So after a phenomenal first film and a fantastic sequel, Warner Bros. made Superman III, and unfortunately, it doesn't quite make it. Well, ok, maybe it didn't make it at all, but let's see how banged up it is after we go through the grading scale.
So here's the plot:
We begin with unemployed bum Gus Gorman, played by the really funny comedian Richard Pryor, this film's first mistake, putting a comedy actor in a superhero movie, getting a job at a computer company. However, he fools them all after a low first paycheck and bumps it from a couple hundred to well over $50,000 per week.
Meanwhile, Clark Kent is on his way to a high school reunion in Smallville, Lois is going to Bermuda, and Jimmy tags along with Clark. On the way, the bus stops when a chemical factory catches fire. Superman comes in to help as Jimmy takes pictures. Superman makes all remaining scientists leave, but one refuses saying if a batch of chemicals overheats it will explode.
Soon the water supply runs out. Superman blows onto a lake nearby and it becomes ice. He drops it over the factory, taking care of the fire. Jimmy was hurt in the fire and goes back to Metropolis with a broken leg. Clark continues to his reunion and reaquaints with Lana Lang, an old friend and at one time love interest for the teenage Clark Kent.
So back with Gus, his boss, Ross Webster, multi-millionaire, finds out that Gus stole the money pretty much and instead of firing and arresting him, he decides to use him to program a computer that will cause Columbia, the country in charge of...well, you know, coffee, to get a flood and hurricane treatment, and Ross will be able to control all of the coffee business, I guess.
So Gus heads off to, guess where, Smallville, where the computer system is located. Clark meanwhile catches up with Lana and her son, Ricky, by going up with them to a picnic. Ricky runs off into a wheat field while Clark and Lana talk, and Clark senses something's wrong. He turns into Superman, flies in and sees that Ricky seems to have tripped and hit his head on a rock, and several combines harvesting the wheat are about to run him over.
Superman saves him and brings him back. Gus hacks into the computer system and causes the Vulcan satallite to bring storms to Columbia. Ross is happy, until Gus comes back with the news that Superman stopped the storms and that Columbia is fine. So Ross gets the plan that Kryptonite, Superman's only weakness, will kill Superman and all will be fine. Except now he wants oil instead of coffee.
So Gus goes to research the materials found in Kryptonite and finds out that some elements are unknown. He replaces them with tar since that's on the ingredients list of the cigarettes he happens to be smoking. Meanwhile Superman is presented the key to the city of Smallville for saving Ricky.
Gus shows up in army uniform to present the Kryptonite to Superman at the celebration in Smallville. The "Kryptonite" doesn't work, at least not as intended. Now Superman is becoming evil. Ross is pleased with Gus but still wanted him dead. So now Superman can't save the day anymore and Ross can get his oil. Gus also gives an idea of a supercomputer he wants built, and Ross complies.
Superman, meanwhile, drinks at bars and lets people fight as oil is low in Metrapolis. Ricky and Lana visit Metrapolis and Ricky says Superman will be ok. Superman hears this and fights...himself, well, Clark Kent, actually, in a junkyard. Clark wins and restores himself as Superman, originally. He solves the oil problem and finds out that Ross is hiding in the area where Gus' supercomputer base is located, in the Grand Canyon.
Ross arrives there and prepares for battle against Superman. When Gus sees that Superman is about to die with a new laser beam that shoots Kryptonite, he starts to destroy the supercomputer. Eventually the supercomputer is destroyed, Superman is fine, and the bad guys all go to jail. Gus, however, is left in a mining field where he can get a job, but he decides to take a bus to the city nearby and look for a job elsewhere.
Clark returns to the Daily Planet and sees that Lois is back, Lana has a job as secratary, and all is well in the world again.
Now for the grading scale:
Acting: 5 out of 10. Pryor was totally the wrong choice here, and the villain is weak.
Entertainment: 4 out of 10. The action scenes are well done, but the comedic moments fail and I get bored very quickly.
Screenplay: 4 out of 10. A mishmash of a screenplay. Not very well written.
Directing: 5 out of 10. Very standard job.
Technical Credits: 8 out of 10. The music is fine, and the special effects are well done.
Genre Fit: 3 out of 10. Not really an action picture, not really a comedy, not really a drama. It's just a mess.
MPAA Rating: 9 out of 10. Almost perfectly a PG movie.
Stupid Scenes: 2 out of 10. Oh, there's plenty.
Deeper Message: 0 out of 10. Absolutely none.
Beginning: 19 out of 30. We know we're in trouble when the opening credits display slapstick that isn't funny.
Middle: 15 out of 30. Quite boring at spots.
Ending: 22 out of 30. Gets better, but it still feels a little long overall.
Final Score: 96/180 or 53%. A C, which means its not that super.
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