What when wrong with Superman III
After two excellent movies (especially Superman II) this one jumps the shark. Even it was made with same director from Superman II (half direct - the other one was Richard Donner)
When I saw this one as a kid (after watching I & II) this one began oddly with too many physical comedy jokes (which had little or none connection with with superman). I felt confused and I was not sure at the beginning if this was a Superman Movie. It looked like more like a badly made reboot but with the same characters (except Lex Luthor) which has been replaced by a uncharismatic business man and well.....Richard Pryor (strange, I even didn´t find very funny in this one, it seems out of place). The story of the computer programmer seemed like an idea for a different movie and it was just adapted as a plot (or sub plot). Is like if you adapt a bank robbery story on a James bond movie but with little connection. The film lost all the epic style from the previous films and tried to make it like a sit-come for two hours and a half.
The only interesting part was the evil superman and when he splits into two; superman and clark kent. It seems that superman was pissed with clark kent´s nerdy attitude, he even says that he was waiting a long time for this. This could have been the whole movie and I could have been happy with only this part, but sadly they continued with the super computer plot. This one also makes you think for a moment if really superman has a split personality.
The Lana Lang´s plot was also ok, I think she and Clark had more chemistry, at the end he even gave her a diamond ring, it seems like a good love interest.
Too bad in Superman IV they erased Lana´s character as she has never existed (mysteries of the Supeman movies). Well I will write about Superman IV other day, which is worse than this,
Finally, at the end the supercomputer assimilates Vera and she becomes Braniac (which actually is never mentioned with this name), it reminds me the Borg collective from star trek next generation. This could have been a better ending but is too short, we never get to understand why the supercomputer rebels, actually it was a very bad part of the movie which could have had much more potential.
Sorry for a so long post but this one is one of a few films was a complete let down during my childhood.