Superman II (1980)

 ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

Superman II (1980) – R. Lester

I have mostly skipped the comic book fare of the last decade (or two) but, at the insistence of Amon (aged 8), I re-watched Superman (1978) and this sequel, which is perhaps a better film. (I’m not even going to tell him about Superman III with Richard Pryor which I still remember with horror).  As foreshadowed at the start of the first film, Superman has to fight three supervillains led by General Zod (Terence Stamp) after they are freed (by a nuclear explosion in space) from the “Phantom Zone” jail created by the leaders of the planet Krypton to lock them away forever.  Of course, they arrive on Earth (via the Moon) and start to wreak havoc.  Meanwhile, Clark Kent has finally let Lois Lane (Margot Kidder) know his secret identity and has given up his super-powers to become mortal – just at exactly the wrong time!  Even more than in the first film, Superman II (directed by Richard Lester, best known for his work with The Beatles; e.g., Help!) has its tongue firmly in its cheek and Christopher Reeve carries it off.  The old-school action sequences are so much better than the CGI explosions of today, even if the citizens of Metropolis are seen to be laughing as the villains and Superman throw each other through buildings and cars get blown across the city streets (by Zod’s bad breath). Of course, it all ends well (and Clark even gives Lois a magic kiss to wipe her memory).  This is what larger than life comic-book style is all about. Amon gave it a big thumbs up.