Now that I think about it, a good portion of Marvel movies are comedies that happen to have Super Heroes (Ant-Man or Thor Ragnarok). And while they have their detractors, they are usually considered good films. Instead, Superman III (another comedy-superhero movie) is almost universally considered, well, bad. Is it because people had different expectations after Superman I & II or are there actual problems with the film?
Like everything else, comedy can be done well or poorly. Though I think there's also an interesting conversation to be had about how adult fans have become more enthusiastic about comedy in superhero stories -- and indeed about how people in general have become more accepting of overt comedy in drama -- over the decades.
It was a different time. I think most people, me included, went into the film expecting more of what we had already seen. The next chapter in Superman's story. While the first two movies did have their comedic moments, the tone was of the third movie was so radically different and jarring that it was off putting at first, but for me, there was still enough story to find the movie enjoyable--and the comedic moments were left mostly to Richard Pryor. I remember thinking he was like some of the sillier rogues of the time, like the Toyman and that helped me accept the movie on its own terms. It was the only Superman film of that era I saw in the theatre and have very fond memories of the experience.
Well, the biggest criticism I've heard, aside from the quality as a comedy (which can be subjective), is that SIII is just a film starring Pryor where Superman appears for some reason.
For me, the Clark and Lana stuff is all great. The Bad Guy stuff is bleh. Still, better a half-good movie than Superman IV, of which I have very close to zero good to say.
Everything I remember reading is that they were hoping for more improv from Pryor, who stuck mostly to the script, so he didn't "pop" they way he normally would have. Which certainly didn't help. Still. That junkyard scene was perfect, and the assimilation scene was more terrifying than anything I've seen the Borg do in Trek.
III is nowhere near as bad as many people try to make it out to be and IV is just a forsaken mess aside from Reeve's commitment to making his own performance good, Gene Hackman adding some life to the film and the soundtrack. III has arguably the best bluescreen flying effects of the entire Reeve series.
Pryor and Kidder had dated before hand, so he may have been upset when he showed up and his (now platonic?) friend's part had been butchered.
The belief that the Salkind's Superman films were somewhat moving in the direction of the kind of action seen in comics did raise expectations for a third Superman film, especially in the wake of how II ended with the villains' fates, so for III to have so much comic relief in it was jarring--a disappointment for all II promised. By far, the best element of III was the Lana plot, as she had better natural chemistry with Clark than Lois (the latter an afterthought the movie), and would have been a welcome replacement for Lois (not a rival) if the Salkinds retained control over the movies.
The new suit looks very New 52, but if you look very closely it does appear to have the red trunks. It's fine but I really wish we could just get the classic suit. Brandon Routh's Crisis on Infinite Earths suit was PERFECT. Just make the black areas of the shield yellow/gold.
Not even sure what 'cheap' means in this context. It looks about as elaborate as a Superman suit should reasonably look.
Arguably more so. Personally, I love the classic simplicity of Reeve's suit. Saw Superman '78 on the big screen again a few years ago and it still looked great. Not sure why modern superhero suits always have to look like they're made from recycled basketballs.
Overall, the design is fine, but there is no way that's staying hidden under a business suit, suspension of disbelief or not. It's so heavy!
You will believe a man can fly, but hiding his suit under his regular clothes? Impossible to believe.
I love that it looks like Supes is casually suiting up while hellfire is raining on Metropolis in the background....