Superman II

SmokeScreeners Rating:  

Year of Release: 1980

MPAA Rating: PG

Director: Richard Lester

Distributor: Warner Brothers

This film review was derived from outside sources.  Be the first to submit a SmokeScreeners review! 

Dr. Hummel added the following additional comments:  

"Superman II may be the best of the films starring Christopher Reeve as the Man of Steel.  The plot involves the arrival on earth of three other inhabitants from the planet Krypton... three convicted criminals who have escaped from their exile in outer space.

On earth, the three criminals are blessed with the same powers as Superman.  While Superman is indisposed, they begin to systematically take over the world, making their way to the Washington, DC.  It turns out, however, that someone other than the President is waiting for them at the White House... Superman's archnemesis, Lex Luthor (Gene Hackman):

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Lex Luthor's cigar looks like the ultimate symbol of power in this scene.  Combined with Lex Luthor's body language, the message is clear:  he is running the show.  This exactly the type of scene that delivers the false message that "tobacco use" equals "power".  Lex Luthor uses that power to convince the trio of super-villains that the only way to control the world is to kill Superman.  So the villains head off to Metropolis to wreak havoc and draw Superman out of his self-imposed exile.

While all of this is going on, Lois Lane (Margot Kidder) and the staff of The Daily Planet wonder what has happened to their hero.  Lois Lane is so stressed out by this that she simply must smoke:

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As if it isn't bad enough that two of the films stars smoke throughout the movie, Superman II has one of the most famous scenes in product placement history.  As you watch this scene, see if you can count how many times you see the truck.  What truck?  You'll know it when you see it:

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There are 15 different times that you can make out all or part of the name Marlboro in that one scene.  Many times, the truck stands out because it is shot at an odd angle.  There is a reason for this.  The makers of Marlboro signed a product placement contract that allowed them to have creative control of the entire scene.  No wonder it is such a poorly shot, disjointed scene.  The makers of Marlboro were more concerned with advertising their product than with telling a good story.  They should just stick to killing people... they are significantly better at that.