Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987)

The critic notes some spectacular action sequences but finds the film turgid, flat, and unmemorable overall, with the villains providing the only relief. The excess of effects looks stale, and it skimps on ingredients while following the standard formula.

The critic finds the film as dreary as a summit conference in Belgium, with a story that lacks momentum and half-hearted special effects. A weedy romantic subplot involving quick costume changes is singled out as tiresome.

The film sorely lacks the flair and agreeable humor of earlier entries in the series, with Hackman getting a few laughs but everyone else going through the motions with less fun. It features Superman addressing nuclear disarmament and battling an evil clone on the moon.

The critic finds the film a ragingly dull thud with cheap-looking effects and a skimped extravaganza that submerges its idealistic anti-war core. The cast retains a playful grip on their roles, but the movie lacks the magic of its predecessors.

The review details how budget cuts and poor production turned a promising sequel into a cheap, incoherent mess with bad effects, destroying the franchise's dignity. It singles out the deteriorated flying effects and the desperate anti-nuclear message as complaints.

The critic deems it a dreadful fourth installment that ruins the Superman series, singling out the low budget effects, ridiculous plot elements like Nuclear Man, and poor production values for criticism.

The critic calls the film a surprisingly poor outing that marks the death of the Superman series, attributing its failures to severe budget cuts that resulted in cheap effects, reused shots, and a small-scale production compared to earlier entries. Some positive notes on Christopher Reeve's performance and a few scenes are overshadowed by weak plotting, illogical elements, and underwhelming new cast members.

The film is an undeniable low point, sickening and worse than Superman III, with a reduced budget, poor continuity, and everyone going through the motions. Reeve's well-meaning anti-nuclear message feels heavy-handed and phony, while Lenny Luthor is among the most annoying characters ever.