NUCLEAR POWER. IN THE BEST HANDS, IT IS DANGEROUS. IN THE HANDS OF LEX LUTHOR, IT IS PURE EVIL. THIS IS SUPERMAN’S GREATEST BATTLE. AND IT IS FOR ALL OF US. 

Lex Luthor (Gene Hackman) escapes from prison and creates a powerful new enemy for Superman (Christopher Reeve) with a little help from Superman’s hair, a nuclear missile – and the sun.

An embarrassing sequel throughout, its tight budget resulting in awfully cheap-looking special effects and several scenes where they couldn’t afford to give us a money shot.

The cast tries hard, and the story has laudable ambitions, but turns downright laughable, especially everything that has to do with Luthor’s Nuclear Man.

1987-U.S. 90 min. Color. Widescreen. Directed by Sidney J. Furie. Story: Christopher Reeve, Lawrence Konner, Mark Rosenthal. Cast: Christopher Reeve (Clark Kent/Superman), Gene Hackman (Lex Luthor), Jackie Cooper (Perry White), Marc McClure, Jon Cryer, Sam Wanamaker, Mariel Hemingway, Margot Kidder, Jim Broadbent. Voice of Susannah York.

Trivia: Wes Craven was first hired as director; Richard Donner and Ron Howard were also considered.