‘Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story’ is not just a documentary about a superhero; it’s a testament to human resilience and love, revealing that the true power lies in hope, not flight.
The documentary, directed by Ian Bonhôte and Peter Ettedgui, takes a nuanced and heartfelt approach to chronicling the life of Christopher Reeve, from his iconic rise as Superman to the near-fatal accident that left him paralyzed.
The film’s focus, however, is not just on Reeve the actor, but on Reeve the man: a loving father, husband, and advocate, who fought for spinal cord injury treatment until his death. The movie is as much a love letter to Reeve’s wife, Dana Reeve, as it is to the man himself, portraying her as a “super-heroic spouse” who stood by his side through unimaginable hardship.
What sets ‘Super/Man’ apart from other biographical documentaries is its balance of Reeve’s professional life with his deeply personal battles. The filmmakers masterfully weave in interviews with his family and close friends, including the late Robin Williams, who was like a brother to Reeve.
The film opens on the harrowing day of Reeve’s 1995 accident, immediately grounding us in the life-changing moment that reshaped not only his career but his entire existence. From there, the documentary alternates between Reeve’s pre-accident rise to stardom and the struggles he faced afterward, a dual narrative that underscores how his greatest role was not as a superhero on screen, but as a real-life fighter for hope and change .
One of the film’s strongest elements is its deep dive into Reeve’s relationships, particularly with his children and Dana. It is the children’s candid reflections on their father—how he was both larger-than-life and intensely human—that lend the film its emotional weight.
Will Reeve, his youngest son, recounts with heart-wrenching honesty the difficulty of growing up with a father who was both a hero and a man in deep physical pain. Through home videos and archival footage, we see Reeve’s struggle to reconcile his desire to return to a normal life with the physical limitations he faced.
At its core, ‘Super/Man’ is about love, not loss. It doesn’t shy from the darkness Reeve faced but focuses on how he and Dana transformed that pain into activism. The documentary reminds us that while Reeve is remembered for flying across the screen in a cape, his true legacy is the work he did from his wheelchair—advocating for those with disabilities, showing the world that paralysis could not diminish his spirit .
With its intimate interviews, stunning archival footage, and powerful storytelling, ‘Super/Man’ succeeds not just as a biographical piece, but as a universal story of resilience. As the credits roll, viewers are left not only mourning the loss of a great man but inspired by his enduring message: The greatest heroes don’t need to fly.
The true strength of this documentary is how it makes you believe, again, that Christopher Reeve could fly—even when grounded.
