SUPERMAN IV: THE QUEST FOR PEACE

Margot Kidder and Christopher Reeve take flight

SUPERMAN IV: THE QUEST FOR PEACE (1987). Director: Sidney J. Furie. (Based on a story by Christopher Reeve).

The Daily Planet, where Clark Kent (Christopher Reeve) and Lois Lane (Margot Kidder of Black Christmas) work as reporters, becomes the casualty of a hostile takeover by a sleazy tabloid king (Sam Wanamaker) and his pretty daughter, Lacy (Mariel Hemingway of Manhattan). In a more significant development, a young boy writes to Superman that he should make the world safe by getting rid of all nuclear missiles. The Man of Steel complies, sending the missiles hurtling into the sun, but then has to face a solar-spawned nightmare in the form of Nuclear Man (Mark Pillow), created by the nefarious Lex Luthor (Gene Hackman of The Firm) and his zany nephew, Lenny (Jon Cryer). Upon its initial release, Superman IV was excoriated by fans and critics alike, but it's always been a fun, entertaining movie that truly resembles an eighties (or perhaps a seventies) Superman comic book. Hackman and Cryer dumb down the story, yes, but are not too intrusive, Kidder and Reeve are fine, as always, and Mariel Hemingway scores as Lacy, the "rich bitch" who turns out to have both a brain and a heart. Mark Pillow certainly looks menacing and turns in some highly effective pantomiming as Superman's nuclear adversary. One amusing sequence has Clark/Superman using his speed powers to date Lois and Lacey at the same time. But the highlight of the film is the protracted battle between Superman and Nuclear Man (as well as the magical sequence when Superman takes Lois for a flight). The film's special effects work came in for criticism, which I have always found perplexing, as I find the numerous process shots in the film to be seamlessly done and very striking. Superman once again reveals his true identity to Lois, and once again he hypnotizes her into forgetting it (this is a fine romance!) There are signs of post-production tampering, as the continuity is confusing, and it's never made clear exactly why Nuclear Man kidnaps Lacy at one point. John Williams' score is excellent and there is top-notch cinematography from Ernest Day, including one especially good shot when Nuclear Man spirals his way down into an active volcano. Although this, like the previous films, is supposed to take place in "Metropolis," this is clearly New York City.

Verdict: Great battle and a lot of comic book style fun. ***.

MANHATTAN

Allen, Keaton, Murphy, Hoffman

MANHATTAN  (1979 ). Director: Woody Allen.Written by Allen and Marshall Brickman.

"I think people should mate for life, like pigeons or Catholics."

"My first wife was a kindergarten teacher. She got into drugs, moved to L.A. became a moonie. Now she's a William Morris agent."

41-year-old Isaac (Woody Allen), whose wife, Jill (Meryl Streep), left him for another woman, Connie (Karen Ludwig), is now dating an adoring 17-year-old named Tracy (Mariel Hemingway). Isaac's buddy, Yale (Michael Murphy), who is married to Emily (Anne Byrne Hoffman), is having an affair with Mary (Diane Keaton), but Isaac and Mary find themselves drawn to each other, especially as Yale shows no signs of leaving his wife, and Isaac is all too aware of the age difference between him and Tracy. As Manhattan begins, it seems to be a love valentine to New York City, but as the movie proceeds it becomes clear that it is just another Woody Allen Movie with the same fake, self-serving Woody Allen-type characters.you see in most of his movies. This "Manhattan" is strictly for and about rich white upper eastsiders -- you won't see a Black, Latino or Asian face throughout the movie (although there is a gay couple, as mentioned)! 

As expected, there's some good dialogue, and the acting is mostly on target, although Keaton tries to be amusing and generally fails. A built-in problem with Allen's movies is that, while the real Allen probably has no problem getting dates because he's rich and famous, having all these women throwing themselves at a less successful fellow who looks like Allen is highly improbable. Given what we now know of Allen's private life, it's easy to see why the plot goes in certain directions. Bella Abzug has a cameo and the repulsive Wallace Shawn, even less attractive than Allen, shows up very briefly as Keaton's ex-husband. Back in the seventies, Allen's films were seen as sharp and sophisticated and altogether wonderful, dealing frankly with adult subject matter, or what passes for same, but many of them don't really hold up and are due for reevaluation. Manhattan does its best to avoid the real dramatic scenes, especially in the depiction of Yale's discarded wife. The ending to the film makes Isaac seem even yuckier.

Verdict: Allen has made some good movies, but this isn't one of them. This should have been called A Nerd's Fantasy Life. **.