Henry Cavill vs Christopher Reeve? Who is the greatest Kal-El of all time? Various actors have portrayed the superhero from Planet Krypton but these two actors happen to be the most talked about. While Reeve's portrayal is often met with praise, critics and fans have been skeptical about Cavill since the DCEU movies in which he has portrayed Superman haven't been really good.
While Cavill has had numerous roles in which he has given memorable performances, Reeve is mostly known for his turn as Superman. He is also credited with helping to make superheroes popular among people who weren't fond of comic books. So, who between the two actors is the best Superman? Let's make an argument for both.
Cavill: Has A Herculian Physique
Cavill's physique is closer to that of the Superman portrayed in the DC comics. Superman always looks like he is wearing a costume that is too tight for him. Cavill is buff and believable as a person with super strength.
Reeve looked like a fan wearing a costume in the streets of New York. He didn't quite have the appearance of the Man Of Steel and looked like he could do with a gym membership card. What if he just wasn't strong enough? After all, Reeve's Superman never fought any monsters in all the four films. That's right. He only picked on villains his own size.
Reeve: Better Costume
Cavill's navy blue costume has never felt right, mostly because it's not the traditional Superman costume. Ever since the first issue of the DC comics, the Man Of Steel has always worn a light blue costume with red underwear on top? And a belt for pants that are already tight? We'll discuss that fashion choice later. Regardless, Superman looked good and unique.
Out of all the actors that wore the light blue costume, Reeve looked the best in it. After all, everyone can wear a suit but not everyone can look good in a suit. Reeve could also use the 'S' on his chest as a weapon by throwing it around. Admittedly, this felt like a way to imitate Batman and his batarangs, but it was still quite awesome.
Cavill: He Is More Of A Fighter
We all love to see our superheroes kicking ass, not pretending to kick ass. Cavill's Superman has had some of the best action scenes ever since the son of Krypton made his debut in cinema. Remember him noticing Barry Allen when he was moving at supersonic speed and knocking him out? That happened in Justice League when he had just been brought back from the dead and he couldn't recognize his superhero buddies.
There's also Superman's battle against Steppenwolf and his one-on-one fight against Doomsday. He also snapped General Zod's neck to prevent him from destroying the world. Who said Superman can't kill? If Zack Synder says so, he can.
Reeve: Charming & Humorous
Reeve was the Lord of Charm. Which other Superman could make a link such as "I stand for truth, justice, and the American way" work? Cavill's Superman would rather let Darkseid slap him around than say that. In Superman III, Reeve's character also makes some hilarious decisions like straightening the Leaning Tower Of Pisa just for fun and blowing the Olympic Torch.
Cavill's Kal-El tends to be a little too quiet and serious. The actor isn't known for comedic roles so this is quite understandable. Given that the multiverse is the in-thing right now, Cavill would be more suited to play an anti-hero version of Superman from another earth. One who breaks Lois's heart and goes rogue.
Cavill: He Isn't Too Perfect
Cavill's Superman is flawed enough to actually die at the end of Batman Vs Superman. He was revived in the next movie, of course, but this made it clear why he's called Superman. Unlike in previous movies where the character was almost indestructible, Cavill portrays a Superman that had weaknesses.
Cavill's Superman isn't too moral either. He fights Doomsday and destroys buildings without taking into consideration whether civilians get hurt in the process. He is also more than ready to fight Batman. All these moments showcases his human elements and traces of imperfection.
Reeve: Better Portrayal Of The Lois & Clark Romance
Christopher Reeve as Clark and Margot Kidder as Lois were like high school sweethearts. They were better ambassadors of love than Telenovela characters. Their on-screen chemistry was just too good. Clark was always taking Lois on sky-trips and relaxing with her on rooftops.
In the first Superman movie, Clark reversed time in order to bring Lois back to life. Lois' car had fallen into a crevice, causing her to suffocate to death. Consequently, Clark spun around the earth to reverse time, thus going back to a moment when Loise was still alive. This means that whoever had gotten a promotion within that timeframe had to go back to being a junior employee.
Cavill: He Had To Fight For Acceptance
Reeve's Superman got everything too easy. The public adored him and those who hadn't seen him before always wondered whether it's a bird or a plane passing. Did they ever consider that maybe it could be a threat? Everyone was forever left in awe of this flying man.
Cavill portrays a Superman that has to fight for acceptance. For example, when General Zod insisted that Kal-El come out of hiding and surrender himself to the authorities, he did just that. He even wore handcuffs. This was meant to prove to the public that he wasn't a man to be feared.
Reeve: He Won An Award For Playing Superman
While Cavill's portrayal of Superman has often been met with criticism, Reeve received major recognition for his portrayal of Clark Kent. For his role in the first Superman film, Reeve won a BAFTA Award for Most Promising Newcomer In A Leading Film.
Few actors get awards for playing superheroes, as usually, only villains in superhero movies tend to get recognition. Unless Cavill can surprise everyone by getting an Oscar nomination for Man Of Steel 2, it'll be hard for him to be considered the greatest ever Superman.
Cavill: He Isn't The One-Man-Army Hero
The beauty of modern superheroes is that they don't walk alone. They accept help where necessary and also team up with other superheroes on the regular. Even when handling less superior villains like Steppenwolf, Cavill's Superman doesn't handle it by himself, even though the villain barely comes across as a threat against the Man of Steel.
Reeve's Superman liked to fly solo. Over the course of four films, he seldom sought help or teamed up with anyone and this created some form of monotony.
Reeve: Longevity
All-in-all, we can only judge how good someone is by how much they keep being asked to come back. Reeve played Clark Kent in four movies in which he was the main character. Cavill has only had one solo Superman movie and two team-up movies. At the moment, there's no talk of a Man Of Steel 2.
It seems like neither Warner Bros. or the general audience have much of a craving for Cavill as Superman. Since he has the time to do TV shows like The Witcher, Cavill could have appeared in the Arrowverse too if they needed him. They just didn't. It remains to be seen how many more times Cavill will wear the cape.