Superman II
NZ release: 09 December 1980
Violence Rated on: 31 August 2023
What’s it about?
Superman agrees to sacrifice his powers to start a relationship with Lois Lane, unaware that three Kryptonian criminals he accidentally released are conquering Earth.
The facts
- Directed by Richard Donner and Richard Lester
- Starring Christopher Reeve (Somewhere in Time)
- English language
- Runtime: 127 minutes
Why did it get this rating?
This film was cross-rated by the Film and Video Labelling Body. You can find out more about cross-rating here.
Violence
This film contains some significant battles between characters with superpowers, causing largescale destruction to cities, injuries, and casualties (rarely shown)
Some of the strongest moments of violence include:
- In one scene, a child tries to warn authorities about a threatening trio of villains, but he is killed (offscreen) by one of the villains throwing a police car’s rotating light at him with super strength.
- One female character is nearly crushed to death.
- A roadside bully beats a powerful main character, giving him a bloody nose. For some younger viewers, this might seem unfair and cruel. A snake is also burnt in the same way, but this is shown.
- Terrorist characters threaten to destroy Paris with a hydrogen bomb.
Frightening scenes
A main character sacrifices his powers for a woman, which forces him to undergo a creepy bodily transformation that reveals his muscles and skeleton.
Three evil characters kill several astronauts working on the moon. One of them rips the shoulder on a man’s spacesuit off, causing him to gurgling, struggle for breath, and fall to the floor dead. In the following scene, his suit inflates and he is kicked into outer space. This scene is violent and may frighten younger viewers.
Mildly offensive language
This film contains some mildly offensive language, with word uses like “sh*t” and “ass.”
When content stays with you:
We all have our boundaries, and it’s completely okay if something you’ve watched is weighing on your mind. If certain content lingers with you, consider having a chat with friends or whānau to debrief about what you’ve just seen. But if you’re still feeling affected, please reach out to any of the following helplines for support.
Further information
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