Superman (1978)

What’s it about?

An alien orphan is sent from his dying planet to Earth, where he grows up and becomes both a journalist and Earth's first superhero.

The facts

• Directed by Richard Donner
• Starring Christopher Reeve (Somewhere in Time), Marlon Brando (The Godfather), Gene Hackman (The French Connection), and Margot Kidder (The Amityville Horror)
• English language
• Runtime: 144 minutes

Why did it get this rating?

This film was cross-rated by the Film and Video Labelling Body. You can find out more about cross-rating here.

Violence

The film has some mild violence, but many of the scenes are made light-hearted with humour, which makes the violence feel less serious.

Some of the strongest moments of violence include:

• There is a brief moment where a planet explodes in space, wiping out its entire population.
• Whilst stuck in her car, one woman slowly suffocates to death underground in a very intense and suspenseful scene. We see her reaching and clawing for air before she turns pale and dies.
• A man is run over by a train, however all that is shown is his shredded hat and no body.
• In one scene, a wire wraps around a helicopter causing it to malfunction and hang on the edge of a tall building.
• A villain lures a man into a trap containing machine guns and flamethrowers.

When content stays with you:

We all have our boundaries, and it’s completely okay if something you’ve watched is weighing on your mind. If certain content lingers with you, consider having a chat with friends or whānau to debrief about what you’ve just seen. But if you’re still feeling affected, please reach out to any of the following helplines for support.  

• 1737
• Safe to talk
• Lifeline
• Youthline

Further information

• Why are ratings and content warnings important for me and my whānau?
• Brain development – how it works, why it matters