Review: Back To The Future III

Back to the Future III opened on May 25, 1990. The third film in the Back to the Future Trilogy was directed by Robert Zemeckis and starred Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd.

Synopsis:

Following the events of Back to the Future II, the Doc is stuck in the old west. Marty must now travel to 1885 and save him from being killed by Mad Dog Tannen. When Marty travels back he inadvertently endangers his own life. Things are made even more difficult for the duo when Doc falls in love with Clara and struggles to leave her and return to 1985.

Positives:

• Fox and Lloyd are strong in the film and they both live up to their performances in the previous films. Thomas F. Wilson gives possibly his best performance in the entire trilogy.

• BTTF III feels like an authentic Western and is a different film than the previous two adventures.

• The ending of Back to the Future III is thrilling and gives fans a satisfying conclusion to the series.

Negatives:

• The actors in the trilogy playing multiple characters starts to become a little bit tired and silly in the third Back to the Future film. The idea that Michael J. Fox has to play every McFly family member feels a little forced in this installment.

• Back to the Future III lacks the originality of the first film and the invention of the second. For me, it’s easily the weakest film of the trilogy.

In Closing:

Back to the Future III is a fun and often thrilling conclusion to the time traveling series. The film is hard to take seriously at times due to the filmmaker’s decision to use its stars in multiple roles. The formula becomes a bit tired in Part III, but the performances and filmmaking is so strong that you look past its flaws. Back to the Future III doesn’t reach the heights of Part I & II, but it still is a worthy addition to the series.

Rating: B