Our sequel is primarily concerned with Zod's hateful urge for revenge on Jor-El. The beauty of it all is that we already know this thanks to the original. Vendetta isn't just the purview of the Mafia but it helps when the ideas are Mario Puzo's.
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| Zod's Night Off |
Hang on a minute. Zod has been floating through space in the time it's taken Kal-El to grow up. Is Zod aware that Krypton is no more and Jor-El gone with it? I suppose there'll be a handily placed crystal to help answer such questions.
We are forced to remember Zod et al from Superman due to the jarring introduction to Superman II. The opening credits are essentially a highlights package from 1978 with a brass introduction. It's absolutely ages before that swoosh of Alexander Salkind Presents and still no top billing for Christopher Reeve.
Reeve builds on his Woody Allen impression whilst Kidder has gone all gung ho in Paris. The Inspector Clouseau theatrics are all a set up for an inadvertent jailbreak just off the dark side of the Moon. It seems that the Kryptonian prison of choice, The Phantom Zone, is a bit fragile near nuclear events. Given that stars are basically supermassive nuclear reactors and The Phantom Zone floats through space this is a shocking design flaw. Brando may not be on screen but Jor-El's presence is definitely felt. That aside, Zod, Ursa and Non's lunar trip is a masterpiece (CLIFF CLAVIN!). It seems that Kryptonians don't need to breath oxygen which is at odds to Superman's almost drowning in Superman and the big suffocating bubble in Superman III. Oh, alright, I won't nitpick but I will point out that The Phantom Zone made more noise than the Death Star blowing up.
Lois' suspecting Clark of being Superman is paced wonderfully and the false reveal at Niagara Falls is excellent before Clark's clumsiness around the fireplace ultimately reveals him as the Man of Steel. It's just slightly surprising that Superman had to save a child and not The Liability Formerly Known As Jimmy Olsen. Once again the sheer amount of soft focus seems to affect Lois Lane's thought process. Either that or all those hot dogs have gone to her head.
Once Clark is demasked his and Lois' relationship fully forms and it's now that you see that Tarantino was right when he used Bill for his painful exposition of Superman's myth:
'Now, a staple of the superhero mythology is, there’s the superhero and there’s the alter ego. Batman is actually Bruce Wayne, Spider-Man is actually Peter Parker. When that character wakes up in the morning, he’s Peter Parker. He has to put on a costume to become Spider-Man. And it is in that characteristic Superman stands alone. Superman didn’t become Superman. Superman was born Superman. When Superman wakes up in the morning, he’s Superman. His alter ego is Clark Kent. His outfit with the big red “S”, that’s the blanket he was wrapped in as a baby when the Kents found him. Those are his clothes. What Kent wears - the glasses, the business suit - that’s the costume. That’s the costume Superman wears to blend in with us. Clark Kent is how Superman views us. And what are the characteristics of Clark Kent. He’s weak… he’s unsure of himself… he’s a coward. Clark Kent is Superman’s critique on the whole human race. Sorta like Beatrix Kiddo and Mrs. Tommy Plimpton.'
What we're not ready for is Superman to make such a big sacrifice and, quite bizarrely, become a human by way of a crystal box. Superman taking Lois to the Fortress of Solitude will be echoed in later superhero films, it's almost inevitable that Vicki Vale will find The Batcave in 1989.
All the while another strand of revenge is forming. Lex Luthor has escaped from his jail and is pursuing the secrets behind Superman, hoping to uncover something a little stronger than kryptonite. Luthor begins scheming as he uncovers the relationship between Superman and the soon to be famous General Zod.
I'll ignore the Christian references as Zod rolls into East Houston, Idaho and Sheriff J W Pepper en route to The White House. Superman is now in a quandary, having given away his powers and getting bitchslapped by trailer trash he realises that Zod will destroy the human race unless he does something. Luckily, conveniently and inexplicable easily he becomes Kryptonian again and we're all set for the Battle of Metropolis sponsored by Marlboro.
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| Superman is bad for smoking |
In the '70s and '80s smoking was still sexy,
how else would such product placement happen? The Marlboro van crumpling under Kryptonian is more glaring than the exploding Coca Cola sign. If any of this looks familiar it's probably because Joss Whedon ripped it off for The Battle of New York in
Avengers Assemble and the uncanny simliarities within The Matrix trilogy. It seems Hollywood is doing its best to eat itself.
In a seemingly French moment Superman retreats to his North Pole hideaway pursued by the Phantom Zone inmates with Luthor and Lane in tow. A classic double double bluff sees Zod dealt with but not before one of the strangest things you'll ever see.
The cellophane S attack is bonkers. After holograms and heat rays comes this. It doesn't even do anything except leave you scratching your head. Despite this Zod meets with an unsatisfactory misty end and Luthor is returned to custody. All that's left is to sort out the now, apparently messy, love story. It seems that Lois Lane is a bit selfish and doesn't want to share Superman with his planet saving duties. It begs the question: 'what did she expect?' Rather than a messy breakup and a potential expose in the Daily Planet Superman comes up with yet another bonkers turn. the Rohypnol Kiss wipes Lois' memory and all is good again. Our ultimate boy scout has gone a bit rapey to keep things 'normal.' There's only one solution to this ethical problem and that's a scheming businessman and a self aware computer but that's next time when Superman a meets crap Eastenders villain in 1983.
One last thing.....whilst everyone kneels before Zod it's worth noting that Bill Cosby doesn't.
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