Release Date – 1st November 2024, Cert – 12, Run-time – 1 hour 44 minutes, Directors – Ian Bonhôte, Peter Ettedgui
Documentary looking at Superman actor Christopher Reeve and his life of activism for disabled people, and search for a cure for those, like him, paralysed by spinal cord injuries.
Of course, a documentary about Christopher Reeve made with the involvement of DC Studios, the first logo before the film, is going to feature a lot about Superman, not just because it’s undeniably the star’s most famous role. Clips and behind-the-scenes footage appear throughout the film alongside images of a stone statue floating in flight stance in what appears to be space being gradually covered in kryptonite as the story of his paralysis unfolds.
More time is given to a late-90s TV remake of Rear Window which Reeve starred in than the likes of Deathtrap or Somewhere In Time. This is very much a documentary focusing on Reeve after his 1995 horse-riding accident which left him paralysed due to a spinal cord injury; the life of activism for disability rights and search for a cure that followed. While not overloaded with Superman, unlike the press coverage of Reeve’s life which referenced the role in almost every headline, the character is a major factor in the film, with a brief tangent part way through going into how the actor got the role and rose to fame through it. Yet, the figure is used more as a way to explore the true meaning of a ‘hero’ and how the film’s focus took on a new meaning of that post-accident.
Told through the memories of friends and family, particularly Reeve’s sons, Matthew and Will, and daughter, Alexandra, there’s a highly personal feeling to the talking heads and the ways in which they reflect. Particularly when linked through the ways in which they relate and depict similar events – youngest son Will talks about being three-years-old at the time of his father’s accident and his youth throughout the remainder of his life, referring to his closeness to his half-brother and sister and the ways they helped him along, alongside his mum, Dana. The three have taken on the mantle and perseverance of their father which is seen throughout the film – particularly in his establishing of The Christopher Reeve Foundation to find a cure for tomorrow, and help for today.
Perhaps the documentary’s biggest successes are in the emotional peaks, not just confined to the later stages of the film. Home footage helps to open up Reeve and explore him within his personal and family life, alongside his continuing ambition as he went into directing. These moments help to create effective collages which build up the connection with and empathy for the subject, especially when his relationships are taken into account. As well as his family life Reeve’s key friendship with Robin Williams, who he met at Juilliard, is brought up a number of times, and helps to provide a couple of chuckles along the way.
But, for Reeve himself you’re easily brought in by his charm through various talk show clips, and old recordings which help make up an intermittent narration for the film. He’s a likable figure and while he distances himself from the character of Superman and tries to make clear the differences between the pair you can’t help but see – perhaps, again, because of the focus on the character out of all his film work – some comparisons in his determination and strive to bring and display, and feel, hope. Used in the taglines and throughout, hope is perhaps the main thing this documentary wants to display and provide. Hope that there are heroes out there, and that Reeve’s work will continue. But hope that comes most of all from admiration, built up through the personal angles which are so integral to the movement of the film and the ways in which it grows emotion for real effect on a number of occasions.
While it might help to have seen some of Reeve’s other projects, Super/Man still manages to be a personal documentary which builds up the emotion through its hope-influencing and admirable focus and those who knew him.
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