 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Superman III
- Review Date: August 7, 2006
- PG
- Genre: Action/Adventure
- 1983
Common Sense Media says
Outdated superhero movie may interest older kids.
Parents say
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that Richard Pryor's Gus Gorman is as much of the main character in this movie as Superman. Therefore, expect some of the "loveable" con-artist antics that made Pryor famous in his R-rated films, including drunkenness, theft, avoiding honest work, and even letting a swear word slip out. It's all suitably rendered PG-mild, though.
What's the story?
Computer genius Gus Gorman (Richard Pryor) goes from grunt to a much higher position at a large firm when his greedy boss, Ross Webster (Robert Vaughn), promotes him. In his new position as a hacker, Gorman's job is to create worldwide disasters that will allow Webster to control coffee and oil markets. Since only Superman (Christopher Reeve) can stop this, Webster assigns Gorman to figure out a way to kill Superman. Meanwhile, Clark Kent is visiting his hometown of Smallville for a high-school reunion. He rekindles a friendship with Lana Lang (Annette O'Toole), now a divorced, struggling single mother. The two have something that looks like an incipient romance, and Clark becomes a father-figure for Lang's boy, who, of course, needs rescuing by Superman now and then. Meanwhile, Gus Gorman creates a synthetic kryptonite in hopes it will finally put an end to Superman. It's flawed, however, and instead of destroying Superman it causes personality change, bringing out Superman's selfish, morose, and evil aspects.
Is it any good?
Though it's not up to the first Superman: The Movie, this installment isn't an embarrassment, and there are some intriguing elements. Reeve, who fought a never-ending battle against movie critics over how good an actor he really was, is especially noteworthy here, hardening his eyes and tightening his jaw and making this Mr. Hyde-Superman callous, unshaven, and homicidal. Edgy comedian Richard Pryor brings his typical screen persona, a rebellious urban petty hustler, somewhat jarringly, into Metropolis.
Computer knowledge and data technology in this film are pretty much a kind of awesome, omnipotent magic, a recurring and amusing cliche in movies of this time, and viewers may wince or giggle at the inaccurate depictions of computer technology.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about the splitting up of Superman's "good" and "evil" sides; who ever thought Superman would have a dark side at all? What could the Man of Steel have going on inside to be frustrated and angry about? If you're hip to DC comics, you can talk with kids about how Batman is often described as the dark version of Superman, and take the philosophizing from there.
- Show:
- All members
- Parents
- Teens & kids
AGE
Pryor steals the show in a corny superhero film that is more like a spoof
An altered kryptonite makes Superman go bad almost like a drug. There is some cursing and sexual content too. You see Kentucky Fried Chicken and a computer that looks like an atari game. Richard Pryor doesn't fit into the movie very well. Sure he is hysterical but it just doesn't work alongside the epic Superman part. It's full of jokes that make it feel more like a spoof of Superman than anything else.
Was this review useful?
|
|
AGE
superman 3
this is the scariest superman movie i watched so far. there is a scene where a woman is screaming while being turned into a robot. not for toddlers
Was this review useful?
|
|
AGE
Superman III not good for young kids
First of all, I am a 12-year-old guy who LOVES Superman. The main reason kids SHOULD not see this film is because of heavy alchohol use and a scary scene at the end, in which the main villain's sister, Vera, is turned into a robot. This scene is VERY scary for little kids, BE EXTREMELY CAUTIOUS.
Was this review useful?
|
|
AGE
A Good Film But Not A Good Superman Film
I like this movie as a movie but not as a Superman movie. Although Richard Pryor makes you laugh it feels strange that it is in a Superman film. When Richard Pryor makes the kryptonite go wrong Superman turns evil and starts drinking and even tries to force himself on a woman. A good version of Superman emerges from the evil one and the two fight but the good Superman kills off the bad one by strangling him. I thought that was way to dark. There is a scene where Richard Pryor gets a security guard drunk and he also gets drunk himself.
Was this review useful?
|
|
AGE
Waste of my Time
This was a terrible movie. Richard Pryor makes a horrible bad guy. Don't bother
Was this review useful?
|
|
| Topics: | superheroes, adventures |
| Studio: | Columbia Tristar |
| Director: | Richard Lester |
| Cast: | Christopher Reeve, Jackie Cooper, Richard Pryor |
| Genre: | Action/Adventure |
| Run time: | 125 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | June 17, 1983 |
| DVD release date: | June 1, 2001 |
| MPAA rating: | PG |
| MPAA explanation: | violence, profanity, sexual innuendo, alcohol use |
Review It
Great alternatives handpicked by our editors
Already seen it? What do you think?
More from Common Sense Media
Top advice and articles
