Superman II

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Superman II

PG

Released Jun 19, 1980

2h 7m

Adventure

Sci-Fi

Fantasy

Action

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Popcornmeter

83%

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60 Reviews

76%

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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).

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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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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

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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

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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

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Slam-bang entertainment.

Rated: 3.5/4

May 13, 2023

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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

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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

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r96 s

'Superman II' is a more rounded affair, though is no more entertaining than the first film - I enjoyed both the same, more or less. Christopher Reeve and Margot Kidder remain as watchable as before, but Gene Hackman isn't as memorable in this follow-up - still good, mind. I like how we got to see extra of Zod, Ursa and Non in this one, if only to see more of Terence Stamp - who I've only really seen later in his career, he's terrific in 2011's 'The Adjustment Bureau'. Sarah Douglas and Jack O'Halloran as the other two characters are decent. A perfectly solid sequel, you can't ask for much more than that.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/07/25

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Raymond B

Superb sequel love it

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/22/24

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matthias s

*Superman II* has its moments, but it doesn't quite hit the heights of the first film. As a huge Superman and comics fan, I still appreciate how comic-accurate it is, and the casting is spot on. Christopher Reeve is once again the perfect Clark Kent, and I loved the chemistry he had with Margot Kidder in the first film—sadly, it’s missing here. You can really tell it's a different director, with the atmosphere feeling off and lacking the same magical vibe. Terence Stamp as General Zod is great, but he never quite feels like a real threat, which is a bummer. The film just feels like a downgrade from the original, missing that iconic energy that made the first one so memorable. The *Superman* theme by John Williams still gives me chills, though—it’s one of the best superhero themes ever. I’m definitely curious to check out the Donner Cut to see if it improves.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

12/19/24

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Ren L

Superman 2 is an absolute masterpiece! A wonderful movie & Christopher Reeve shines. By far one of the best Superman movies ever made!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/13/24

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gutemberg g

Já vi em torno de 100 vezes junto com o primeiro. Está entre os melhores filmes de todos os tempos

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/09/24

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Charlie M

About as good as the original to me. Superman and Lois carry with their chemistry, offering memorable moments. The villains are boring though.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

09/30/24

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Richard Lester

Director

Christopher Reeve

Clark Kent

Margot Kidder

Lois Lane

Gene Hackman

Lex Luthor

Ned Beatty

Otis

Jackie Cooper

Perry White

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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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