Superman IV: The Quest for Peace
Directed by Sidney J. Furie
- action
- adventure
- science fiction
The story
With global superpowers engaged in an increasingly hostile arms race, Superman leads a crusade to rid the world of nuclear weapons. But Lex Luthor, recently sprung from jail, is declaring war on the Man of Steel and his quest to save the planet. Using a strand of Superman's hair, Luthor synthesizes a powerful ally known as Nuclear Man and ignites an epic battle spanning Earth and space.
What it’s like
Bright, flat 1980s studio light over sun-washed exteriors, with the look of a glossy studio picture: saturated primary costumes, clean wide master shots, and optical effects that show their seams in the flying sequences. The palette runs from the pale blue of the UN plaza and the Pacific cliffs to the cramped grey of a prison and the dim, humming ochre of Luthor's laboratory, where green-tinted fluorescents and hanging tubes give the villain's lair a sickly glow. Scenes linger on ordinary interiors (a newsroom, a sunlit apartment, a bright convertible on an open road) while the score leans on brassy, heroic orchestral swells that tip into synth-tinged cheese during the battles. Pacing is brisk and episodic, with the emotional center in Clark and Lois's gentle romance and the earnest peace-rally speeches. Intensity is mild: punches and explosions, some peril and a missile-related jeopardy, but little blood and no sexual content. It suits a Saturday afternoon, a comfort rewatch, or a lighthearted evening with a bowl of popcorn. For fans of old-fashioned, good-natured superhero films who don't mind a cheesy, earnest tone.
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