Post by ck100 on Jun 17, 2018 2:07:59 GMT
Is there anyone out there that likes "Superman III"? How has it held up after 35 years?
Many say "Superman IV" is the worst of the Superman films, but "Superman III" is really the crown turd of the franchise. At least "Superman IV" is enjoyably bad which is something you can count on with a Cannon Films production. We all know why III is so bad. It's a watchable film, but the creative choices here are just baffling. It's basically "The Richard Pryor Show" co-starring Superman and the campy jokes and tone brought to life by director Richard Lester and writers David and Leslie Newman completely torpedo all that Superman is all about. Before "Batman & Robin" brought down Batman, this movie set the standard for why going camp is totally wrong for a comic book franchise that took things grounded and serious. There are more laughs in "Schindler's List" than in this film.
For all that's bad about the film, there is some good. Very little, but some. I'm fine with Annette O'Toole as Lana Lang. She and Chris Reeve do work well together and she brings a sweetness to her role. Speaking of Chris, he's practically the saving grace of the film with his committed performance and work as Clark Kent, Superman and Evil Superman. We all talk about the junkyard fight between Clark and Evil Superman and it is the big highlight of the film. Just a shame how practically everything prior and after is complete crap. The effects and action are fine enough. No better or worse than the prior two Superman films.
Even though the next film got rid of Superman from cinemas for 20 years, I'll take Nuclear Man and Lenny over a super computer and an unfunny Richard Pryor any day. Like I said, it's a watchable film, but you just get mystified at the bad campy creative choices you see as you watch it.
