Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story, 2024.
Directed by Ian Bonhôte and Peter Ettedgui.
Featuring Christopher Reeve, Dana Reeve, Alexandra Reeve Givens, Matthew Reeve, Will Reeve, Gae Sexton, Glenn Close, Jeff Daniels, Whoopi Goldberg, John Kerry, Brooke Ellison, Steven Kirshblum, Richard Donner, Susan Sarandon, Robin Williams, Bill Clinton, Johnny Carson, Jane Seymour, Barack Obama, and Alexandra Reeve Givens.
SYNOPSIS:
Reeve’s rise to becoming a film star, follows with a near-fatal horse-riding accident in 1995 that left him paralyzed from the neck down. After which, he became an activist for spinal cord injury treatments and disability rights.
Even though it is close to 50 years since the release of Superman: The Movie, it is still hard to separate Christopher Reeve from his iconic role as the Man of Steel. He embodied everything great about the character, exemplifying Superman’s compassion, kindness and heroism onscreen while playing a perfect dual performance as the dorky Clark Kent. However, Reeve became a real life superman after his tragic horse accident which left him paralyzed, beginning a journey as an advocate for disabled people and working tirelessly to improve their standard of living. Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story explores his life before and after the accident, how it shaped him and cemented his legacy on and off the screen.
The documentary’s non-linear style jumps between points at the start of Reeve’s career and his life after the accident, but this helps explore several aspects of his life and character. From his training at Juilliard to his explosive popularity in the aftermath of Superman‘s release, you get a true sense of Reeve’s work ethic, outlook on life and his positivity. The jumps between timeframes serves to heighten both the tragedy of his accident and his strength of spirit to persevere and help others like him.
The doc also sees many friends and family give their perspective on Reeve, from his children Matthew, Alexandra and Will and archival footage of his wife Dana – complete with years of family videos – along with his former partner Gae Exton, close friends Glenn Close, Susan Sarandon, Jeff Daniels, Whoopi Goldberg and many people he worked with or helped through The Christopher Reeve Foundation (later renamed after Christopher and Dana) with archival footage of Superman director Richard Donner and Reeve’s very close friend Robin Williams, himself deceased after a battle with depression. All these voices offer a very personal look into his life and struggle and how inspiring he could be.
While Superman is Reeve’s most well known role, the film does go into his roles from the stage and other films or TV, even going into his post-Superman IV career where he was not getting quite as many offers as he previously was. Even still, though, his career was full of diverse roles where he never allowed himself to be typecast. His directing work is also given focus, especially because his shift to directing came after his accident which, according to the people who knew him, only heightened his determination to live life to the fullest.
As for his paralysis, the film does not shy away from the difficulties he and his family faced including his massive depression in the months after his accident. It is a testament to Reeve’s spirit and determination of how much he accomplished in his life after the accident, not just through his continued film work but the creation of his foundation and campaigning for better quality of life for disabled peoples and research into their conditions. To the film’s credit, it does explore some of the controversy Reeve stirred with the latter as he strove for a ‘cure’ to paralysis and made it a mission to walk again, though that didn’t take away from everything else he and Dana set out to achieve.
On that note, while the doc is called The Christopher Reeve Story it would be incomplete without his massive medical and personal support group, both of which Dana Reeve played a huge part in. The film examines her just as much as it does Christopher from her commitment to stay with him all throughout his ordeal to championing alongside him and after his death. Their connection is in many ways the heart of the film and given proper focus, adding another tragic twist as Dana, a non-smoker, was diagnosed with cancer and passed away just two years after Reeve died.
Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story very much explores how Reeve came to be the embodiment of Superman’s perseverance and strength in and out of his wheelchair. You don’t have to be a Superman fan to find this an incredibly moving documentary that tugs at the heartstrings while giving depth to his life, character, struggles, family and friendships and showing anyone can follow his example.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★ ★
Ricky Church – Follow me on Twitter for more movie news and nerd talk.
