Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
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) |
Before Krypton exploded and Jor-El put his baby son, Kal-El, in a rocket ship to Earth, the benevolent ruler was forced to banish three irredeemable criminals to another dimension called The Phantom Zone. The trio's leader, General Zod, vowed revenge. Later, of course, Kal-El grew up to become Superman, Earth's mighty champion. A battle with the criminal mastermind, Lex Luthor, ends with Superman hurling a nuclear warhead into space where it explodes, but not harmlessly. Instead, it frees the Kryptonian threesome from their other-dimensional prison. They soon discover they have almost unlimited power (the same powers, in fact, as Superman), which they use to take over the Earth. Meanwhile, the intrepid reporter, Lois Lane, learns that her bumbling colleague, Clark Kent, is really Superman, a revelation that leads to him bringing her to his frozen Fortress of Solitude and renouncing his powers in order to make love to her. It is only when Superman and Lois return to civilization that ... Written by J. Spurlin
This should have been the original Superman II! When you watch it, you finally understand what the hell Superman and his father have been saying all these years. It all makes sense now. Having grown up on Superman, I feel cheated!!! I had to wait until now to finally understand one of my favorite film series! It's just a crime!
Not only does Donner's film flow better and enlighten the viewer, it even makes those annoying villains have more purpose. Even as a kid, I thought they were ridiculous. They're still ridiculous in this film, but Donner links them more clearly to Superman's past, so you get pulled into the plot line more.
Watch this film and you'll see my point.