the 70s and 80s but shocked the world when he was paralyzed from the neck down in 1995 following a horse-riding accident. This documentary looks at the man, the actor, the father, the friend and the activist who captured so many hearts for so many different reasons.

What did we think?

His name is synonymous with the greatest superhero and it needs to be pointed out that Superman isn’t the greatest because of his amazing array of powers, but because of his empathy and passion that inspired hope and dreams.  So it’s fitting that Christopher Reeve’s legacy isn’t merely donning blue tights and making us believe a man could fly. 

This wonderful documentary reminds us how a man intrinsically linked to a superhero turned out to be only too human but became an even larger hero because of it.

Told without narration and instead relying on home video footage, interviews of friends and family, and audio journals from Reeve himself, this is an achingly beautiful and honest look at a man who wasn’t perfect but who loved his family. Who not only fought through adversity but took up the fight for others even as he struggled with his own change in circumstances. 

It also provides wonderful insight to the amazing people around him. His family and friends; his amazing wife Dana, his best friend Robin Williams, his sons and daughter. And the broken family he came from that shaped him. 

It’s beautifully poignant and most definitely one that requires tissues, but this is the must-see documentary of 2024. 

9.5
touching
An incredibly emotional reflection on a man who came to mean so many things to so many people. Raw, unscripted and heartfelt, this is an amazing look at a man who played a symbol of hope before becoming one himself.
Anthony has been reviewing movies for over 30 years (it may be longer now as he may have forgotten to add an extra year on). He lectures in journalism at the prestigious Queensland University of Technology and in addition to freelance writing, works with the charity Hands Across The Water. In a busy life, insomnia is his friend.
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