Superman IV: The Quest for Peace Movie Review

Cannon Films unleashed a Bizarro-Level cinematic disaster, with a mullet-rocking "Nuclear Man" that even the Phantom Zone Couldn't Hold.

Genre: Action / Adventure / Fantasy

Director: Sidney J. Furie

Cast: Christopher Reeve, Gene Hackman, Margot Kidder, Mark Pillow, Jon Cryer, Mariel Hemingway, Jackie Cooper, Marc McClure, William Hootkins & Sam Wanamaker.

Run Time: 90 min.

US Release: 24 July 1987

UK Release: 24 July 1987

German Release: 24 March 1988

As promised in my last review, we've reached the end of the Christopher Reeve Superman era. The Quest for Peace is the last instalment featuring the actor as the last son of Krypton, and it tanked so badly that it halted production of future pictures starring the character for nearly twenty years. This is not simply one of the worst sequels; it is one of the worst movies, period! The reasons are the production company's mid-filming budget slash, studio interference, and cut footage from the final product that created unbelievable plot holes. This was one of the most painful reviews to write, so let's get on with it. 

— WARNING, THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS! —

Clark Kent faces a world on the brink of nuclear war after receiving a letter from a concerned schoolboy. After consulting the spirits of his Kryptonian ancestors, Superman decides to rid Earth of nuclear weapons, gathering them in a giant net before hurling them into the sun. Meanwhile, Lex Luthor escapes prison with his nephew Lenny, steals a strand of Superman’s hair, then uses it to create Nuclear Man, a solar-powered being whose powers rival Superman’s.

Superman battles Nuclear Man across the globe, but is infected with radiation sickness by his foe’s radioactive claws. Believing Superman defeated, Nuclear Man wreaks havoc on Earth. Clark recovers using the last remaining Kryptonian energy crystal, then discovers Nuclear Man becomes immobilised without direct sunlight. He traps him on the dark side of the moon before destroying him in a nuclear reactor. With the world saved, Superman addresses the United Nations, warning that peace cannot be forced by an outsider but must be achieved by humanity itself.

Now, the script tries an earnest attempt at bringing the franchise back to its comic book roots, thanks to Reeve’s larger creative input. It brings back Lex Luthor as a villain, plus refocuses the romantic angle on Lois Lane. Sadly, these attempts are dragged down by a tedious storyline with nonsensical logic. It also doesn’t help that forty minutes of narrative were cut, leading to glaring plot holes and a pacing that rushes things too much.

While the core premise makes a noble attempt at a moral message about the looming nuclear threat, it could have restructured it more easily by having Luthor create a Bizarro-type anti-Superman threat out of nuclear power, then jump in about nuclear disarmament. As it stands, the plot sounds preachy, while the weak antagonist Nuclear Man’s creation is simply goofy.

The dialogue is equally problematic, with clunky exposition dumps, as well as terrible, cheesy one-liners. Reeve’s speech in front of the UN is earnest and heartfelt but also very on-the-nose.

Christopher Reeve remains the film’s absolute highlight, despite looking fatigued, giving an earnest portrayal of the Man of Steel despite the horrible screenplay. His commitment to the anti-nuclear message shines through, plus his natural charisma envelops the character. Clark Kent/Superman remains faithful to his golden-age ideals of hope, peace and global responsibility. However, Reeve is forced into absurd physical sequences.

Margot Kidder’s return as Clark’s principal love interest brings back sweet, tender moments. That said, the forced love triangle between Clark, Lois and Mariel Hemingway’s Lacy Warfield is desperately corny.

Equally, Gene Hackman’s comeback as the villainous Lex Luthor is filled with theatrical whimsy, giving the plot a welcome dose of energy. Regrettably, the clichéd corporate villain storyline drags down much of his delivery. Even worse, including a young John Cryer as his nephew, Lenny Luthor, makes every scene they share dislikable. Cryer is annoying and extremely silly.

Finally, Mark Pillow as Nuklear Man, Superman's physical threat, is completely one-dimensionally cheesy. On top of that, all of his lines are visibly ADR’d by Hackman himself.

Hints of what could have been appear throughout the film. For instance, the film replicates some of the original movie's comic-book-style framing, while the background shots of NY, captured by the second unit, look magnificent. 

Unfortunately, budget cuts and studio interference undo it all. Inconsistent lighting, as well as boring medium shots, undermine the few good ideas in the production. While some of the physical stunt work looks great, the actors' commitment is undermined by horrible-looking blue-screen mattes, just like visible wires. The poorly processed optical shots fade away a lot of the colours, and most of the effects look cheap, including the repetitive flying footage of Reeve.

The soundtrack is underwhelming, relying on previous cues that are simply realigned in an effort that audiences wouldn’t notice. 

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Verdict: Christopher Reeve, Gene Hackman, and Margot Kidder’s good intentions plus their best efforts to deliver genuinely committed performances deserved far better material. Unfortunately, brutal budget cuts, glaring logical loopholes, massive plot holes from story cuts, as well as an on-the-nose message about nuclear danger derail the production. It doesn’t help that Nuclear Man is a painfully boring villain. The cinematography suffers just as badly, featuring uninspired flat medium shots, terrible lighting, and poorly processed optical effects that drain the film of its colour. What remains is a terrible mess of a superhero blockbuster that undermines virtually every serious attempt to make it good. At least Batman & Robin was bad enough to laugh at while occasionally enjoying it; Superman IV is simply unwatchable. As much as it pains me to say it, Superman IV: The Quest for Peace earns my lowest score, a 1.0 out of 10.

Thank you very much for reading! Leave a comment below to let me know if you agree with my assessment, or if you actually liked this fourth instalment. Don’t forget to like & share.