r96 s
'Superman III' is just rubbish, isn't it? I wasn't hating what I was watching or anything, but I was just sat there continuously thinking: this is just bad, huh. Much of the movie feels like the titular character is sidelined, then even when he is onscreen he's... depressed? Odd choice.
Christopher Reeve remains good, no issues there. Margot Kidder is involved but barely features, to be fair Annette O'Toole is solid in her bit. Richard Pryor, Robert Vaughn & Co. are OK in terms of what they give, but their characters are highly uninteresting. I just didn't care at all.
That opening sequence really gives you a peek into what you're going to be watching. Of course there are signs in the prior movies that the filmmakers wanted to stray into dumbed down comedy and it might've worked as a standalone picture, but as a Superman film? Not a chance.
Rated 2/5 Stars •
Rated 2 out of 5 stars
01/08/25
Full Review
Luis I
While the flaws in tone, visual effects, and general filmmaking in the first couple of films could be forgiven as products of their time, the same grace feels undeserved here due to the sheer breakdown in storytelling. The film is riddled with contrivances and even plot holes, with many narrative choices making little sense.
The characters lack clear motivations, development, or meaningful arcs, making it difficult to engage with their journeys. Some performances only exacerbate this issue, with certain characters becoming unbearably annoying rather than compelling. The comedic tone, which leans heavily into slapstick, rarely lands and feels more distracting than effective.
The film does start on a promising note, placing the protagonist in a fresh setting (his hometown), while also introducing a character with a relatable backstory who initially sparks intrigue as a potential ally or villain. Unfortunately, these elements remain underdeveloped and fizzle out by the midpoint. The protagonist undergoes a moral shift not through any meaningful internal conflict but simply because the villains wanted to harm him. His subsequent "evil" acts feel random, lacking consequence in both the plot and the film's thematic exploration. His redemption arc is similarly unearned, as he abruptly decides to fight back and confront the villains, whom he only truly encounters in the final act.
Ultimately, this is a film I wouldn’t recommend, unless you're curious to see how a poorly executed sequel can derail a series or simply want to complete the four-film run for the sake of completion.
Rated 2/5 Stars •
Rated 2 out of 5 stars
01/04/25
Full Review
Raymond B
I don’t get the hate
It’s still a good Superman movie
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
12/22/24
Full Review
matthias s
As a massive comic book fan and Superman lover, **Superman III** was a huge disappointment. With so many iconic DC villains to choose from, they instead made up their own—and not in a good way. The movie completely lacks the magic and hope of the original, replacing charm and heroics with cheap slapstick that barely works. Christopher Reeve is the only saving grace here, giving his all, but the movie’s multiple plotlines drag the pacing down and lead nowhere. Richard Pryor tries his best, but his comedic shtick feels out of place in a Superman film. Margot Kidder’s Lois Lane is basically MIA, and while Annette O’Toole makes a decent Lana Lang, it’s not enough. Superman does almost nothing heroic, and the whole thing feels so off from the source material. Evil Superman/Bizarro was a cool idea and should’ve been the focus. Lester was the wrong guy for this franchise.
Rated 2/5 Stars •
Rated 2 out of 5 stars
12/20/24
Full Review
Charlie M
Pretty awful. Really boring and really confusing. Characters are all messed up.
Rated 2/5 Stars •
Rated 2 out of 5 stars
09/30/24
Full Review
DanTheMan 2
Everything about Superman III is a joke. A harsh cruel joke trashing everything that Superman was about for the sake of a cheap laugh. Right from the beginning you know they are going for total slapstick with a pratfall routine where telephone booths are toppled over and it just gets worse from there. I'd actually forgotten how much of this film doesn't work as intended until now, one expects romance, humour and grandeur, but only gets a frustrating mixture of failed opportunities and missed chances instead. The plot is nonsensical as if different scenes were written in isolation without any conception of how to link them together ultimately leaving it to the editors to try and jam them together in the editing room. What spoils the fun isn't the incoherent story or even the technophobia, it's simply overloaded. Too many ideas, too many gadgets, too many stars. The wiring all comes loose at the end; an anticlimax, and a rushed one at that. Now, I love Richard Pryor but making him the main focus of the film doesn't work and he struggled to even muster a chuckle out of me. I also like Robert Vaughan but his villainous Ross Webster is an inferior fill-in for Lex Luthor, not Vaughan's fault mind you, as he plays the character exactly how he was written. Christopher Reeve is desperately trying to make the material work, delivering another great performance but ultimately is left hampered by a lack of anything meaningful to do. Perhaps most unfitting of all is Ken Thorne's new score, which is peppered with circusy ditties, sound effects, and musical cues, we're a long way from John Williams... Arguably, Superman III is my least favourite of the original series, Lester was the wrong pick to carry on in place of Donner and it shows tenfold with this film.
Rated 1.5/5 Stars •
Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars
09/23/24
Full Review
Read all reviews
>
