Atom Man vs. Superman

Atom Man vs. Superman (1950) – Thin plotting abounds as various characters do a lot of dumb stuff (Superman could have resolved this whole saga in Chapter 4), but the practical effects tend to be somewhat better (although it’s still flagrantly cheap-looking) in this sequel, which gets a big boost from Talbot as Luthor, and it picks up pretty well as it goes along; in contrast to the utter silliness of its last two chapters (come on, Lois fainting?), it has a surprising number of good lines and moments; also of note is the obvious influence it’s had on the Phantom Zone and Superman III. 6

Superman (1948)

Superman (1948) – It starts strong but bogs down later on with weak cliffhangers, repetitive plotting (Chapter 9 is one big plot hole), and a rushed climax; while the acting of the supporting cast tends to be subpar, Neill is great, Bond is good, and Alyn works well enough (although as Superman, he seems undersized, and he frequently looks bewildered); the use of animated effects takes some getting used to, but they blend in better in black and white, and they’re certainly preferable to terrible low-budget practical effects, even if Superman flies like a fish swimming in water; in all, this is a respectable first attempt at live-action Superman. 6

BraveStarr: The Legend

BraveStarr: The Legend (1988) – The structure is pure formula, the plotting is silly, and the supporting cast is pretty weak, but the lead characters are decently solid (the highlight being Alan Oppenheimer as Stampede) and the excellent visual style goes a long way; one can’t help but wonder what the writers might have accomplished with the premise if they hadn’t bound themselves so tightly to western clichés. 6

Superman Returns

Superman Returns (2006) – It’s faithful in many ways, both good and bad, to Donner’s Superman; Spacey is a great cast, but Bosworth kind of just sits there and the superficially Reeve-like Routh doesn’t have his predecessor’s charisma in either role (the script, which makes him a self-absorbed supporting character in his own movie, doesn’t help); the love child/deadbeat creeper dad subplot doesn’t work for me at all, particularly as it does nothing with the relationship, and the final act is suspenseless and uninspired, but yet it’s all decently watchable. 6

The Muppets Take Manhattan

The Muppets Take Manhattan (1984) – It’s old-fashioned and thoroughly heartwarming and it’s a sufficiently good time all around, but there’s really not much that’s remarkable about it (the script is padded like the dickens); probably its greatest contribution to humanity is that it sired Muppet Babies. 6

Superman and the Mole Men

Superman and the Mole Men (1951) – Begirdled Superman versus a mob of ignorant bumpkins over the fate of some utterly silly “creatures” in what is essentially a TV pilot scarcely makes for compelling viewing, but it takes an unexpected angle on its subject, and it’s nice to see Clark doing some actual reporting (something he hasn’t done in any theatrical release since). 5