Back to the Future Part III

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2:14

Back to the Future Part III

PG

Released May 25, 1990

1h 58m

Comedy

Sci-Fi

Western

Fantasy

Adventure

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

79%

Tomatometer

48 Reviews

78%

Popcornmeter

250,000+ Ratings

In this final chapter, Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) obtains a 70-year-old message from the time-traveling Dr. Emmett Brown (Christopher Lloyd), in which he informs Marty that he has retired to a small town in the Old West. Marty then finds out that the Doc was murdered shortly after sending the letter. In order to save his friend, Marty will have to travel back in time, disentangle a lovestruck Doc from a local schoolmarm, and repair the DeLorean -- all while avoiding a posse of gunslingers.

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Critics Consensus

Back to the Future Part III draws the trilogy to a satisfying close with a simpler, sweeter round of time-travel antics.

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Neil Jillett

The Age (Australia)

Inventive fun and energetic action are what count in this sort of film, and there is little of either in [Back to the Future Part III].

Dec 13, 2024

Full Review

Peter Rainer

Los Angeles Times

It satisfyingly ties up the various plot strands that were flapping in the breeze from the last installment.

Oct 21, 2015

Full Review

Owen Gleiberman

Entertainment Weekly

The only true surprise of this movie is how lazy it is.

Rated: D+

Sep 7, 2011

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Hannah Rose

CBR

Marty and Doc's intergenerational friendship flies in the face of the over-emphasized generation gap that dominated most conversations about older age groups and and the youth in the 80s.

Rated: 9/10

Apr 30, 2024

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

The most conventional of the series.

Rated: 2.5/4

Oct 14, 2023

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Danielle Solzman

Solzy at the Movies

Back to the Future Part III is a return to form for a satisfying conclusion to the trilogy and a fun time in the Old West.

Rated: 4/5

Jun 3, 2022

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Alex B

Original is still the best, but this is a much more successful film than Part II (which remains well worth watch, though - especially for the 1955 sequence). Part III rounds things off well and completes the story arc. The most family-friendly member of the trilogy.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

07/22/25

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tommy J

The Closing of an amazing trilogy. What better way to end a time travel trilogy than to be in the old west!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/20/25

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Mitch B

My favorite comedic western after Blazing Saddles. The time traveling is the icing on the cake.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/17/25

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Messi M

Es la que menos me Gusta de las 3 pero sigue siendo una gran película

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

07/10/25

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Stephen C

Funny in 1 hour and 58 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/30/25

Full Review

Jay W

This movie's bad reputation is undeserved. Most people refer to this concluding chapter of the trilogy as the weakest entry. Granted, grading on the curve, even the worst of this trilogy is better than most movies. I can understand that setting the story in the old west makes it prone to a lot of tired cliches. By 1990, audiences were done with westerns. Ironically, McFly claims to be Clint Eastwood, and in 2 years Eastwood would film Best Picture "Unforgiven" on the same set. I understand the complaints about the movie. Some of the repeat jokes are tired by the third movie. The romantic drama of Doc and Clara is tiresome. I counter by pointing to the ending of the film. The final 30 minutes of the film are exciting, funny and even sweet. And what can I say, I like the fact that this gives a conclusion to the legendary trilogy. Something feels right with the world when the words "The End" come up on screen.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

06/25/25

Full Review

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Robert Zemeckis

Director

Michael J. Fox

Marty McFly

Christopher Lloyd

Dr. Emmett Brown

Mary Steenburgen

Clara Clayton

Tom Wilson

Buford 'Mad Dog' Tannen

Lea Thompson

Maggie McFly

Movieclips: Back to the Future's Best Scenes

22:02

Back to the Future Part III: Official Clip - Ain't You Got the Guts?

2:45

Back to the Future Part III: Official Clip - Back to the Old West

2:29

Back to the Future Part III: Official Clip - Marty the Marksman

1:15

Back to the Future Part III: Official Clip - Nobody Calls Me Yellow

2:54

Back to the Future Part III: Official Clip - Train Ride to the Future

2:58

Back to the Future Part III: Official Clip - Your Future is Whatever You Make It

3:07

Back to the Future Part III: Official Clip - The Time Machine is Destroyed

1:49

Back to the Future Part III: Official Clip - Emmett to the Rescue

3:02

Back to the Future Part III: Official Clip - Time's Up, Runt!

2:46

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Back to the Future Part III: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

In this final chapter, Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) obtains a 70-year-old message from the time-traveling Dr. Emmett Brown (Christopher Lloyd), in which he informs Marty that he has retired to a small town in the Old West. Marty then finds out that the Doc was murdered shortly after sending the letter. In order to save his friend, Marty will have to travel back in time, disentangle a lovestruck Doc from a local schoolmarm, and repair the DeLorean -- all while avoiding a posse of gunslingers.

Director: Robert Zemeckis
Producer: Neil Canton, Bob Gale
Screenwriter: Bob Gale
Distributor: Universal Pictures, MCA/Universal Pictures [us]
Production Co: Universal Pictures, Amblin Entertainment
Rating: PG
Genre: Comedy, Sci-Fi, Western, Fantasy, Adventure
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): May 25, 1990, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Jul 2, 2015
Runtime: 1h 58m
Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby SR, Magnetic Stereo 6 Track
Aspect Ratio: 70mm, 35mm

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