Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987)

Christopher Reeve as "Superman/Clark Kent" 
Gene Hackman as "Lex Luthor" 
Jon Cryer as "Lenny Luthor" 
Margot Kidder as "Lois Lane" 
Mariel Hemingway as "Lacy Warfield" 
Mark Pillow as "Nuclear Man" 

Directed by Sidney J. Furie

Before I go any further, I'd like to state that my opinion on this film might change slightly after I watch it on DVD next month. I doubt I'll have too great a change of heart, though.

Now, those of you who have actually been following my reviews probably know that I feel very strongly about Superman. I've stated before that I am in love with the original "Superman-The Movie," and most of my friends know how enthusiastic I am about the upcoming (as of the time of this writing) DVD release of the series. But at dinner today, my friend Dave mistakenly assumed that my favorite film series was the Superman franchise. I'd like to agree to that, really I would (that spot belongs to the Star Wars trilogy, however). However, if I called it my favorite sequence of movies, that means I would have to love the series overall, which means that all of the films would have to follow the same exemplary standard set by the original. "Superman II," like its predecessor, is a quality work. "Superman III" falls considerably from that mark. "Superman IV" doesn't even approach that mark.

There was a time when I thought "Superman IV" was the better of the latter two films. After all, "Superman III" trashed the franchise for the sake of cheap laughs, while "Superman IV" had a noble message, advocating nuclear disarmament among the world's superpowers. Once I saw the movie again, however, I changed my mind. To me, "Superman IV: The Quest For Peace" is not just a bad movie. It is a hurtful, depressing movie. You see, I can't bear to watch my favorite superhero in such a horrible treatment. It doesn't matter that Chris Reeve had a hand in writing the story. I hate this movie.

In this outing, Superman receives a letter from a little boy who asks him why he hasn't done anything to stem the tide of nuclear proliferation. Feeling not only pressure from the public, but also his own sense of guilt and moral duty, Superman decides to do his part, and begins rounding up the world's nuclear arms. Eventually, he takes his bounty and launches it into the sun.

What he doesn't know is that his archenemy Lex Luthor has escaped from prison yet again with the help of his nephew Lenny, and has stolen a sample of Superman's hair. He uses the hair to create a Superman clone.sort of, and then hides the cloned embryo on one of the warheads. Now, Luthor is an arms dealer, and Superman's interference is cutting into his profit margin, which necessitates the creation of.Nuclear Man, who is born when the missiles are tossed into the sun. Hurrah.

Unfortunately, this is not the end of Clark's problems. The Daily Planet's new owner wants to turn the paper into a tabloid-style sleaze rag, and his daughter has a thing for Clark. But Clark is in love with Lois and Lois wants Superman-zany romantic comedy! Or so it was probably intended.

Sadly, this movie plays like a comic book version of "Rocky IV." Just as Rocky faced the issue of the Cold War (well, not really), Superman faces a real world problem, but unfortunately, the movie is even sillier than the third installment. There are so many flaws, and it's been a little while, but I'll list the most glaring.

First of all, I really don't think people can breathe in space, but this movie insists upon telling us that not only can people breathe in outer space without any sort of equipment or protection, but that gravity exists outside out there as well. In one scene, Nuclear Man has kidnapped Lacy and taken her into outer space. Superman gives chase, and during the fight, Lacy is in danger of falling. You can't fall in space! And honestly, she should be dead by that point.

In a rehash of material from the first two movies, Clark reveals his identity to Lois yet again in order to confide in her about his latest stresses. He takes her out flying, and then...the scene is resolved just as the identity crisis in the second film was resolved. I feel this is kind of low, recreating these situations, and so badly.

And speaking of flying, can you say rear-projection? The special effects in this film are horrid compared to the first two, and it really shows in the flight scenes, especially the first Nuclear Man/Superman chase, ending at the Statue of Liberty.

In one sequence, Lois, Superman, Lacy, and Clark are supposed to go on a double date. Clark has to juggle between both identities at the same time and fool both women. Hey, didn't I just see this scene on "That's My Bush"? I would expect a scene like this in "Superman III," but this just doesn't fly (no pun intended).

Jon Cryer is just too damn annoying as Lenny Luthor.

Most of Mark Pillow's Nuclear Man dialogue is made up of grunts, roars, and other monosyllabic sounds. Granted, it isn't the ideal role by any stretch, but Pillow isn't very appealing, even though he tries.

Again, Margot Kidder has to take a backseat as the romantic lead (she was second fiddle to Annette O'Toole in the third feature) but this time, there's more of a competition over the Man of Steel's two sides.

I did appreciate Reeve's performance, and I admit he is consistently excellent throughout the entire series. I desperately wish the movies could have kept up with him. It's been said before, but it bears repeating: this is the worst of the series, bar none. Maybe we can attribute it to the production of Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus (producers of such gems as "Masters of the Universe" and "The Punisher"), or perhaps the lackluster screenplay and direction.

In the end, however, I'll blame this movie on a studio that brought a flying superman to the big screen with such high hopes and class; a studio that ended up bringing him down to Earth with such mediocrity, and eventually blatant inferiority. It's as if none of the WB higher-ups really cared about making a good movie. Just as reader apathy prompted the Man of Steel's death in the comics, studio apathy may have destroyed the Super-franchise on film.

I'm going to cry now.

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