Despite the directorial struggles that plagued the simultaneous shooting of Superman I and II (Richard Donner being ousted in favor of Richard Lester), the films did very well financially, prompting a third effort. However, instead of the epic feel and formula of the first two films, this one falls completely flat for numerous reasons:-First, the direction of Lester. After watching this film, I am now convinced that Richard Donner really was the mastermind behind the success of the Superman film franchise, as Lester's "Superman III" is riddled with stupid humor and sight gags that do nothing to enhance the film viewing experience. Ironically enough, Donner was supposedly booted from the director's seat of Superman II due to too much farcical humor, but Lester is much worse in that department in this film.-The actors also seem to be sleep-walking through their roles, or were completely miscast in the first place. The new villain is wooden and doesn't hold a candle to Gene Hackman's Lex Luthor, while Richard Pryor's "funny" antics only make the whole film seem like a farce. Even Christopher Reeve, the centerpiece of the Superman franchise, turns in a sub-par performance both as the "heroic" and "bad" Superman. Not until the last few moments of the film does he seem to snap out of his acting doldrums and become the heroic character I remembered from the first two films.-The special effects are also a big step down from the previous efforts. At one point, the wires holding Reeve in the air can be clearly seen, while Superman's landings at times are not as smooth as they were in the earlier films. Once again, in this area "Superman III" could not recapture the greatest of the majestic special effects of the first two movies.-Finally, the two main plots in the film fall as flat as the acting, casting, and special effects. The "bad Supes" thread could have been done much more effectively (think of the good Kirk/bad Kirk in the old Star Trek: Original Series), and the same can be said for the "supercomputer" angle (Captain Kirk talking a computer into submission is much more compelling by comparison).Sadly, then, this film fails in nearly ever aspect of filmmaking. Instead of sticking with the lofty ideals and walking the fine line between heroic and cheesy that Donner did in the first two films, Lester tried to make a campier version of Superman and failed miserably. The only reason I would "recommend" this film to anyone is to show them how horribly wrong a film franchise can turn. Hard-core Supes fans will watch this film regardless of what I say, but to the casual fan I say that you can EASILY skip these two hours of boredom and not miss a beat in your Superman viewing experience.

Richard Lestet returned for another pay cheque film, upping the slapstick, and lessening nearly everything else.The production design is good, the cinematography and acting is good, Christopher Reeve is in top form, as usual, this time in three roles: Clark Kent, Superman, and Evil Superman, and he pulls off all of them quite well. As far as the villain goes, we go from excellent General Zod and his goons in Part II to Robert Vaughn playing Robert Vaughn, and Richard Pryor, who looks either unsure of what he is doing here, or just bored to be here, as he is forced to create synthetic Kryptonite by Lex Luthor's replacement, Robert Vaughn, to try to kill Superman.The film seems unsure what it wants to be, as it veers wildly from zany slapstick, to dark scifi, and action, to horror, as Vera's transformation scene is creepy as hell, and I don't mean that in a good way. The fantasy of the first two films has been replaced with completely out of place horror elements at the climax, which makes it a downer, followed by more silly slapstick in its closing moments, to try to raise the audiences' spirits, unsuccessfully.

...because this is a terrible sequel that nearly undoes all of the goodwill created by the first two films. Christopher Reeve returns as Superman, who, in his alter ego of Clark Kent, travels back to his hometown of Smallville to attend his high school reunion. While there, he crosses path with an evil business magnate (Robert Vaughn), his equally evil sister (Annie Ross), and Vaughn's ditzy assistant (Pamela Stephenson). They've hired a computer genius (Richard Pryor) to help develop a super computer to help in their plan for global domination. They also develop artificial kryptonite that turns Superman evil. You know he's evil because he quits shaving, has dingy clothes, and straightens the Leaning Tower of Pisa.Margot Kidder was fighting with the producers at this point, so her role as Lois Lane is reduced to short cameos at the beginning and end of the film. Jackie Cooper returns as Daily Planet editor Perry White, and Marc McClure as junior reporter Jimmy Olsen. Annette O'Toole appears as Kent's high school crush Lana Lang, and Gavan (Son of Dan) O'Herlihy as a drunken high school bully.Director Richard Lester tries to accentuate the comedy in this, but the script is so awful that nothing can save it. The effects are bargain basement as well, with some really shoddy miniature and matte work.THis film has one of the zaniest rather stand-alone moments in any film ever- near the end when the Super Computer the villains build starts malfunctioning and they try to flee. The villain's sister- who up to now really has served zero purpose in the story- is sucked into a claustrophobic compartment of the computer and- in one of the most disturbing moments that I can recall in what is supposed to be a relatively family friendly film - she screams in agony as the computer strangles her with wires and staples metal all over her face. She then emerges as the most ridiculous looking robot ever, by which I mean even Robbie the Robot would laugh at this thing.The director of this film had to have had some serious issues with his mother (or maybe his sister?).i just cannot fathom how it was felt by the writers that this was necessary or appropriate in a movie that children were going to want to see. Annie Ross is actually an accomplished jazz and standard vocalist who, i can only assume, was being blackmailed into appearing in this or really needed to pay off a loan or something.So this was the end of WB's relationship with the Christopher Reeve franchise of Superman. Given the goofiness of it all the fourth one was taken on by The Cannon Group, which was such a goofy production company that it was worthy of a documentary all of its own, and actually HAS a documentary all of its own.

I wrote an almost essay long review on Superman II gushing about how great it was and how much it (along with the first movie) helped set the benchmark for what comic book movies should be like. The following two Superman movies on the other hand helped set the benchmark for what comic book movies *shouldn't* be like, and that's really all I feel like saying about Superman III in general (I'm not sure I have the strength to re-visit Superman IV: The Quest For Peace)It takes everything that was wonderful about the first two and strips them away, creating a brainless comedy that is almost a page by page adaption of a typical Superman comic book, which, as this movie proved, is NOT how you make a good comic book movie.All the emotion of the first two films? Gone, replaced by the "comedy" of Richard Pryor, who drags the movie down with his awful character and performance, ultimately being totally worthless to the plot.The compelling antagonists? Also gone, replaced by a typical evil businessman villain that seems like a cheap replacement for Lex Luthor due to the absence of Gene Hackman because of his loyalty to Richard Donner.Margot Kidder as Lois Lane is disappointingly absent, reduced to a cameoHell, even the small sense of plausibility is gone, replaced by a plot that drowns in silliness.The one thing the movie still has going in its favour is Christopher Reeve, who continues to play his iconic portrayal of Superman to perfection, and this time gets to stretch his acting muscles by also playing a brainwashed, evil Superman, which he pulls off superbly.Roger Ebert said "Superman III is the movie I feared the original Superman would be" and with that line he nailed more than I have in this entire review why the original film worked and this didn't.