‎Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut (2006) directed by Richard Donner, Richard Lester • Reviews, film + cast • Letterboxd

Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut

2006 Directed by Richard Donner, Richard Lester

The Version You Have Never Seen

Kryptonian villain General Zod (Terence Stamp) and his henchmen are accidentally freed from their outer-space imprisonment and threaten Earth with destruction, just as Superman (Christopher Reeve) decides to renounce his superpowers for his new love, Lois Lane (Margot Kidder). This alternate version of the film is based on footage shot by director Richard Donner before being replaced on the project, and it includes material not seen in the film's original 1980 release.

Christopher Reeve Gene Hackman Marlon Brando Margot Kidder Ned Beatty Jackie Cooper Sarah Douglas Jack O'Halloran Valerie Perrine Clifton James Marc McClure E.G. Marshall Terence Stamp John Ratzenberger Angus MacInnes Eugene Lipinski

116 mins More details at IMDb TMDb Report this film

Popular reviews

Review by Gabe☆Danvers ★★★★½ 1

This review may contain spoilers. I can handle the truth.

83/100

So Superman straight up MURDERS Zod and his goons after taking away their powers - meaning they weren't a threat to anyone anymore and he could've easily just imprisoned them, but he still kills them -, but HEY he Deus Ex Machinas back in time by spinning the Earth backwards so they're not dead anymore so that's totally okay.

BUT WHEN SNYDER'S SUPERMAN KILLS ZOD AS HIS VERY LAST EFFORT TO SAVE AN INNOCENT FAMILY FROM BEING MURDERED BY HIM EVERYONE LOSES THEIR MINDS!!!!!!!!!!!
Review by Swartacus ★★★★★

There is no greater cinematic superhero foil than Terrance Stamp's Zod. He toys with cosmonauts on the moon, he walks on water, he maniacally fires machine guns like Tony Montana in Scarface...

Most importantly, he owns the film using only one line of dialogue.

Sample dialogue from film...
To Marlon Brando: "Your heirs will KNEEL BEFORE ZOD"
To East Houston, Idaho: "You will all KNEEL BEFORE ZOD."
To TV reporter: "You will KNEEL BEFORE ZO- wait please keep rolling so you can tell ALL of planet Houston to KNEEL BEFORE ZOD!"
To President of USA: "KNEEL BEFORE ZOD...wait what...who is this super MAN and why isn't he KNEELING!
To LEX LUTHOR: LEX LUTHOR you...will...FLY UPON MY BACK to the fortress…
Review by James ★★★½

A great follow up to the original game changing superhero smash hit. I debated whether to watch the original theatrical cut or this restored vision supervised by original director Richard Donner that utilises test footage and unused scenes to recreate a film closer to what was intended. Having not seen the original version I can't compare them yet but if this had made its into cinemas in 1980 I'd have been very happy.

It was shot back to back with Superman so very much picks up where the last one left off, with a similar lighthearted tone, great cast of characters and entertaining action sequences. It's a pleasure to have Gene Hackman and Ned Beatty return for some comedic bad…
Review by Chance ★★★½

As Originally Conceived and Intended

The travesty that marred Zack Snyder's Justice League wasn't the first time a director's vision for Superman was completely chopped to bits. Back in 1978, Richard Donner conceived an idea for two Superman films, both of which were filmed consecutively. Donner already had over 70 percent of Superman II filmed when he got canned by the producers, and in the end, most of that percentage was completely re-tooled and re-shot by Richard Lester. Such a familiar blunder, right? Well, nearly thirty years later, Warner Brothers was able to find the footage Donner had completed and allowed him to reconstruct Superman II to match his original vision. Now, this isn't some minor change to Superman II,…
Review by Christopher Lutz ★★★★ 1

Watched this back to back with the first film and what a great experience it was. My only complaint (and it's a minor one) is the choppy editing towards the middle of the film. The addition of alternate footage is obvious in places, but it doesn't matter because of the vast improvements to the story. I particularly enjoy the new way Lois proves Clark is Superman despite the fact it's a screen test. Several moments played just for laughs (that don't work) are removed, the story is streamlined, and it's made more believable and powerful. Better than the theatrical cut in every way.
Review by Michael Bennett

Having seen and loved Richard Donner’s original take on the Superman story, I desperately longed for another movie that could match it in scope and tone. I saw that the second Superman film was directed by some other guy, and had little interest. Then, by some happy accident, as I was surfing through DVD.com, I came across this version. It’s everything I could’ve asked for— a continuation of the first in the same goofy all-American spirit, featuring a more fleshed-out romance and some really funny moments. I’m sure I’ll seek out the theatrical release eventually, but I’m not sure it could compare to this. Even in its obvious incompleteness (due to Donner’s original project being taken over by the new director), Richard Donner’s Superman II soars above and beyond most of the superhero movies I’ve seen all my life.

Recent reviews

Review by páll kristinn jakobsson ★★★★

This is the first time I've watched Superman II, I never really liked Superman: The Movie as a kid and a teenager so I never bothered with the sequels, but after rewatching the original and really enjoying it I finally decided to give the sequel a chance and thought that watching the Donner cut first might be interesting, and after watching it I am actually kind of sad that I didn't watch this film sooner because it's actually pretty awesome.
The story is really interesting and much darker than the first one, the structure and pacing in the first 40 minutes are a bit off, some scenes go for way too long while others feel way too short, and the…
Review by theswordthatwas ★★

I didn't really get this movie. I found the humor, effects, acting, script and Deus Ex Machina ending all a bit naff. +1.5 points for some goofy humor and good Jor-El scenes.
Review by Luis_989 ★★★

65/100

I bought it last monday only 2 bucks. I was very interested in watching it. I liked it but didn't change any substantial elements of my opinion about this film in general.

It's a good option but nothing really special either.
Review by Henry Confidential ★★★

This makes me want to drop Superman a little now. This is 10 times better than the first one and still even not that great. Other than pure evil to be evil, Zod and his goons are just robotic bad guys. Lex Luther is practically a cartoon. I wouldn’t judge the wires and green screen if it didn’t rely on it so much. I actually really liked the relationship between Lois and Clark and her assumptions about him....

Oh wait, I started writing this too soon. He just reversed time again.... oof.
Review by Diego ★★★½

Peli 20

Es difícil juzgar una peli que es solo una aproximación a lo que estaba originalmente planeado y cuya hipotética existencia, además, se daría si la primera peli hubiese terminado de otra forma, dejando el viaje en el tiempo para esta secuela, como digo, hipotética.

Dicho todo eso, en su mayor parte me ha gustado bastante. Se profundiza en la relación entre Clark y Lois, dejando momentos estupendos. Me creo su romance al 100%, la forma en que Lois finalmente sonsaca a Clark su identidad secreta, y que Clark renuncie a sus poderes a cambio de una felicidad humana tan merecida como, en cierto modo, egoísta. Quizá la peli es un poco acelerada, pero me llega totalmente. Clark se…
Review by Ceres Miranda ★★★

Versão retalhada com a inserção de cenas pré-filmadas durante a produção do primeiro longa, que faziam parte do projeto inicial mas foram reservadas para uma continuação. Como algumas das ideias acabaram sendo aproveitadas já no primeiro filme, esta versão, apesar de ter cenas mais inventivas e um roteiro mais conectado e orgânico, não se sustentaria como uma sequência oficial, interessando apenas por mera curiosidade, pois, mesmo que não houvesse a troca de diretor, várias cenas precisariam ser refilmadas, inclusive fazer um final diferente. Com a utilização de muito material que aparece na versão final de Richard Lester (o diretor substituto), também fica difícil saber sua autoria real, alimentando ainda mais as especulações sobre a produção tumultuada que acabou chegando às telas de cinema.
Review by Tommy ★★★★½

This review may contain spoilers. I can handle the truth.

Superman: The Movie is one of my favorite movies, and while I enjoy Superman 2, it felt a lot more tonally confused, and the plot didn't feel as cohesive as it should of, likely because it was essentially directed by two people with different visions for the movie. This movie is more of less how Richard Donner's envisioned Superman 2, and it's much better than the theatrical cut. The plot feels more focused, with less unnecessary detours (like the Paris scene), the tone is much more consistent (and actually pretty dark), and the editing is much better, leading to this feeling like a much more cohesive experience. There's less dumb slapstick here, and more of thedrama that made the original…
Review by tobonics ★★★★½

In my headcanon, Zod is being punished for his actions in Pier Paolo Pasolini's Teorema.
Review by Derick Armijo ★★★½

There’s some dumb plot stuff that unfortunately you can not Richard Donner cut your way out of. But man, even the audition footage they had to use for scenes they never shot sizzles. And great editing minimizes the stupid Lester footage and even builds legitimate tension. They couldn’t keep that roller skater out, though. The Salkinds were very dumb to edge Donner out. SUPERMAN IV would have had Superman and Bibbo fighting Jet Li together.