There's an interesting subplot in "Superman III" in which Superman goes bad (complete with 5 o'clock shadow and dark colors). Beyond that point of interest, this film is a disaster.
For no discernible reason, the powers-that-be decided to turn Superman into a comedy. Central to that is the casting of Richard Pryor as the bum-turned-hacker-supreme who creates trouble for the Man of Steel (but he's just the stooge, not a villain). Also central is an overall comedic tone that turns everything (read: everything) into a ha-ha. The opening credits sequence is a series of sight gags, pratfalls and comic mischief, turning the citizens of Metropolis into hapless buffoons. It's this general attitude that threads through the duration of the movie, turning the sequel to arguably the greatest Superman film ever made (II) into a grueling slog of cheap laughs. Not cool.
To his credit, Reeve plays the character straight as always, making the big "save the day" setpieces welcoming respites from the film's idea of comedy. But it was a sinking ship at the script stage. Fraught with pacing issues, "Superman III" has a two-hour runtime that feels like three. And there's not really a bad guy. Sure, there's Robert Vaughn playing a poor Lex Luthor imitation, but he's just a money-hungry tycoon. He's no threat to Superman. And the majority of Pryor's presence is just uncomfortable to watch. Young 'uns should take heed that the man's comedic charms are best seen in his stand-up routine. Not here.
It's unfortunate the Salkinds decided to go in this direction with the series. It didn't have to be a gagfest written around the star presence of Pryor, and it didn't have to feel so cheap. What's most upsetting about watching "Superman III" (aside from waiting for something to happen) is that Lester and Co. delivered a pie-in-the-face to the heart and verisimilitude of the Donner film. For that reason, this is the worst of the series, for me. Even "Quest for Peace" had good intentions.
This was just a cheap shot.
2/10
For no discernible reason, the powers-that-be decided to turn Superman into a comedy. Central to that is the casting of Richard Pryor as the bum-turned-hacker-supreme who creates trouble for the Man of Steel (but he's just the stooge, not a villain). Also central is an overall comedic tone that turns everything (read: everything) into a ha-ha. The opening credits sequence is a series of sight gags, pratfalls and comic mischief, turning the citizens of Metropolis into hapless buffoons. It's this general attitude that threads through the duration of the movie, turning the sequel to arguably the greatest Superman film ever made (II) into a grueling slog of cheap laughs. Not cool.
To his credit, Reeve plays the character straight as always, making the big "save the day" setpieces welcoming respites from the film's idea of comedy. But it was a sinking ship at the script stage. Fraught with pacing issues, "Superman III" has a two-hour runtime that feels like three. And there's not really a bad guy. Sure, there's Robert Vaughn playing a poor Lex Luthor imitation, but he's just a money-hungry tycoon. He's no threat to Superman. And the majority of Pryor's presence is just uncomfortable to watch. Young 'uns should take heed that the man's comedic charms are best seen in his stand-up routine. Not here.
It's unfortunate the Salkinds decided to go in this direction with the series. It didn't have to be a gagfest written around the star presence of Pryor, and it didn't have to feel so cheap. What's most upsetting about watching "Superman III" (aside from waiting for something to happen) is that Lester and Co. delivered a pie-in-the-face to the heart and verisimilitude of the Donner film. For that reason, this is the worst of the series, for me. Even "Quest for Peace" had good intentions.
This was just a cheap shot.
2/10