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Superman II

PG Released Jun 19, 1980 2h 7m Adventure Sci-Fi Fantasy Action List
83% Tomatometer 60 Reviews 76% Audience Score 100,000+ Ratings
Superman (Christopher Reeve) foils the plot of terrorists by hurtling their nuclear device into outer space, but the bomb's shock waves free the Kryptonian villain General Zod (Terence Stamp) and his henchmen Ursa (Sarah Douglas) and Non (Jack O'Halloran) from their imprisonment. Traveling to Earth, they threaten the planet with destruction at the same time that Superman decides to renounce his superpowers in order to live a normal life as Clark Kent with his new love, Lois Lane (Margot Kidder). Read More Read Less
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Superman II

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Critics Consensus

The humor occasionally stumbles into slapstick territory, and the special effects are dated, but Superman II meets, if not exceeds, the standard set by its predecessor.

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Critics Reviews

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Patrick Gibbs Daily Telegraph (UK) Alas for good intentions, the new mixture turns out to be much as before, which I didn't rate very highly. Jun 17, 2022 Full Review Derek Malcolm Guardian Dick Lester's Superman II makes a groaningly slow start but finally ends up a better movie than Superman I. Of course, it has to be because more of the same would look a bit second-hand another time round. Jun 17, 2022 Full Review David Robinson Times (UK) Superman's adventures, certainly, could be no sillier -- suspending our disbelief, of course, by the expertise of the technology, the prettiness of the art work, [and] the effacing charm of Christopher Reeve and Margot Kidder. Jun 16, 2022 Full Review Matt Brunson Film Frenzy Slam-bang entertainment. Rated: 3.5/4 May 13, 2023 Full Review Lawrence O'Toole Maclean's Magazine Both the writing and the opticals are fiendishly clever and chock-full of dry, sly wit that is never gratuitously employed. May 3, 2023 Full Review John Brosnan Starburst Superman II is a winner on all counts and is even better than Superman I. It shines as a perfect example of how to put a comic strip character on the screen. Jul 26, 2022 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Anderson O Super-man 2 is a vision of two directors and two separate viewpoints. The Donner Cut is superior to this version. Middle of the way it was confusion to the climate of the end that still had quotables. And it can obviously be seen. Super-man 2 starts strong , mediocre middle and tough but not tough enough ending. Not as worth the rewatch as I hoped for. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 08/07/24 Full Review Tyler S Thought it was really solid. Not as great as the previous film, but a solid sequel to a strong franchise. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 06/26/24 Full Review Eric V Hands down the best Superman movie made. Go for the Richard Donner cut though. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 06/20/24 Full Review Audience Member Not as good as the first, and I’ve come to find out that the movie is missing a lot of scenes from its theatrical cut. Which I find crazy because this movie has been restored several times and they don’t rerelease the theatrical cut??? Same with Superman 1. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 06/12/24 Full Review chris h This is actually my favorite out of the old Superman movies.Some parts look and sound dated.But overall it's a good time. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 06/01/24 Full Review Jace E Superman II starts off strong. The first 60 minutes are on par with its predecessor and then it falls victim to sloppy writing. With an abundance of plot holes and a lack of understanding of Superman's abilities, the story feels jumbled. In general, the villains were the highlight of the film. General Zod was fantastic and Lex Luthor deserved more screen time. On the other hand, Lois' character arc was uninspired and lacked real emotion. Her relationship with Clark/Superman did not have the depth that it should have after two films. In the end, Superman and Superman II are a good combination. Though separate films, they are connected enough to tell a coherent story. The action might be dated, but the heart is there. Additional Note: I couldn't handle the Zod blowing storm scene. 2 1/2 minutes is way too long and gave me a headache! Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 05/13/24 Full Review Read all reviews
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Movie Info

Synopsis Superman (Christopher Reeve) foils the plot of terrorists by hurtling their nuclear device into outer space, but the bomb's shock waves free the Kryptonian villain General Zod (Terence Stamp) and his henchmen Ursa (Sarah Douglas) and Non (Jack O'Halloran) from their imprisonment. Traveling to Earth, they threaten the planet with destruction at the same time that Superman decides to renounce his superpowers in order to live a normal life as Clark Kent with his new love, Lois Lane (Margot Kidder).
Director
Richard Lester
Producer
Pierre Spengler
Screenwriter
Mario Puzo, David Newman, Leslie Newman
Distributor
Warner Bros.
Production Co
Warner Brothers
Rating
PG
Genre
Adventure, Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Action
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jun 19, 1980, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Aug 15, 2008
Runtime
2h 7m
Sound Mix
Surround
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