Superman II

1980 Action/Adventure

Between giving up his super powers, confronting criminals from outer space, and having problems with his girlfriend, it's a bad time to be the Man of Steel in this sequel to the 1978 blockbuster. When terrorists threaten to destroy Paris with a thermonuclear device as they hold reporter Lois Lane (Margot Kidder) hostage, Superman (Christopher Reeve) comes to the rescue and flings the weapon into space. However, its blast outside the earth's orbit awakens Zod (Terence Stamp), Ursa (Sarah Douglas), and Non (Jack O'Halloran), three villains from Superman's home planet of Krypton who were exiled to outer space for their crimes. Zod and his partners arrive on Earth and use their powers in a bid to take over the U.S., and then the world. However, when Lois realizes that mild mannered Clark Kent and Superman are actually the same person, he brings her to his Fortress of Solitude, where his decision to marry Lois costs him his remarkable strength. Without his super powers, how can Superman vanquish Zod and save the world? Gene Hackman, Ned Beatty, Susannah York, and Jackie Cooper return from the first film, which was shot at the same time as parts of the sequel. more..

Director: Richard Lester

Starring: Christopher Reeve, Gene Hackman, Margot Kidder, Ned Beatty,Jackie Cooper

Reviews

  • A marvelous toy. It's funny, it's full of tricks and it manages to be royally entertaining, which is really all it aims for.

    Elvis Mitchell - The New York Times

    27 April 2013

  • It brings the fantastic into our everyday lives; it delights in showing us the reaction of the man on the street to Superman's latest stunt.

    Roger Ebert - The Chicago Sun-Times

    27 April 2013

  • With his perfect pacing, elegant narrative design, and depth of characterization, Richard Lester has made as good a matinee movie as could be imagined: it's a big, generous, beautifully crafted piece of entertainment, with the distinctive Lester touch in the busy backgrounds and the throwaway dialogue.

    Dave Kehr - Chicago Reader

    27 April 2013

  • It boasts a more consistent tone, better special effects (such as villains throwing buses around like paper planes), and even an affecting love story.

    - Entertainment Weekly

    27 April 2013

  • Superman II emerges as a solid, classy, cannily constructed piece of entertainment which gets down to action almost immediately.

    - Variety

    27 April 2013

Awards

  • Best DVD Collection

    Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films (2012)

     
  • Best Overall DVD

    Satellite Awards (2006)