Ranking the Superman films 1978 to contemporary

[Mandon Knight]

From Reeve to Routh to Cavill, in what order would you place the cinematic films of Superman and why ?

 

[famicommander]

Good:
Superman The Movie - a classic. Great score, great tone, good performances, nice effecs for the time.

Okay:
Man of Steel - weighed down by too much exposition and a codex subplot that goes nowhere. Could use some more color. Great action sequences.

Bad:
Superman II+The Richard Donner Cut - Most people remember it more fondly than I do. A lot of the new humor doesn't connect and it sorely misses John Williams. Both versions are worse than the original in every facet.

Terrible:
Superman III - a step down in every imaginable way from the first two
Superman IV: The Quest for Peace - gone completely off the rails
Supergirl - aggressively terrible
Superman Returns - zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

 

[Warhammer]

Superman Returns: an expensive love letter to the Donner films that was underwhelming in every way imaginable while also robbing audiences of a Bryan Singer-directed third X-Men film.

 

[Fincher]

Good:

1. Superman II
2. Man of Steel

Okay:

3. Superman III
4. Superman Returns

Bad:

5. Superman IV
6. Superman: The Movie

 

[Warhammer]

Good:

1. Superman II
2. Man of Steel

Okay:

3. Superman III
4. Superman Returns

Bad:

5. Superman IV
6. Superman: The Movie

Prepare yourself.

 

[Flint Marko]

I'm going to say something that will undoubtedly stir the pot: I like the first two Donner films but I like Superman Returns more. I quite disliked Man of Steel and would name both 3 and 4 as some of the worst superhero movies ever. I don't think there's a Superman film yet that's quite done the character justice.
For the record I'm 23 - I didn't grow up with the Donner films. They're not close to my heart in the slightest.

 

[Boy Scout]

1) SII.

2) STM.

3) SR.

4) MOS.

5) The rest.

 

[dude stannis]

1. Man of Steel.
2. Superman The Movie
3. Superman II
4. Superman Returns
5. Superman III
6. Superman IV

 

[BH/HHH]

Top two are interchangeable depending on my mood

Superman the Movie
Man of Steel
Superman II Donner Cut
Superman II Lester Cut
Superman III
Superman Returns
Superman IV: The Quest For Peace

Although I like all the Superman movies, yes even IV.

I actually never watch either of those cuts of SII either I have a fan edit called The Frank Reynolds Cut which for me is the best cut I've seen of SII.

 

[Rorschach2012]

Mos
stm
sii
sr
siii
siv

 

[super85]

STM
MoS
SII
SR
SIII
SIV

 

[FeedOnATreeFrog]

MOS
SII

Don't care for the rest.

 

[akfj]

Superman: The Movie
Man of Steel
Superman II
Superman Returns
Superman IV
Superman III

 

[The Joker]

Superman II
Superman the movie
Superman Returns
Man of Steel
Superman 3
Superman 4

 

[Unbreakable Lex]

Superman The Movie
Man of Steel
Superman II
Superman Returns
Superman IV
Superman III

 

[Micromind]

Superman The Movie
Man of Steel
Superman Returns
.....................

Superman 2 (Lester)
Superman 2 (Donner Cut)
Superman 3
Superman IV

EDit: I know this is about Superman movies but since Supergirl was supposed to be in the Donner continuity, I would place Supergirl right after Superman 3.

 

[The Batman]

1. Superman:The Movie
2. Superman 2: The Richard Donner Cut
3. Superman 2

I don't care enough about the other films to rank them, to be honest.

 

[Fallen Angel]

The gap indicates for me the quality of the drop off.


Superman: The Movie
Man of Steel
Superman II (Donner Cut)



Superman Returns
Superman III
Superman IV

 

[wampa1]

Fallen Angel knows.

 

[writer0327]

Superman II
Superman
Superman Returns
Man of Steel
Superman III
Superman IV

 

[HaplessHenchman]

Great:

- MOS

Great for their time:

- SM: TM
- SM II

Dreadful:

- SM III
- SM IV
- Superman Returns

 

[Rowsdower!]

Superman: The Movie
Man of Steel
Superman II
Superman III
Superman IV
Superman Returds

 

[Kahran Ramsus]

1. Superman: The Movie
2. Superman II (Donner Version)
3. Superman II (Lester Version)
4. Man of Steel
5. Superman Returns
6. Superman III
7. Superman IV: The Quest for Peace
8. Supergirl

The main difference between the two versions of Superman II to me is that I feel the addition of Jor-El gives some much needed emotion and consequences to Clark's decision to give up his powers that is lacking in the Lester version.

 

[Doctor Octopus]

Superman the movie
Superman 2
Superman returns
Superman 3
Man of steel
Superman 4

 

[DA_Champion]

Only including the cinematic films:
Man of Steel
Superman The Movie
Superman Returns
Superman II
Superman III

Including all the movies I've watched:
Man of Steel
All-Star Superman
Superman The Movie
Batman/Superman: Apocalypse
Superman: Doomsday
Smallville: Absolute Justice
Superman Returns
Superman II
Superman vs The Elite
Superman: Unbound
Batman/Superman: Public Enemies
Superman III

Have not watched Superman IV.