Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story: Movie Review

Director: Ian Bonhôte, Peter Ettedgui 

Generally affable and at times moving, doco Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve story proves to be a relatively positive portrait of the actor who died aged 52 in 2004.

However, it seems at times to be at pains to push a completely clean image of the man who had commitment issues and referred to himself as a ladies' man, preferring instead to casually toss off more interesting asides in favour of a more prosaic narrative.

Using plenty of archive footage from his formative years as an actor, the film begins in 1995 the year of Reeves' accident before slightly overusing footage of him in Rear Window to convey his darker suicidal thoughts as both Bonhôte and Ettedgui veer dangerously close to over-egging proceedings. 

But cleverly the docomakers use Reeves' own words that he experienced flashbacks as a tool to bring more of his previous life to the fore, and the doco settles for a more conventional method of story-telling that's aimed at providing more heartwarming fare.

What also emerges is just how much of an impact Robin Williams had on his life before and after the accident. (Though these scenes are laced with tragedy, given both their respective fates.)

But both Bonhôte and Ettedgui are more interested in looking to inspire from his life again and to faintly canonise him. One misstep from seemingly being cured of his spinal cord injury during an ad in the SuperBowl shows not everyone was in favour of his advocacy - but despite a few dissenting voices, the topic is raced over, when a more constructive discussion ought to be had about his use of a platform to bring a voice to those who'd been marginalised and ignored in US society.

That's not to suggest this should be a hit job piece but merely to offer that even with some hints of darkness Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story is largely a piece of positivity of filmmaking that's more interested in the wholesome and fulsome approach to a life, rather than a more objective eye.

This film is playing as part of the 2024 Whanau Marama New Zealand International Film Festival. For more details, visit nziff.co.nz