Superman IV: The Quest For Peace (1987)

Preceded by: Superman III (1983)

See our full list of films in the Superman franchise.

	Directed by: Sidney J. Furie	COUNTRY USA/UK GENRE Superhero NORWEGIAN TITLE Supermann IV RUNNING TIME 90 minutes
	Produced by: Yoram Globus Menahem Golan
	Written by: Lawrence Konner Mark Rosenthal

Cast includes:
CHARACTER	ACTOR/ACTRESS	RATING
Superman/Clark Kent	Christopher Reeve
Lex Luthor	Gene Hackman
Nuclear Man	Mark Pillow
Perry White	Jackie Cooper	-
Jimmy Olsen	Marc McClure	-
Lenny Luthor	Jon Cryer	½
David Warfield	Sam Wanamaker
Lacy Warfield	Mariel Hemingway
Lois Lane	Margot Kidder
Jean Pierre Dubois	Jim Broadbent	-
U.S. President	Robert Beatty	-

Review

When Cannon Films with producers Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus picked up the option for Superman IV, they delivered a film that gave the Christopher Reeve era of the franchise a coup de grâce more resounding than any franchise in the history of cinema. Cutting down on everything from budget and special effects to running time and set-pieces, the film looks about 10 years older rather than younger than Superman (1978). Every action scene, fight, and stunt looks rushed, badly choreographed and cheap. It's an amateurish production in every sense, except a couple of non-action scenes in which Reeve gets to show off his impeccable interchanging between Clark Kent and Superman one final time. The action story itself makes little sense, and Superman's main antagonist, the so-called Nuclear Man, is quite possibly the least inspired super-villain ever in the superhero genre. He is a terrible invention, both conceptually and visually, and the poor first-time actor cast in the role has no idea what to do. Superman IV is marred by sloppy direction by Sidney J. Furie, a terrible editing job purportedly done hastily after the budget was cut in half towards the end of filming, and really has few redeeming qualities overall.