⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ☆ ☆
Directed by: Richard Lester
Starring: Christopher Reeve, Richard Pryor, Annette O’Toole
By the time Superman III arrived in 1983, the series had already shifted tones once before. The grand sincerity of the first film had given way to the campier, more playful style of the sequel. With Richard Lester fully in charge this time, the third entry leans even further into comedy — sometimes successfully, and sometimes to its own detriment.
I might be on a different brainwave than a lot of viewers when it comes to this one. For most of its runtime, I actually enjoyed it.
The film opens with a long comedic sequence that feels almost like a silent slapstick routine unfolding across the streets of Metropolis. It’s cartoonish and chaotic, but the humor lands more often than not. The movie clearly isn’t aiming for the mythic grandeur of the original Superman — it’s aiming for lighthearted entertainment. If you meet it on those terms, parts of it work surprisingly well.
A big reason for that is Richard Pryor. Casting a comedian this prominent in a superhero film was a strange choice at the time, but Pryor brings a likable awkwardness to Gus Gorman, the accidental computer genius who gets pulled into the film’s villainous plot. His comedic timing adds a different kind of energy to the movie, even if the script occasionally leans too heavily on the humor.
Christopher Reeve remains the franchise’s anchor. His ability to switch between Clark Kent’s clumsy charm and Superman’s heroic presence continues to carry the series, even when the material around him gets a little ridiculous. One of the most interesting parts of the film comes late in the story when Superman is corrupted by synthetic kryptonite, creating a darker, angrier version of the character. Watching Reeve essentially battle himself — the noble hero versus the bitter, selfish version — is easily the most compelling sequence in the entire movie.
Annette O’Toole also brings warmth as Lana Lang, Clark’s high school sweetheart. Their dynamic provides a different romantic angle for the story, especially since Lois Lane barely appears in the film outside of a brief opening scene. Lana’s affection for Superman rather than Clark adds a subtle twist to their relationship, even if the script doesn’t fully explore it.
The biggest issue with Superman III is the middle stretch. The second act gets bogged down in overly silly plot mechanics involving computers and corporate villainy. The tone shifts from playful to oddly tedious as the movie explains its technological threat in ways that aren’t particularly interesting. After facing memorable antagonists like Lex Luthor and General Zod in earlier films, the villains here feel noticeably weaker by comparison.
And while the third act brings some of the movie’s best ideas — particularly the internal Superman conflict — the ending unfortunately lands with a thud. The climax feels rushed, the resolution is awkward, and several supporting performances lean so heavily into camp that they become unintentionally cringe.
That’s the strange thing about Superman III. There’s a fun movie hiding inside it. The humor often works, Reeve is still fantastic in the role, and the corrupted Superman storyline is genuinely intriguing. But the weak villains, uneven pacing, and overly goofy elements keep it from coming together in a satisfying way.
It’s not the disaster some people claim it is — but it’s definitely a step down from what the series had achieved before.
Final Rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ☆ ☆
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