“A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.” - Christopher Reeve
To know his story, even in part, is to know tragedy. But it’s also to be inspired and to know possibility and the power of hope. He was a man that lived up to the ideals of a real-life superhero but was never too proud to acknowledge when he would fall from grace. He believed in perseverance, to never give up, to never know the bitter taste of quitting. And in an instant, everything he believed in was put to the test. His beliefs, his strength, both mental and physical, his family and friends and his undying hope were suddenly brought into question.
I think it was the juxtaposition of someone perceived to be a literal man of steel to a man unable to walk, move or breathe on his own that truly shocked the world. So many pulled inspiration from him. He was their hero and in a time of such upheaval, a hero was in great demand. He represented an escape from the scary realities of a chaotic world and when he became paralyzed suddenly that escape was nonexistent which was extremely difficult for many to accept. He couldn’t be hurt this badly. He just couldn’t.
If ever there was a chapter change in a person’s life, for Christopher Reeve it was time before the accident and everything after it. In the beginning of his pursuit in the arts he set his sights on theater. It wasn’t until he met a man by the name of William Hurt who made Reeve aware of an audition to play Superman that would ultimately change everything for Reeve. Originally a heated competition between A-list actors such as Arnold Schwarzenegger, Robert Redford, Steve McQueen and even Neil Diamond. After no luck, the creators, primarily director Richard Donner, suggested going for an unknown to fill the role. Enter Christopher Reeve. Aside from some much needed bulking up in the beginning, he was chosen as the man of steel. Nothing would ever be the same again.
His debut as Superman was a resounding success and the whirlwind of super stardom hit him like a locomotive moving at top speed. It tested everything about him as a man, as a loyal companion and as a competent father to his children. He failed in his first relationship with Gae Exton as fame altered the very makeup of their family in ways Christopher couldn’t reconcile. He remained loyal to his children even as a new love entered his life in 1987. Dana Reeve made him believe in marriage as he once saw the concept of a legal union to be a trap forcing unnecessary constraints into a relationship. With Dana he saw the possibilities, he saw marriage to her as a form of freedom and in 1992 they became Christopher and Dana Reeve.
On May 27, 1995, the next chapter of his life began. Having no feeling from the neck down, Christopher had to spend the next decade coming to terms with the new parameters of his existence. He contemplated dying early on but it was the inspiration of Dana that kept him alive and pushed him forward in the pursuit of research for the betterment of disabled individuals just like him. Rather than sulking and giving in to the darkness, he used his platform as a means to push research farther and faster than ever before. Side by side, Christopher and Dana raised hundreds of millions of dollars for a future that is still being influenced by them to this very day. Their charitable foundation, Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation thrives today in its pursuit to find treatments and cures for paralysis caused by spinal cord injury and other neurological disorders.
This is a story that many know so well but as you watch you learn quickly that so much took place behind the scenes. In the hospital rooms, in the rehabilitation facilities, in the mind of the man himself. He went from an extremely active human being to a person confined in every conceivable way imaginable. He was flawed, he was larger than life, he was broken. He was a beloved father, a cherished husband and massive ally for the physically disabled. He experienced a lifetime of ebbs and flows in a nine year period. He pitied himself at times only to realize his place wasn’t in hiding but in a place where he could amplify the voices of those often looked past by most of society. Although unable to move his limbs, in the final decade of his life, he was far from done being a hero. He just required a little more help than before from those he loved most.
Super/Man is a living memorial of a man we all knew to be both a fictional and real-life hero. While one wore spandex and lifted cars above his head, the other loved, struggled, fell short, persevered and fought for those like him who didn’t have the spotlight he had to which he utilized to amazing effect.
He was, despite his physical appearance and limitations, still the Superman of people’s hopes and dreams. He was imperfect but strived to be the man everyone believed him to be. This documentary is heartbreaking, it is a gut punch but it is also undeniably triumphant and inspiring. He was every bit Superman, but he was also every bit the flawed Clark Kent. The duality of his superhero role is a poignant example of his real life, before and after the accident that changed everything. He was a real-life hero among us for reasons he never could have imagined when he first donned that famous red cape.
Rated PG-13 For: some strong language and thematic elements
Runtime: 104 minutes
After Credits Scene: No
Genre: Biography, Documentary
Starring: Christopher Reeve, Dana Reeve, Matthew Reeve, Will Reeve, Alexandra Reeve Givens, Robin Williams, Glenn Close, Richard Donner
Directed By: Ian Bonhôte / Peter Ettedgui
Out of 10
Story: 10/ Directing: 9/ Visuals: 9
OVERALL: 9/10
Buy to Own: Yes. Will likely stream on MAX before the end of 2024.
Check out the trailer below:
Comments