Nerds That Geek Movie Review: 'Superman III'

Written by John Edward Betancourt

‘You're going to go down in history as the man who killed Superman!’
- Ross Webster

It's difficult for any of us to accept or acknowledge when a movie franchise or television franchise we love through and through is not what it used to be. Because seeing the decline of the characters and the stories we grew up with is nothing short of heartbreaking.   

Yet while we are fully aware of the fact that things will never go back to the glory days of said franchise, we hold on, we have to. We owe it to that franchise for giving us such incredible memories even though what is unfolding before our eyes has us nervous. In fact, it is safe to say that this is the exact feeling we all had the first time we sat down to watch Superman III.

Gus Gorman is a man down on his luck. Out of work and out of options it seems that there is no hope for his future. With nothing to lose Gus enrolls in a computer programming class and discovers that coding is his hidden talent, one that can benefit his pocket book when he finds and exploits a digital loophole in the software of the company that hires him. But his dishonest deeds do not go unnoticed and Gus enters into an agreement with the owner of the company, Ross Webster, to use computers to control the world's economy or find himself in prison, and it doesn’t take long for the two men to realize that their unholy union is going to pay off in spades. But there is one man that could bring their plans for financial domination crashing to the ground...Superman.  

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​So yeah, here we are. After thoroughly enjoying the last two Superman films we have at last arrived at the franchise's darkest hour. It's hard to write about this one, because I love the franchise, I love Christopher Reeve in the role and I have been a longtime fan of Richard Pryor and his work. However, I don't want to sit here and say this film is completely awful, because it does have its moments. Christopher Reeve is excellent as always and there are some super moments in the movie. The fire scene at the chemical plant, and even the final battle shows off the super feats that only the Man of Steel can accomplish. Not to mention the fascinating scene when a twisted version of Superman splits from his alter ego of Clark Kent and the two battle it out. It's an incredible comic book moment and it leaves you cheering when Superman is made whole once again.  

Yet the film leaves you with the feeling that something is missing and in reality, something is...heart. The passion of the first two films is completely removed from this one, replaced instead with slapstick gags and a plot that never quite comes into focus. Which is a shame, because it is obvious this film had potential, especially when there are scenes in this film that capture those perfect Superman moments.   

But what we are left with is exactly what I said earlier. This film left me with that feeling of worry, and it left me with the concern that things might get worse before they get better. Yet my hope was still going strong, kept alive by those special moments that reminded us of the best parts of this storied franchise, and that alone makes this movie worth watching. 

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