Superman II

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2:22

Superman II

PG

1980

2h 7m

Adventure

Sci-Fi

Fantasy

Action

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

88%

Tomatometer

113 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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Jay Scott

Globe and Mail

Jul 1

...[Christopher Reeve's] performance, Gene Hackman's performance and the performance of the special effects team are the three pressing reasons to see Superman II.

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Ron Base

Toronto Star

Jun 29

But what gives Superman a depth and believability lacking in other movies adapted from the comics, Popeye and Flash Gordon immediately come to mind, is the attention to character.

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Meaghan Morris

Sydney Morning Herald

Jun 28

The special effects are spare but spectacular, and the delightfully showy tricks are spaced out by comic ventures into romance, tourism and human drama.

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Richard Freedman

Newark Star-Ledger

Jan 12

Against all the laws governing sequel, "Superman II" is a much better movie than the original.

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John Ferguson

Radio Times

Sep 19

4/5

The effects are equal to the first film and there's a strong supporting cast, including an irascible Gene Hackman and the excellent Terence Stamp in what, at the time, was something of a comeback role.

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Brad Cook

Flickering Myth

Jul 10

4/5

I still regard the theatrical version of Superman II as a worthy follow-up to the original, even if there are those lingering "What if?" questions swirling around it.

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Daniel C.

@Daniel_OCaisde 2d

Top notch. My favorite Superman movie.

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Farah R.

@Farah Dec 8

If you can stand the outdated visual effects, the mediocre writing will have you questioning the odd comedic elements that feel more like a parody than a superhero movie. The film is far less serious in tone than the first Superman movie, making its narrative disjointed and look campy.

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Vincent S.

@Vin_E_At_The_Movies Dec 2

Christopher Reeve gives an Oscar caliber performance with heart and wit in this incredibly entertaining Superhero masterpiece. This is the best superhero movie of all time. Adventure, beautiful visual effects, humor, excitement and a battle at the end that is grand and exciting!

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Noah G.

@LobsterCrab Nov 6

This is honestly, my favorite Superman movie in general’s out is my favorite Superman villain check this movie out

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Rafael S

Oct 29

It's a very good movie, even though the ending is a bit bad. Christopher Reeve is brilliant in his performance.

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Pablo M.

@saicomoviefan Oct 21

Well done for a movie that had some behind the scenes drama behind it, but it managed to pull itself together by the end.

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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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Superman II: Trailer 1

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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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