Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story Review
Christopher Reeve was an icon to man people, for many different reasons, and the new documentary ‘Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story’ aims to capture. It’s a hard hitting documentary that manages to succeed with its aims, retelling Reeve’s life both before and after his devasting accident. It’s a tribute to a true acting icon, with sections that will bound to have the audience in tears throughout the entirety of the runtime.
The documentary sees Reeve’s family, friends, and former co-workers come together to talk about the first man to not only play Superman, but embody him. It tells a non-chronological story of Reeve’s life, which helps audiences members to see the life Reeve lost after his devastating accident and paralysis. Reeve’s life of fame and fortune after the first ‘Superman’ film is contrasted with a very different life after the accident.
Visually, Reeve’s pain is represented with a Superman figure, with green krytonite representing the areas where Reeve was injured. It’s a ftting way to display the injuries that Reeve sustained. This visual aid returns several times through the documentary, at both happy and sad moments. It’s something that connects audiences to the idea that Reeve is Superman,
While Reeve’s story is incredibly tragic, it’s one that is uplifting too. Reeve’s made the decision to start up a foundation to help support others with paralysis, and while there were some missteps that the documentary doesn’t shy away from highlighting, it’s a foundation that has helped an incalculable amount of people through donating money to science, and by raising awareness around disabilities, specifically paralysis. It shows his foray into politics as a high profile activist, culminating in convincing Congress to pass the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Act.
Indeed, Reeve’s activism shows up the performative and moral posturing that many actors in Hollywood are guilty of to this day. It shows that activism isn’t easy, doubly so for people who have to endure extreme hardship like Reeve, his family and friends. It highlights Reeve’s sense of perseverance and will to continue, something that unfortunately isn’t found in everyone. Hopefully, by showing off the courage and ability of Reeve’s, this documentary will inspire others to make a difference, and not just perform.
This perseverance didn’t just come in his life in within activism. Reeve also returned to work, directing two films. One film, ‘The Brooke Ellison Story’, released in 2004 was about another quadriplegic Brooke Ellison, and helped to show the results of Reeve’s activism and generosity. Ellison is only one of many that Reeve has served to inspire and helped to succeed.
‘Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story’ is an exceptionally moving and poignant documentary. No matter what Reeve’s himself might have said, his activism and incredible capacity to carry on and overcome immense and painful challenge show audiences that he is the true embodiment of Superman in real life, and that his. It shows the incredible generosity humans can have and their ability to make a difference in the world, something that people often forget. Reeve was a hugely inspiring man, which is what Ian Bonhôte and Peter Ettedgui so effortlessly display.
