Superman 2 - The Donner Cut

Richard Donner was fired off of Superman 2 with Marlon Brando to save money for the producers. He had already shot the majority of Superman 2 simultaneously with Superman (1). Since a director must shoot a certain portion of the movie to receive a directorial credit, many of the scenes were reshot by the replacement director Richard Lester. Due to internet demand, the original Donner material was found in the vault and reconstructed with Donner's assistance. Parts of the movie are greatly improved, including the removal of some of the unfunny "comedic" elements that made the villains less threatening. The inclusion of Brando in this cut is a plus (of course) and this makes the father-son theme throughout the first movie more resonant. Lois Lane is smarter in this cut and that also helps. The main problem with this cut is that the ending makes absolutely no sense.

The main problem with all of the Superman movies is Superman. Why exactly is he not Superman all the time? Why even bother with becoming Clark Kent? To fit in? To conform? A dubious message to the kids. Hide your talents unless someone's life depends on it.

But it's hard not to like Gene Hackman enjoying himself as Lex Luthor as well as the supporting performances of Ned Beatty, Marlon Brando, et al. Christopher Reeve and Margot Kidder also work well together and are better here (and the original Superman) than they ever were anywhere else. B