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When Superman rescues the Eiffel Tower from a terrorist attack, he inadvertantly unleashes three super-powered fugitives from their Kryptonian Phantom Zone prison. While they discover their newfound powers, Clark Kent considers giving up his own for the woman he loves.
"Superman II" experienced a fair amount of production difficulties - many of the scenes were to appear in the first movie, but were cut and rearranged for the sequel. Core scenes with Marlon Brando had to be removed due to legal restrictions. Meanwhile, the director was waging war with the studio and was eventually replaced.
So it's quite a surprise that the finished product is as effective as it is. Much of the credit for this has to go to the cast, who manage once again to bring life to the comic book cut-out characters of Clark, Lois, and Lex Luthor.
Christopher Reeve brings Superman's heroism and good nature to the fore as he battles with his desire to have a normal relationship with Lois, and with the potential consequences of giving up his abilities. But substantial credit should also go to Terence Stamp's casually menacing General Zod, who transcends his terrible costume and make-up to appear a convincing threat.
The film's message may be a clichΓ©d staple of comic books - with great power comes great responsibility - but it's handled with sincerity and skill. So much so that even Richard Lester's lapses into camp humour and cheesy patriotism doesn't derail the feel-good adventure fun.
Read reviews of "Superman: The Movie", "Superman III", and "Superman IV: The Quest for Peace".
