10 Great Movie Stories Wasted On Terrible Sequels
3. A Machine Is Created To Defeat The Man Of Steel - Superman 3
While they may not have aged all that well alongside the blockbuster comic movies we are used to today, the first two Superman movies were great films. The first movie definitely took its time but set up the franchise in a rightfully grandiose manner, while the second film upped the ante significantly with a triple threat for the Man of Steel to deal with.
With his fellow Kryptonians defeated, the Man of Steel was to face a new challenge in the second sequel - a machine created by a supercomputer designed specifically to target his weaknesses. This story in itself was actually a strong one, and the moments in which he fights against the machine's various weapons are entertaining. The idea of an 'evil Superman' taking on 'good Superman' is a secondary delight, and is the other section of the film which really works.
The rest of the film however is a chore, with lame comedy laced throughout to try and cash in on the presence of Richard Pryor. Picture Stan Lee cameos taking up half of Avengers Endgame and you're starting to get the idea. Scenes in which Superman straightens the Leaning Tower of Pisa and blows out the Olympic Torch are embarrassing, while replacing Lois Lane for the majority of the movie with a lame knockoff just doesn't work at all.