Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
Christopher Reeve | ... | Superman / Clark Kent | |
Gene Hackman | ... | Lex Luthor / Nuclear Man (voice) | |
Jackie Cooper | ... | Perry White | |
Marc McClure | ... | Jimmy Olsen | |
Jon Cryer | ... | Lenny | |
Sam Wanamaker | ... | David Warfield | |
Mark Pillow | ... | Nuclear Man | |
Mariel Hemingway | ... | Lacy Warfield | |
Margot Kidder | ... | Lois Lane | |
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Damian McLawhorn | ... | Jeremy |
William Hootkins | ... | Harry Howler | |
Jim Broadbent | ... | Jean Pierre Dubois | |
Stanley Lebor | ... | General Romoff | |
Don Fellows | ... | Levon Hornsby | |
Robert Beatty | ... | U.S. President |
Superman does a lot in his newest adventure. Archvillain Lex Luthor, determined to make the world safe for nuclear arms merchants, creates a new being to challenge the Man of Steel: the radiation-charged Nuclear Man. The two super-powered foes clash in an explosive screen extranvaganza that sees Superman save the Statue of Liberty, repulse a volcanic eruption of Mount Etna, rebuild the demolished Great Wall of China and perform many more spetactular feats. Written by Robert Lynch <docrlynch@yahoo.com>
Superman 4 has good ideas and good performances, but was ruined when the director cut 40 minutes from the film before release. Among other things, the denouement in which Nuclear Man defies Luthor and turns himself into a nuclear missile in order to spark World War III. In order to see what the film should have been, I suggest one seek out the DC Comic Adaptation. This film, as Christopher Reeve's final performance as Superman deserves to be restored for DVD. The reason for Superman using powers he has never had, was the result of unfinished effects. The great wall of China scene should have been finished by adding Superman fixing the wall at super speed, and finished with Superman sealing it with heat vision.