Superman II (Widescreen)

ALTHOUGH THE FIRST FILM WAS GOOD, IT DOES NOT HAVE THE FUN CHARACTERS OF GENERAL ZOD, URSA AND NON AS THE KRYPTONIAN BADDIES.

I FEEL IT IS THESE CHARACTERS THAT MAKE THE MOVIE ALONG WITH THE PERFECTLY CAST MARGOT KIDDER AS LOIS LANE.

STARTING WITH LOIS BEING STUCK UP THE EIFFEL TOWER AND PLUMMETING DOWNWARDS ON A LIFT, ONLY TO BE SAVED BY THE MAN HIMSELF.........SUPERMAN IN HIS TIGHTS!!!

BUT POOR SUPERMAN AT THE SAME TIME RELEASES HIS ARCH ENEMY GENERAL ZOD FROM THE PHANTOM ZONE ONLY FOR ALL HELL TO BREAK LOOSE.

ONE OF THE SCENES THAT MAKES THE FILM IS WHEN OUR BADDIES ARE IN SPACE AND CONFRONT NASA SPACEMEN. THE FILMSET LOOKS FALSE AND CHEESY AND THEN THE OH SO POWERFUL ZOD APPEARS WITH HIS MOTLEY CREW ONLY TO CAUSE MORE PROBLEMS.

THEY RIP A SPACMEN TO SHREDS AND WATCH HIM CRUMPLE UP, SNAP THE AIR SUPPLY OF ANOTHER AS HE FLOATS INTO OUTERSPACE AND CRUSH THE SPACECRAFT OF THEIR FINAL VICTIM ALONG WITH THE SPACEMAN.

MUCH ACTION FOLLOWS, BUT IF YOU WANT TO SEE IT, YOU'LL NEED TO BUY IT!!!

Fast forward to 2001 and I'm all grown up now and how I realize I was so wrong. I still get a kick out of the comic book style fighting scenes and story, but compared to the original Superman II is not as good. Now that I found out about the whole Richard Donner/Salkinds controversey, I'm even more incensed over this film. Having said that, I know that Donner's II would have been a much better movie since it would be without director Richard Lester's emphasis on campy and cheesey stuff. (By Superman III, COMPLETELY directed by Lester, we can see that the bad scenes in 'II' were all Lesters and the good stuff was Donners).

Even after all that, the DVD version just lacks in comparsion to the SE of Superman the Movie. Maybe Warners never cared for the sequels or maybe because they just didn't want to re-open a can of worms.

From the terrific beginning where Superman rescues Lois Lane and the city of Paris from terrorists to the epic battle between Superman and the three villians in Metropolis which then continues to Supermans Fortress of Solitude, Superman II is nonstop action.

Superman giving up his powers to marry Lois Lane and the romantic scenes in the Fortress of Solitude were a nice touch. Lois Lane tempting Clark Kent to reveal his identity as Superman by jumping off Niagra Falls was hilarious as Kent acts so clumbsy, rescues Lane without revealing his identity (yet).

The prisoners whistling Mozart's tune as Superman returns his nemisis Lex Luther back to prison was equally funny. To appreciate this, you have to see the movie.

Superman I was a fantastic movie but Superman II was even better. If you are a suyperhero fan, then I highly recommend both.