It was my intention to watch the Donner cut first, since that is being hailed as the best version of Superman II. Then I went deeper into the reviews and people seemed to say the original is the better and fuller version. Then I thought about it, and for the sake of fairness, I do think it is prudent for me to review this first. So here goes.
As long as I can remember, Superman II has always been a favourite of mine. I distinctly remember the iconic and pivotal scenes, more than I did with the original. The biggest stand out moment is the fight between Superman and General Zod and the two other Kryptonians. It still is an incredibly entertaining sequence where a lot is happening. But to be fair, it does take the film a long time to get there. For whatever reason, they decided to out Superman and have him and Lois be the loving couple as they have been portrayed in several media. While I understand this on a dramatic level, in this case it felt a little forced. Lois Lane admits she is in love with Superman. But why? Sure, he has rescued a couple of times, and he talked to her a couple of times. Still, enough for anyone to fall in love? And it seems the love is mutual, seeing how Superman even has gone back into time to save her in the original. I am aware they are supposed to be a couple, but if you think about it, it simply doesn't make sense. Especially, in this sequel, where he is willing to part with his powers even after he is asked whether he is sure. Is comic book Superman also that impulsive? I highly doubt it. And why did he have to give up his powers? No explanation is given. Although there are theories where it is explained that having sex with Superman could be a dangerous affair.
While admirable, his sacrifice doesn't last long when he finally realizes what he has given up. I am glad that he came to his senses. Although, I would like to argue that the whole love story is immensely weak. Then again, the same can be said of General Zod and his quest for revenge. Lex Luthor points this out several times and god, bless him for that since that is exactly what I was thinking. These people discover they have immense powers, and what do they focus on? To hunt for the son of Jor-El who had jailed them. Surely, they could have done better things? Speaking of Lex Luthor. It's one of the early examples where both Superman and Lex kind of work together to defeat the bigger evil. Pretty stellar acting on the part of Gene Hackman.
Overall, Superman II is a very pleasurable viewing experience with some pacing issues, but for me is a better film than the original. Especially, the 4K version. The image looks real crisp and while the colours don't pop that much, they do look real good, like for example in the finale, where some neon signs are featured. The sound is solid.
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