Despite his prolific acting career, and even a turn as director, fate has destined Christopher Reeve to be primarily know for two things: playing Superman on the big screens across four movies for the greater part of a decade, and for being a real life super man following a near-fatal accident.
[Christopher] Reeve portrayed the Man of Steel in four Superman films and played dozens of other roles that displayed his talent and range as an actor, before being injured in a near-fatal horse-riding accident in 1995 that left him paralyzed from the neck down.
After becoming a quadriplegic, he became a leader and activist in the quest to find a cure for spinal cord injuries, as well as a passionate advocate for disability rights and care – all while continuing his career in cinema in front of and behind the camera and dedicating himself to his beloved family.
[…] this film includes never-before-seen intimate home movies and an extraordinary trove of personal archive material, as well as the first extended interviews ever filmed with Reeve’s three children about their father.
The ever-lasting influence of Christopher Reeve and his performance in Superman: The Movie is undeniable. But Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story celebrates more than just the actor and the roles he’s played with an in-depth documentary on his life after the Man of Steel, all while persisting as a superhero in his own right.
Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story does what many other documentaries religiously shy away from, showing a figure of inspiration in their darkest and lowest moments. Much of the emphasis of Super/Man spans the duration of 1995 to 2004, from Reeve’s accident to his passing, and the impact of his foundation on the lives of many.
Interestingly, Super/Man also takes a very pronounced effort to avoid mentioning much of his post-Superman IV involvement with the character, going as far as spotlighting his acting and directing efforts while working around his return to the franchise he’s best known for with Smallville. This measured depiction of his career not only functions as a reminder that Reeve was far more than just an early superhero A-lister, but also helps keep the focus on his initiatives and activism.
Unfortunately, as inspiring a tale as Reeve’s achievements are, it remains that the final nine years of his life are wrought with many trials and events beyond his control. The truth remains that much of Reeve’s life is overshadowed by the depressing situation–especially when juxtaposed against the nature of his personality as a physically active and athletic person, let alone when best thought of as the indestructible Man of Steel.
But it is this unfiltered observation on both Christopher and Dana Reevs’ final years, as recollected by his three children and punctuated by his friends, which allows for the impact of his actions to truly shine. If anything, Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story exists in defiance of what audience expect, and that is exactly why it works.
The harsh reality of Christopher and Dana Reeves’ lives makes Super/Man’s raw and honest perspective all that more valuable, with absolutely nothing being held back regarding their sacrifices for each other and the world. And, therein, we can find hope.
Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story is out now at The Projector.