This movie is a better version than the Richard Lester version. It fits better into Superman Returns and sets it up well. The scenes that were added were well worth it and made more sense. So if you like Superman you should get this.
Just as good as Lester version and in some scenes much, much better. For instance the destruction of The Phantom Zone releasing Zod, Ursa and Non and the absence of the plastic incasing S icon that Superman throws from his chest.
Also the siege of The White House was much better than the rushed cut-up one in the Lester version. I thought the scene in the very beginning where Lois is suspicious about Clack Kent being Superman was done much better as well as the way she really finds out. Superman: "You realize of course if you'd been wrong, Clark Kent would have been killed" Lois: "With Blanks?"
DOH!
One big problem with this version was the final scene after Superman turns back time. The diner scene at the end. This was stupid as he turned back time and that scene made no sense.
Every bit as good as the original, though because Donner directed both the first and second ones it's intended as one movie. Watching both, you can really tell the difference in quality. Apparently Richard Lester was just a pawn to finish the film the producers' way and it's noticeable. Donner wants nothing less than the best - his way - and he gets it done here. One of the best superhero movies made, but let's forget about 3 and 4, shall we?
Richard Donner got to remake this DVD version of the flick, but some of the effects are cribbed from the other movies to fix it.Confusing ending, but otherwise a good sequel to the original. Get both this and the original part 2.
Following the death of Christopher Reeve, this film was remade to include the original vision of director Richard Donner. Lester's mildly entertaining sequel (released in '81) is improved while adding more scenes for seamless continuity. The humour, character development and action scenes all pack darkly-themed excitement. While many of the scenes were originally filmed by Lester, Donner's cut includes better action, additional workprints, and scaled special effects. Although the executive producers of Cannon Films (Salkinds) turned the next 2 'Superman' films (III & IV) into weaker-budgeted farcical failures, Bryan Singer's 'Superman Returns' continues where this film concludes. Watch this revision to fully appreciate the brilliant veteran acting talents of Reeve and Brando. If you believe that this film franchise is terribly weak, you ought to watch both Donner films followed by Singer's most recent and upcoming features. You'll be pleasantly surprised.
its very sweet- but as a movie- it doesnt really work that well- as much as id like to prefer the donner cut- i really prefer the original superman II- its my favorite superhero film of all time
A bit jarring because of the editing of this particular cut, but still a great movie. Some of the confounding plot points made absolute sense in this version.
It's a dream come true! The return of the true director of Superman movies to show us how he could do the sequel if the producers would let him at that moment. For me, it's now the only real sequel for the first movie.
I wish I had time to watch every movie out there but since I don't I have to be picky about what I choose to watch. This one didn't make the cut because I don't think I'll like it or don't know enough about it to think I might like it.
Superman 2 is the ultimate superheroe film but boy oh boy if donners cut had been released in theathers it would have been amazing, its actually better than the original theatrical release, its like watching a wholel new movie, ally a pity that producers decided against it, but i guess it all worked out in the end cuz now we have two superman II's
Originally, when Superman was being made, Richard Donner was directing the first 2 movies back to back. Sometime along the way of putting number two together, the studios fired Donner, despite having already shot 80% of the film, and put in director Richard Lester in his place. Having said that, what were they thinking,
I like the theatrical cut of Superman II, but having seen this version its strange that producers opted not to stick with the vision Donner had in mind.
This version is very different from the theatrical cut and almost a different movie all together. Culled from nearly lost footage deep within the archives, this is Donner's true vision of Superman 2 and it is equal to the first and in some ways better.
The story continues right from where the original leaves off with changes that make more sense. General Zod (Terrence Stamp) and his lackies who imprisoned in space are released prompting there trip to earth to cause some harm.
Meanwhile, Clark and Lois continue there daily lives at the Daily Planet, with Lois growing suspicious of the similarities between Clark and Superman. This eventually leads to a tough choice needed to be made by Superman.
You also have Lex Luthor (Gene Hackman) still up to his zany schemes as well.
Gone are the campy jokes and scenes, no random powers (memory kisses, silifane Ss) no goofy scenes for the sake of being goofy. This movie is darker in essential spots, giving more context to the problems Superman faces and makes more of a menace of uber powerful General Zod and his cronies.
Christopher Reeve shows how good of an actor he can be dealing with his struggle between being a super man and being human.
A new introduction and a new ending, mixed with new scenes throughout, including more Marlon Brando as Jor-El, make this is the superior version of Superman 2 that deserves to be seen.
Note: Due to the fact that this cut is made from the old footage found and the fact that Donner didn't get to really complete his full vision back in the day, there are some minor ways in which it doesn't work completely out of context, but suffice it to say, if Donner had his way, these first two Superman movies would basically work as one great epic five hour movie.
Clark Kent: [after having been shot by Lois] You realize that if you had been wrong, Clark Kent would be dead. Lois Lane: Right. With a blank?
I don't know about this one definitely not on par with the first two, Half of the movie revolves around Gus Gorman (Richard Pryor!), a dim-witted computer programmer who becomes involved in crime when he begins working for millionaire Ross Webster (Robert Vaughn). The other half of the film revolves around Superman (Christopher Reeve), as he is reunited with high school sweetheart Lana Lang (Annette O'Toole) and becomes evil when exposed to synthetic kryptonite. One can't help but wonder what David and Leslie Newman, who co-wrote the previous two SUPERMAN films, were thinking when they wrote this film. It opens with a cringe-worthy slapstick sequence, and gets worse from there. Any and all scenes involving Richard Pryor are completely out of place in this film, making it seem more like an unfunny comedy than a superhero film.
It is better than the original Richard Lester cut but it's hardly a flawless film. This version feels less comedic and the additional scenes are welcomed, although some suffered to bad editing and cheap SFX (not Donner's fault since he was not present in most of the restoration process). I'm hoping WB will one day produce an 'ultimate cut' of some kind to fix the error.
Superman 2 is one of the best superhero films of all time. That being said, this Donner Cut is interesting to see as a curiosity, but the theatrical version is still far superior. Not worth a purchase on its own, as this alternate version should have just been an extra in a 2-disc edition of the film.
This movie does what I thought was impossible...improves on what I already thought was a perfect movie. Gone are most of the Richard Lester humor that put a slight doofus spin on the villains. Gone is the "memory kiss". Gone are the French terrorists and the Eifel Tower. What we have now is a movie that flows directly with the original film. A few changes and additional shots to the Battle Of Metropolis make that sequence even better. The new ending changes things a bit, and asks you to forget that Superman spun time backward in the previous film. If I have one complaint it is this...at the onset of the Battle Of Metropolis, Superman announces his arrival by issuing the challenge, "General, would you care to step outside?" For reasons I can't fathom, that line has been replaced with, "General, haven't you ever heard of freedom of the press?" That's more a sad attempt at humor than a challenge to the enemy. But that aside, this version of the film now rates for me as the greatest superhero movie of all time.
MCT:September 11, 2008
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