SUPERMAN II: THE RICHARD DONNER CUT Movie Reaction! | First Time Watch! | Christopher Reeve
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Quick Read
Summary
Takeaways
- ❖The Richard Donner cut is widely preferred by fans for its narrative integrity and character depth.
- ❖Marlon Brando's extended role as Jor-El provides crucial guidance and emotional weight to Superman's journey.
- ❖The Kryptonian villains (General Zod, Ursa, Non) are highly effective, balancing intimidation with a childlike ignorance of Earth.
- ❖Lois Lane's method of deducing Superman's identity is highlighted as a clever, character-driven plot point.
- ❖Superman's decision to temporarily abandon his powers for Lois is a central emotional conflict, though its resolution feels somewhat rushed.
- ❖The film's special effects, even with 2006 CGI additions, are impressive for their era, especially during the climactic battles.
Insights
1Jor-El's Restored Role Enhances Narrative Depth
The Richard Donner cut significantly benefits from the re-inclusion of Marlon Brando's scenes as Jor-El. His presence provides a moral compass and a deeper emotional connection for Superman, particularly when discussing the consequences of his powers and his potential love for a human. This contrasts with the theatrical cut, where Jor-El's role was minimized.
The hosts note the return to Krypton and Jor-El's dialogue about the villains and Superman's destiny, emphasizing how his advice shapes Superman's choices. (, , )
2Villains Balance Intimidation with Naivete
General Zod, Ursa, and Non are praised for their compelling performances. They are genuinely intimidating due to their identical powers to Superman, but their ignorance of Earth's customs and human fragility adds a layer of unexpected humor and vulnerability, making them more dynamic antagonists.
The hosts discuss Zod's 'Shakespearean' demeanor and Ursa's 'fierce' presence, alongside their confusion over basic Earth objects like ladders and their casual destruction of landmarks. (, , , )
3Lois Lane's Sharp Deduction and Superman's Sacrifice
Lois Lane's realization of Clark Kent's true identity is portrayed as a testament to her journalistic skills and intuition, rather than a simple reveal. Superman's subsequent choice to become human for her highlights his internal conflict between duty and personal desire, even if the emotional arc feels somewhat condensed.
Lois's 'draw glasses on him' moment and her daring jump at Niagara Falls to force Superman's hand are cited as key examples of her intelligence. The hosts express mixed feelings about the speed of Superman's decision to give up his powers. (, , , )
4Lex Luthor's Underutilized Role
While Lex Luthor remains a key antagonist, his role in the Donner cut of 'Superman II' is perceived as less central than in the first film. He primarily serves as a plot device to connect General Zod with Superman, rather than being the primary mastermind, which the hosts felt was a missed opportunity for deeper manipulation.
The hosts comment that Lex Luthor 'just kind of rolled up and was like I'll give you Superman' and that his 'uselessness' to the Kryptonians was highlighted. (, )
5Thematic Depth of Superman's Dilemma
The film explores Superman's struggle between his alien heritage and his human attachments. His father's warnings about abandoning humanity for selfish pursuits and Superman's eventual return to his powers after experiencing human vulnerability underscore a core theme of sacrifice and responsibility, which the hosts compare to more modern superhero narratives.
Discussion around Jor-El's admonition 'You cannot serve humanity by investing your time and emotion in one human' and Superman's 'teenage dilemma' of wanting both love and power. (, )
Notable Moments
The hosts react to the opening scene establishing General Zod and his cohorts' banishment to the Phantom Zone, appreciating the direct continuation from the first film.
This sets up the primary conflict and highlights the Donner cut's narrative coherence by re-incorporating footage intended for the original 'Superman' film.
Lois Lane's ingenious method of confirming Clark Kent is Superman by drawing glasses on a photo and then faking her own death at Niagara Falls.
This moment is praised for showcasing Lois's intelligence and determination, making her a more active and less passive character in discovering Superman's secret identity.
Superman's decision to give up his powers in the Fortress of Solitude to live a normal life with Lois, and the subsequent loss of the Fortress itself.
This is a pivotal emotional turning point, demonstrating Superman's deep love for Lois and the profound sacrifice he is willing to make, setting up his vulnerability when Zod arrives.
The Kryptonian villains' arrival on Earth and their initial, almost childlike, exploration of their powers, contrasted with their casual destruction of landmarks like the Washington Monument.
This sequence effectively establishes their immense power and ruthless nature, while also injecting a dark humor into their ignorance of human society.
The climactic battle between Superman and General Zod's forces in Metropolis, particularly the use of everyday objects and environmental destruction.
The hosts appreciate the scale of the destruction and Superman's constant effort to minimize civilian casualties, which highlights his core compassion compared to the villains' disregard for life.
Superman's clever trick to depower the villains in the Fortress of Solitude, reversing the red sun chamber on them.
This moment showcases Superman's strategic intelligence and resourcefulness, proving he can defeat his enemies not just through brute force but also through cunning.
The ending where Superman uses his super-kiss to make Lois forget his secret identity, effectively resetting their relationship.
The hosts debate the implications of this action, acknowledging it as a way to protect Lois but also as a bittersweet resolution that sacrifices their shared intimacy for the greater good.
Quotes
"The reason why Superman can fly is because of our gravity compared to the gravity on the planet that he has evolved to live on. So basically, it makes it so he can just like launch himself. So that means that theoretically all Kryptonians are capable of the same abilities on Earth because they're all physically similar to Superman."
"Wow. The resemblance is uncanny. Amusing, huh? Nice try. You should do political cartoons. Yep. Broad shoulders. Oh, thanks. What? Please here. Oh, thanks. Got to give you credit. You really had me fooled. And I'm nobody's fool."
"You cannot serve humanity by investing your time and emotion in one human. It would make you weak."
"I mean, I held up my end. I delivered to the blue boy. Australia. Give me Australia. Thank you very much. Please. Ow. Neil. Neil. That kind of stuff closes out of town. I feel like maybe you don't want Australia, though."
"I think the first one, it like is always going to hold a special place in my heart for now, but this one was a lot of fun and I liked it a lot. And um honestly, you can't really tell that there were like additional edits that used, there were some moments. There were some moments like the CGI missile and stuff like that was really obvious."
"I will say I think the newest Superman handled the whole like trying to be human in a relationship but I'm not thing in a fuller more well-rounded way. Like this one did a really good job of kind of showing that that is something that Superman could grapple with. But I agree. I feel like we didn't spend enough time with it."
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