Few fans of the original Superman movies would argue that The Quest for Peace was where it all began to fall apart - 1983s Superman III illustrated a marked decline in quality of the franchise, although a far cry from the abysmal wreck Reeve's last turn in the role turned out to be (if ever the expression "damning with faint praise" was applicable, now is the time). Veering between campy comedy and brooding character study, Superman III's unevenness of tone is just one of its many flaws. Still, there's a some fun to be had watching Superman descend into corruption and darkness - going on a drinking binge and a spree of casual destruction - and the scene in which he takes on his "evil" self in the scrap yard remains one of the more memorable Superman moments committed to film. It's just a shame that this aspect of his character wasn't the primary focus of the movie - tackled by a more competent director it could have turned out to be one of the best Superman movies of all time. Unfortunately, with Richard Lester at the helm - a director noted for comedies of questionable quality - Superman III completely dropped the ball on this aspect and ended up a muddled mess. The casting of Richard Pryor - hugely popular at the time of its release - is certainly a large factor in the shambling nature of the final product, while the script by David and Leslie Newman strips the movie bare of drama and tension in favour of goofy slapstick. If there was a prize awarded for a movie with the most inappropriate team on a movie project, Superman III would be a contender for the top spot.
