Terrence Stamp's performance in Superman II as General Zod is a reminder of the missed opportunity that was Michael Shannon's effort in the same role in Man of Steel. Admittedly this is partly down to Man of Steel writer David S. Goyer's subtle changes to the character, in which Zod's fanatical desire to save the Kryptonian race is emphasized over Stamp's incarnation, a more megalomaniacal desire to dominate the human race. It's a small distinction but one which alters the tone of the character. That said, few actors could deliver the line "Kneel before Zod!" in quite the same way. Production woes behind the scenes, with Richard Donner increasingly falling out with producers Ilya and Alexander Salkind over the increasingly campy direction the movie was taking (a problem which as we've seen was exacerbated in Superman III), did little to detract from the finished product, and Superman II remains a truly memorable comic book movie experience. The combination of General Zod and his cohorts with the ubiquitous Lex Luther works wonderfully, with the injections of humour rarely feeling at odds with the surrounding drama and action. Superman II was considered to be the best of the series by none other than Christopher Reeve himself - you'd be hard pushed to find a better endorsement than that.
