Back to the Future Part III (1990) Review

“Pretty heavy, huh?”

THE FOLLOWING REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS OF THE DISCUSSED FILM. READERS DISCRETION IS ADVISED.

When the journey is over, make sure the decisions you make are all worth it.


PLOT


1990's Back to the Future Part III immediately takes place following the events of Part II. Marty McFly is stuck in 1955 again and must rescue his friend Doctor Emmett Brown from the 1885 Old West before finding a way back to their present that is 1985. It is important for him to get to the Old West soon as the latter's letter indicates he was shot by Buford 'Mad Dog' Tannen, Biff's great grandpa six days after writing it. With the help of '55 Doc, McFly is able to reach his destination but the DeLorean time machine, that was left behind in a mine by present Doc, would be damaged by a cavalry in pursuit of Native Americans. He then gets chased by a bear but luckily, he is able to settle in with his great-great grandparents, Seamus & Maggie McFly, and takes the alias of actor Clint Eastwood. When roaming around a newly founded Hill Valley, he does meet Mad Dog but avoids getting hanged by him thanks to being rescued by his Doc. Shortly after reuniting, Marty tells his friend that they need to leave soon before it's too late. But without any gasoline, Doc suggests the use of a steam locomotive to get the DeLorean to reach 88mph. When scouting the ravine to use for the push to work, the two save schoolteacher Clara Clayton from falling in, which averts her death in the original timeline. During a town festival that celebrates the new courthouse, Mad Dog tries shooting at Doc over $80, but Marty thwarts him from succeeding. Embarrassed, he challenges McFly to a duel in two days. Because the cowboy calls him yellow as a term for cowardice like previously being called a chicken, Doc gives him advice to not react to insult. The next day, Marty’s picture of the tombstone is shown that he will die instead of Doc if he doesn’t beat the eldest Tannen. Although he wants to stay, Brown tells Clara he will soon leave but she doesn’t believe he comes from the future. The heartbreak puts him in a drinking binge and by morning, Marty finds hesitance to duel. He ends up having to go through with it when Tannen’s gang capture Doc and hold him by gunpoint. McFly is able to make Mad Dog believe he shot him only to knock him into a wagon of manure. Shortly after, the gang would be arrested for a robbery they previously committed. When Clara visits Doc’s shop upon hearing of his heartbreak, she sees his model of the DeLorean and finds both protagonists at the spur line. They both board the locomotive and when she nearly falls off, Doc uses the hoverboard from 2015 to save her. Marty is able to hit 88mph in time to finally come back home to 1985. Just when the DeLorean runs out of energy, Marty jumps out of it on the train tracks before the time machine is destroyed by a freight train. As he reunites with his girlfriend Jennifer Parker (Elizabeth Shue), he turns down a street race with Douglas J Needles (Flea) which will in turn prevent him from having an accident and getting fired in 2015. Jennifer sees proof of it when the future fax message vanishes. When the couple examine the ruins of the time machine, Doc returns with Clara and their children who is able to travel through time with a locomotive. He gives Marty a picture of them with the 1885 time clock and encourages him to make a good future with Jennifer since it is not yet set. The film ends with Doc bidding farewell and flying off in the locomotive with his new family into an unknown timeline.


THOUGHTS


It was a big given that director Robert Zemeckis and cowriter Bob Gale were gonna go out with a bang when wrapping up this trilogy, but little would anybody expect it would pay off in the form of a western. It sure worked out because the production/costume/makeup design is just as good as what we got in the first two because it truly felt like a whole new nostalgic trip since westerns were the original action blockbusters, before spy films like the James Bond franchise changed everyone's expectations. Nevertheless, seeing a locomotive train be used as a time machine like the DeLorean is just as cool of an idea no matter how exaggerative it may sound. Still, the combo of Alan Silvestri's score and Dean Cundey's cinematography are able to keep you sucked in and blown away with a different level of extravagance you would've not expected either. In one way, this finale pays off because it is able to lay the final yet important message across: The only one that can control your own life is you and letting fate do so won't guarantee satisfaction. Actors Michael J Fox & Christopher Lloyd are able to get this pull through with their characters who learn this in their last adventure together. Lloyd showed the latter to be most relatable here because his past paranoia has been validated, but his time in the Old West has taught him living in the moment is more important than worrying about the future. And he starting feeling that way when he met Clara. Mary Steenburgen was a delight for making her a true polar opposite to Doc, independent and adventurous in her own way as she was always willing to try new things. She reacted quite realistic when it came to the discovery of time travel because even ‘55 Doc had doubts when meeting Marty. And when it mattered most, they proved how much they cared when they pursued each other in the climax, hence him choosing to stay with her. In the end though, he’s still able to teach Marty things he never thought he’d learn had they not gone through so much. Wherever they went after saying goodbye, I hope they’re having the time of their lives. Fox still has us adore Marty anyway because while still generally a brave guy, he comes to better understand he has to pick his battles better as in ignore those who egg him on. He knew he couldn’t really avoid Mad Dog since Thomas F Wilson hit the nail in the coffin that he was too cruel to care on how he treats people, he became smart enough to know Needles ain’t worth the attention since not even he intended to change his ways. Had he not taken Doc’s advice seriously, he’d walk into his own demise which thankfully didn’t happen. Now that his future with Jennifer isn’t set this time, I hope he too enjoys whatever he does next. This movie is great on its own, but there are still a few questionable moments that make me prefer the first two. For example, how come there wasn't at least another person sharing the last name Brown without needing to be related to Doc? I know his family didn't come to the US until 1908 according to him. That name is pretty common, so this shouldn't be doubtful. Moving on, it feels random for Marty to use the space of a drive-in to get to 1885 apart from seeing the image of native americans come to life. Realistically, he could've used the space outside the drive-in. That is honestly weirder than them and the cavalry not pausing when they see him arrive with the DeLorean nor do they follow him to the cave. Hell, I still think Doc's death could've been avoided furthermore if he just paid Mad Dog the $80 anyway once Marty tells him when he's gonna die. Even if it might not work, it would be worth trying. Also, how the hell did the two bring the DeLorean with the stagecoach into town undetected? A lot of people roam around at night in the Old West, so it's kinda crazy nobody spotted it. And I don't want to hate on Clara, but did she really deserve the ravine to be named after he if she only spent a day in Hill Valley after the accident? Honoring people is sweet, but it doesn't sound logical to name something after someone who was basically a stranger until Doc saved her. It then feels weird that Marshal Strickland doesn't press Buford's gang in surrendering their weapons when he had already pressed Mad Dog himself. That's more luck than the fact no train came early at night to interrupt leaving the DeLorean on the tracks. And the gang should've been arrested way before they committed the robbery since they weren't even whispering about that when Buford challenged McFly. On top of that, I think they should've went to a time period in 1985 where the train tracks weren't even active like the night Marty first saw the DeLorean time travel. Lastly, I can point out the continuity error of Marty not having a headrest in his car between takes, or how there's no immediate investigation of the DeLorean getting destroyed, but the last thing that really tripped me out is that the 2015 fax paper should've disappeared completely if the accident doesn't happen. Ignore this, then you'll still enjoy this movie for what it is. In conclusion, Back to the Future Part III is a great finale for showing us the gift of finding content in life, while still being an exciting adventure nonetheless. If you enjoyed the first two, see this now.