I Watch Films: Superman II

 

Superman II

Terrorists put a nuclear bomb on the Eiffel Tower; Lois Lane in Paris for some reasons sneaks in there. When Clark Kent hears about it he changes into his alter ego Superman, and flies there, rescues Lois and sends the bomb into orbit to explode safely.

Safely? Apparently not. The Phantom Zone is passing by and three Kryptonians, General Zod, Ursa and Non, who were imprisoned there (see Superman) are released. They discover that as they make their way towards Earth and the Sun they gain super powers.

Clark and Lois have been sent to the Niagara Falls to do a story on honeymooning couples being ripped off. When a boy falls in Superman rescues him, but Lois realises Clark is never there when Superman is. She jumps into the river to try and expose him, but he’s able to save her without breaking his cover. That night he falls into the fire and doesn’t burn himself and admits he’s Superman; they fly to the Arctic and his fortress of solitude. He explains what’s up and talks to his holographic Mum, who warns him that he can only be with a human if he gives up his powers. He goes into the de-superpowering booth and leaves reduced to normal human abilities.

Meanwhile Zod and his two companions arrive on the moon, where American astronauts are doing space science, and cause havoc (in an amusing bit as the astronauts keep calling the Johnson Space Center by it’s callsign (and location) Houston, they decide the planet must be called Houston). Then they land on Earth, declare themselves in charge, fight the army, head for the White House and take over.

Lois and Clark are still up in the Arctic, it’s a long hard way back with no powers.

Lex Luthor escapes from prison in a hot air balloon, tracks down the Fortress Of Solitude. He learns many Kryptonian secrets. With them he goes to the White House and offers his services to Zod, who is bored for a lack of challenge and wants to know who this Superman is everyone is talking about, and why he’s not there. Clark get beaten up in a diner, then they see on the TV that Zod has taken over the world, and he resolves to get his powers back.

SPOILERS PARAGRAPH In the end Superman put’s things back to the status quo. He mind-wipes Lois, he puts the flag back on the White House. (He doesn’t return Lex to prison in this one, unlike the first, where he jovially tells the warden that “we’re on the same team.”) No, he can’t interfere in human history, he can’t even get involved with a human. (However see Superman III, Superman IV: The Quest For Peace and/or Superman Returns for alternative opinions; reviews forthcoming).

Very much a continuation of Superman, the two films work best together. Superman comes to Earth, appoints himself it’s guardian. Decides to give it up for love, only to realise this is the wrong choice. The film still loves to linger on things, Superman flying, looking out at the Niagara Falls, getting the most out of the Moon set, and especially the Fortress Of Solitude. And I’ve not mentioned the Daily Planet offices, where they spend a fair amount of time. The joke that Lois can’t spell comes up again. Good for her becoming a dyslexic star print journalist. Old-fashioned of course. Superman explicitly outwits his enemies. Something to be said for that.

Watch This: Excellent second film, with an iconic Terrence Stamp as General Zod
Don’t Watch This: Superman gives up his powers for love, immediately decides to get them back, does, it’s all a bit lightweight