Superman 2 (1980)

 

It is hard for a sequel to follow such a masterpiece as Superman The Movie (1978). This sequel does a remarkable job of following that classic. 

This movie picks up exactly where the last film left off. The three Kryptonian criminals that were banished at the start of the last movie, escape and find themselves on Earth with the same powers as Superman. They soon set their eyes on conquering Earth. At the same time, Lois Lane finds out that Superman and Clark Kent are the same person. As the two fall in love, Clark thinks about giving up his powers so that they could be together. Meanwhile, Lex Luthor escapes from prison and plans his revenge against Superman. 

Though this sequel lacks the sheer awe and wonder of the first film, it succeeds very well in other areas. The three Kryptonian villains are wonderful. Not only do they provide Superman with a truly believable threat, but they also work very well as characters. Each has their own individual personality. While these personalities may not be complex, they help them stand out from each other and not just feel like evil copies of Superman. Great performances from Terence Stamp, Sarah Douglas and Jack O'Halloran give these characters a larger than life feel. Having three villains with the powers of Superman helps give this movie a real sense of suspense. Though the special effects may be dated, this gives the two big action scenes a real sense of excitement. This movie also creates a strong emotional connection with its audience. Out of all the live action Superman movies, this film does the best job at conveying the romance between Clark and Lois. The relationship between the two feels very touching and believable. There are some very lovely moments between the two and a scene towards the end is very moving. That he is willing to make such a big sacrifice for her makes this romance all the more lovely and touching. The film also benefits from a great sense of humor and a charm that comes from it embracing its comic origins. 

With the troubled production of this film, it is truly amazing that it works as well as it does. Producers Alex and Ilya Salkind knew with the success of the first movie that they wanted to make multiple sequels. In fact, this first sequel was planned while the first movie was already being made. Parts of this film were even being filmed alongside the first. However, how much was shot this way, has been very much debated. There was also already much of a script written by Mario Puzo, David Newman and Leslie Newman, who had written the script for the first movie. Richard Donner, the director of the first film, began directing the filming for this sequel. However he would be replaced by Richard Lester, best known at this time for directing the Beatles films, A Hard Day's Night (1964) and Help (1965) as well as The Three Musketeers (1973). About this change Richard Donner stated, "My feeling at the time was that if the first picture had been a failure, the Salkinds would have demanded that I come back for the second. Since it was a success, they felt they could make the second one without me. One day I got a telegram from them saying that my services were no longer needed and that my dear close friend Richard Lester would take over." Ilya Salkind remembered it differently stating, "Dick Donner said, 'I will do the second movie on my own terms and without [Pierre] Spengler [another producer].' Spengler was my friend since childhood and my father and I were very loyal guys. We said no, and it really boiled down to that." Superman actor Christopher Reeve stated, "The mind boggles at the prospect of doing it with someone else, because Dick was so marvelous to work with." Lois Lane actress Margot Kidder was much blunter and to the point. Not only did she speak out against this change, but she would even tell People magazine that "if I think someone is an amoral asshole I say so." Not surprisingly her character would receive much less screentime in the third film. Lester had been brought in towards the end of production on the first film at first believing that he was there to act as an intermediary between Richard Donner and the producers but eventually learning what the true purpose was. 

One actor who did not return for this sequel was Marlon Brando as Jor-El. He had wanted more money than the studio was willing to pay him and the scenes that were to involve him were reshot with Susannah York as Superman's mother instead. 

The movie was a massive box office success. It broke box office records with an opening day gross of $4.3 million. The next day it grossed $5.5 million, the highest single day for a movie at the box office at that time. The film also received the highest grossing weekend up to this time with $14.1 million. The critics were split on this film. Some felt that it had surpassed the original while others felt that it couldn't live up to the original's magic. 

Resources Used

Superman: The High-Flying History of America's Most Enduring Hero by Larry Tye.