The film series that made Michael J. Fox into the Michael J. Fox and immortalized the Delorean has stood like a Spartan against the army of time. Visually striking in its set designs, tightly-written, and wonderfully casted, the Back to the Future series epitomizes the much-tried but often-failed science fiction comedy with one of the widest audiences of any film anywhere. Though it has its bumps in the road like any trilogy, it never quite wears out its welcome (ala Jurassic Park III, which I examined previously).
Back to the Future (1985)
The Good: Everything. Far ahead of its time, the first installment in the trilogy borders on p
erfection. Surely one of the best scripts ever written, the performances of every character involved, from Michael J. Fox to Crispin Glover to Christopher Lloyd, there may not be a more well-casted film with such great chemistry in the history of cinema. It’s smart, it’s funny, it’s charming, it’s one of the best movies ever made, period, that is destined to be an icon now and for decades, maybe centuries, to come.
erfection. Surely one of the best scripts ever written, the performances of every character involved, from Michael J. Fox to Crispin Glover to Christopher Lloyd, there may not be a more well-casted film with such great chemistry in the history of cinema. It’s smart, it’s funny, it’s charming, it’s one of the best movies ever made, period, that is destined to be an icon now and for decades, maybe centuries, to come.The Bad: His mom was way hotter than his girlfriend. That’s not really bad, just an observation.
Score: 10/10
Avg. RT Score: 8.3/10
Back to the Future Part II (1989)
The Good: The writing is once again the key to the film’s charm. Biff is the primary antagonist, Doc is back and no one needs roads. The highly exaggerated future (which we now realize probably isn’t too farfetched whatsoever) is cartoony and fun to watch. The way the scenes and stories intertwine never get too complex while remaining smart and witty enough to not need a PhD in physics to understand it. Part II is often considered the “bad one,” but that’s really not fair. It’s the “least best” movie in the trilogy, and the least best always gets a bad rap (see: Return of the Jedi).
The Bad: While the effects are neat and not really meant to be taken seriously, they do go a little overboard. The darker tone of the film’s climax also makes it a little tougher to watch, not to mention there’s no Crispin Glover.
Score: 8/10
Avg. RT Score: 6/10
Back to the Future Part III (1990)
The Good: The series wraps soundly with what’s probably the most comedic installment in the series. The old west set designs are stereotypical yet wonderful, the inclusion of an old west Biff and an old west McFly family works better than it should. It’s lighter than the second, wittier, and far more charming. If you could only watch two films in the trilogy, make sure it’s the original and this one.
The Bad: The old west theme is gets a little bland at times, but it really doesn’t detract from what in the end is an excellent finale, maybe one of the best third movies ever made.
Score: 9/10
Avg. RT Score: 6.4/10
Avg. RT Score: 8.3/10
Back to the Future Part II (1989)
The Good: The writing is once again the key to the film’s charm. Biff is the primary antagonist, Doc is back and no one needs roads. The highly exaggerated future (which we now realize probably isn’t too farfetched whatsoever) is cartoony and fun to watch. The way the scenes and stories intertwine never get too complex while remaining smart and witty enough to not need a PhD in physics to understand it. Part II is often considered the “bad one,” but that’s really not fair. It’s the “least best” movie in the trilogy, and the least best always gets a bad rap (see: Return of the Jedi).
The Bad: While the effects are neat and not really meant to be taken seriously, they do go a little overboard. The darker tone of the film’s climax also makes it a little tougher to watch, not to mention there’s no Crispin Glover.
Score: 8/10
Avg. RT Score: 6/10
Back to the Future Part III (1990)
The Good: The series wraps soundly with what’s probably the most comedic installment in the series. The old west set designs are stereotypical yet wonderful, the inclusion of an old west Biff and an old west McFly family works better than it should. It’s lighter than the second, wittier, and far more charming. If you could only watch two films in the trilogy, make sure it’s the original and this one.
The Bad: The old west theme is gets a little bland at times, but it really doesn’t detract from what in the end is an excellent finale, maybe one of the best third movies ever made.
Score: 9/10
Avg. RT Score: 6.4/10
