Superman II (2006) (V)

User Rating:

8.0/10   

Director:

Richard Donner

Writers:

Jerry Siegel (characters) &
Joe Shuster (characters) ...

Release Date:

28 November 2006 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Romance | Sci-Fi

Plot:

Superman agrees to sacrifice his powers to marry Lois, unaware that three Kryptonian criminals he inadvertently released are conquering Earth.

Plot Keywords:

Superman | Revenge | World Domination | Criminal | Alien Invasion

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Gene Hackman	...	Lex Luthor (archive footage)
Christopher Reeve	...	Clark Kent / Kal-El / Superman (archive footage)
Marlon Brando	...	Jor-El (archive footage)
Ned Beatty	...	Otis (archive footage)
Jackie Cooper	...	Perry White (archive footage)
Sarah Douglas	...	Ursa (archive footage)
Margot Kidder	...	Lois Lane (archive footage)
Jack O'Halloran	...	Non (archive footage)
Valerie Perrine	...	Eve Teschmacher (archive footage)
Clifton James	...	Sheriff (archive footage)
E.G. Marshall	...	The President (archive footage)
Marc McClure	...	Jimmy Olsen (archive footage)
Terence Stamp	...	General Zod (archive footage)
John Ratzenberger	...	Controller #1 (archive footage)
Shane Rimmer	...	Controller #2 (archive footage)

Also Known As:

Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut (USA) (promotional title)

MPAA:

Rated PG for sequences of action violence, some language and brief mild sensuality.

Runtime:

USA:115 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS | Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

USA:PG | Finland:K-11 | Australia:PG | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

According to editor Michael Thau, the films contains about 200 new special effects.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: During the Super Battle, when Ursa calls Superman's name and he turns to see where the voice is coming from, just before Zod kicks him into the Statue Of Liberty's torch, the film is flipped (Supes' hair part is on the wrong side).

Quotes:

[first lines]
Jor-El: I ask you now to pronounce judgment on those accused. On this... this mindless aberration, who's only means of expression are wanton violence and destruction; on the woman Ursa, whose perversions and unreasoning hatred of all mankind have threatened even the children of the planet Krypton; finally, General Zod. Chief architect of this intended revolution and author of this insidious plot to establish a new order amongst us...

Movie Connections:

Featured in Superman II: Restoring the Vision (2006) (V)

In any shape or form, Superman II is a flawed masterpiece

I've just seen this 'Richard Donner' cut of Superman II after getting the Christopher Reeve box set for Christmas. Its great. Really great. But heres the thing. There is material in the Richard Lester version that has been airing in the UK for years that i love and when you see the Donner cut its either edited out or the music is completely changed! The scenes i'am talking about are really around the Krypton villains. Their arrival on the moon and attack on the astronauts was one of the best sequences in the movie and the villains' theme by Ken Thorne (originally by John Williams) which plays over that sequence and whenever they are on screen was fantastic...the soundtrack is not in that sequence in the Donner cut!

Also, the hand wrestling scene between the farmer and Ursa in the coffee shop is gone! Please don't get me wrong, this version is superb and i guess it is as close to seeing what Richard Donner originally intended for the sequel before he was replaced with Richard Lester. Also the 'new' footage which i have never seen is really great, especially the opening sequence with Lois Lane throwing herself out of the Daily Planet office window in an attempt to get Superman to save her, as is the small new inclusions of the attack on the White House, making it a little longer and more violent was the right direction and you can clearly see where the makers of the X Men got their inspiration from in this sequence.

The final battle at Superman's address in the North Pole is slightly disappointing. More a battle of super minds than super powers.

However, this is really fascinating if you are a Superman fan and thankfully because of the box set i now have both versions. One is not better than the other, they are both flawed brilliance.