Publication Date: 07-08-2025

Superman II (1980) review

Dir. Richard Lester

By: Steve Pulaski

Rating: ★★★

Superman II doesn’t do a whole lot different from its predecessor, and to be honest, that’s what I think I like the most about it. Often we see how far sequels can stray from their original material, sometimes getting cramped by ambition, strangled by not enough, or simply flounder because they just pail in comparison. Richard Donner’s 1978 classic Superman was a fine film, nicely acted, very well shot, with great special effects to boot, and felt like it did justice to its title character. What more could you really ask for?

Superman II brings much of the same material in terms of dialog, tone, pacing, and action, but has a different approach with its wit and focus. Director Richard Lester and the trio of writers – Mario Puzo, David Newman, and Leslie Newman – choose to make the film funnier, with more humor infused to the script. Just the first scene of the film, set in the offices of the “Daily Planet” newspaper with the boss talking to Clark Kent (whose role is reprised by the charming and drop-dead gorgeous Christopher Reeve) about how Lois Lane (Margot Kidder) is off in Paris, France covering a hostage situation. The scene is breezy, carefree fun, and evokes everything the Superman franchise has been about thus far.

The villains this time around are General Zod (Terence Stamp), Ursa (Sarah Douglas), and Non (Jack O’Halloran), all of whom are hellbent on enslaving the earth for personal good and so-on. There plan of action comes right in the same time Clark wants to spend time with Lois, taking their relationship on a more romantic, personal level. Lois still doesn’t know Clark is Superman, the notorious caped-figure that flies around and rescues people all over Metropolis, but she has a good idea. She is so certain that she throws herself in the rushing currents of Niagara Falls to see if she’ll drown first or will Superman come get her.

Humor like this keeps the film afloat. Lester and the writers are sure never to let the plot go too far off in the cynical world of cinematic drudgery, but it also is cautious of how much humor it uses to the point where it doesn’t become a laugh riot. If anything, the filmmakers’ approach lightens the mood a little bit, while recognizing there needs to be a certain functionality of humor and seriousness to the material to make it effective on a grand-scale.

If there’s one thing to nit-pick, it’s that the plastic qualities of the original film still remain in place. I mentioned in my review of the first film that even though Reeve seems to be clearly trying here, he still comes off as stiff and kind of bland. This could be because the scrupulous character of Superman is inherently pretty bland, and his moralistic nature makes for seldom conflict on the internal level. However, the conflict we get between Clark Kent’s lifeless ordinariness and his larger-than-life persona begins to kick in to great effect here. The agony illustrated at least remains interesting and quite believable.

Superman II is a fun sequel, to say the least. The change of directors is pleasant and most everything that made the first film a worthy triumph is back here with full force. Even as current superhero films flood the box office almost monthly, with their dark and somewhat brooding nature, it’s nice to see a good, wholesome affair that isn’t bogged down by dreary repetition because of tone.

NOTE: I’ve been researching the production history of Superman II and have discovered there exists a version of the film titled Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut, which is Richard Donner’s version of the film reconstructed from the ground up. Donner was the original director of the 1978 sequel, until Lester came in and effectively took over the project. I still need to see the “Donner Cut,” and will publish a separate review of it when I do.

My review of Superman (1978)
My review of Superman III
My review of Superman IV: The Quest for Peace

Starring: Christopher Reeve, Margot Kidder, Gene Hackman, Terrence Stamp, Sarah Douglas, and Jack O’Halloran. Directed by: Richard Lester (and Richard Donner, although uncredited).