Reviews: DVD

Superman II

Directed by Richard Lester, starring Christopher Reeve, Gene Hackman

Christopher Reeve may have been typecast during his career but the same fate certainly did not fall upon Terence Stamp. Yes, the guy who here plays the Krypton criminal General Zod is the same actor who donned a frock in Priscilla: Queen of the Desert. And it's his turn as the malevolent leader of three intergalactic villains that gives this sequel its teeth. Zod is a nasty piece of work with the sole ambition of snapping the Man of Steel.

Meanwhile, he who wears red undies over the top of blue tights is having his own personal dramas. He's got girl troubles and that girl is the fractious Lois Lane (Margot Kidder). If he's not busy pulling her from certain death on the Eiffel Tower, he's giving up his powers just to roll in the hay with her. With the world subject to General Zod's iron fist, what price will the human race pay for Superman's fling?

This is a marvellously tacky addition to a series that unfortunately began to sag soon after. Reeve embodies the lead role and Gene Hackman whoops it up as the diabolical Lex Luthor.

Ben Davey

(China Daily 04/17/2007 page20)