Superman 2 - The Richard Donner Cut

 

 

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Just watched this DVD yesterday, and am still trying to get the geeky grin off my face. After 26 years, I've finally now seen the film I was hoping for as a boy, way back when the brutalized Richard Lester 'Superman II' was released - a movie that left me feeling as hollow and disappointed as if I'd been stood up by a girlfriend.

I tried not to raise my expectations too high for this restored cut, but in the end there is far more to love here than to complain about.

On the upside:

* Thank God for the return of Marlon Brando. The father-son relationship plays a crucial role here that was sorely missed in Lester's version.

* The restoration of Superman's lost powers is finally explained here, with a major sacrifice involved.

* There are no more finger beams; teleportation; giant, cellophane "S" symbols; amnesia kisses; or other random, pull-em-out-your-butt super powers that only showed how little Lester cared for his source material.

* Lois comes across as smarter and more likeable in this movie than she did in Lester's, and there's actually more chemistry here between her and S-man thanks to the revised scenes -- the romance is moving, rather than annoying. Her suspicions about Clark and how she deals with them are handled far better, plus she doesn't do that moronic elevator-climbing stunt that she did in Lester's Eiffel Tower terrorist sequence.

* There are more fun scenes featuring Lex and Miss Teschmacher - enjoy.

* The music is arranged properly and played at the right speed. And the opening credits look good.

On the downside:

* Yes, there are continuity flaws in the scenes that were originally shot as screen tests, but these are easily overlooked (Reeve's hair and his relative lack of bulk in some scenes, for instance). But the improved dramatic flow more than makes up for these.

* The time-travel trick at the end of the movie is overused, given that Donner's first film also featured this gimmick. Superman no longer has any second thoughts about messing with history, and this raises the issue that he now has the perfect solution to any problem he will ever face -- simply turn back the clock, change a couple of key events and you're sorted. Having said that, this scene works far better than Lester's ridiculous amnesia kiss. Especially if taken on its own merits, out of context of the first movie.

Overall, I finally feel like I have closure now after that almost-forgotten childhood let-down. Given my lifelong affection for the character of Superman I found the mess that was made of the movie series after Donner's excellent start painful to watch -- especially knowing that the whole farce seemed to be caused by the greed of certain persons involved in the production.

Basically, if you care enough to have read this far, you owe it to yourself to see this movie. It's a credit to all involved and a fitting tribute to Chris Reeve, who, even in the worst of times, wore the cape and the symbol like he was born to it.

The oddest thing watching this was seeing the opening credit for Geoffrey Unsworth, who died during the completion of Superman I. It took a second to recall that I was about to watch footage he'd photographed at that same time.

I've read bits of the unused Superman II before, and really liked them - Marlon Brando's big finish stands out particularly, of course. It's ridiculous how Lester's never explains Clark getting his powers back, and this is far superior.

It's a breath of fresh air: Donner believes in heroism and courage and sacrifice, and Lester doesn't - so he goes instead for cornball hokiness. Lester went for Superman's return to Metropolis with a shot of him floating outside the window with a big grin on his face - Donner goes for it with a wonderful angle of Superman from behind, arms hidden beneath his cape, perched neatly on the tip of an American flag waving in the breeze. It's gorgeous, and you just can't beat it - it's probably the best shot in the entire series, and why anyone would replace it with something cheesy is beyond me.

I'm surprised, though, how much I didn't absolutely love this movie. Not the way I loved the first one. Puzo's script isn't as well-structured, I guess. And why is there so much inane comedy? Less of Otis and bumbling hick cops and more of Zod breaking into the Fortress, and Lex being taken away by Arctic patrol (these are deleted scenes) would have made this an even stronger movie. It's confusing why these would be omitted from this new cut, while sillier bits of Valerie Perrine trying to find a bathroom are left in. Frustrating, really. Too many plotholes, but still, I like it an awful lot more than Richard Lester's, and I'd definitely recommend it to any Superman fan - it's a must-see.

Superman II was always confusing for me, as a fan of the Superman Mythos. It seemed too corny, and threw in powers that Superman just shouldn't have. The Richard Donner cut helps to clarify and restore what should have been. The story seems tighter and less cluttered. Changes in the angles from the Lester cut give more weight to the emotions involved. The restoration of the late Marlon Brando's scenes are a sigh of relief. This is a much more serious film, but still lightened up with touches of humor.

The transfer to HD is spot on. Depth, clarity, color. All the elements for a great home theater showcase are here. The sound is sublime, and as good as it gets. When Supe and Zod and his cronies are ripping up Metropolis during their benchmark battle, you'll feel like ducking to avoid debris. It places you in the action. Makes you feel like you can soar.

The special features do a good job of letting you understand how this version came to be. They are informative, and engaging. My only complaint is that there were just too few of them.

The movie can feel a bit jarring at times. Especially when Donner includes a shot he only filmed during rehearsals. Overall, however, this film does a great job of restoring the vision of Richard Donner, and repairing the reputation of Metropolis City's favorite son.

I might have preferred an even darker vision, with a more serious tone, but the innocence of this franchise is to be revered. The heroic nature of this film is preserved and enhanced. I rate it a must own, must watch experience for the whole family, and kids of all ages.

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4.0 out of 5 stars Worth Buying
Superman II (the Richard Donner cut) is worth Buying. There are pros and cons.

The cons are that a couple of scenes from the original movie have been dropped, and that... Read more

Published on Dec 7 2009 by William Todd

3.0 out of 5 stars not any better or worse than the Richard Lester film
after watching this version of Superman II,i can honestly say,i didn't
think it was any better or worse than the Richard Lester version. Read more

Published on Sep 18 2007 by falcon

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