Movie · 1990 · Adventure, Comedy, Science Fiction · 1h 59m · PG · English
Curator score: 4.8/10 (1.3M ratings)
They've saved the best trip for last... But this time they may have gone too far.
Overview
The final installment finds Marty digging the trusty DeLorean out of a mineshaft and looking for Doc in the Wild West of 1885. But when their time machine breaks down, the travelers are stranded in a land of spurs. More problems arise when Doc falls for pretty schoolteacher Clara Clayton, and Marty tangles with Buford Tannen.
Ratings
Curator score: 4.8/10
IMDb: 7.5/10
Letterboxd: 3.58/5
Rotten Tomatoes: 79%
Metacritic: 55
TMDB: 7.5/10
Director
Robert Zemeckis
Production
Universal Pictures, Amblin Entertainment
Cast
Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Mary Steenburgen, Thomas F. Wilson, Lea Thompson, Elisabeth Shue, Matt Clark, Richard Dysart, Pat Buttram, Harry Carey, Jr., Dub Taylor, James Tolkan, Marc McClure, Wendie Jo Sperber, Jeffrey Weissman, Christopher Wynne, Sean Sullivan, Mike Watson, Hugh Gillin, Burton Gilliam
Curator Review
Verdict
A charming, inventive capper that trades the second film’s chaos for a warmer, more romantic adventure. It’s lighter on high-concept time-travel fireworks, but the Western setting, brisk comedy, and strong Doc Brown spotlight make it a satisfying finale.
Best for
fans of time-travel adventures
viewers who like genre mashups
people who enjoy old-school studio craftsmanship
audiences who prefer a sentimental ending
fans of playful Western pastiche
Skip if
you want the most complex time-travel plotting
you dislike broad comedy and nostalgia
you expect the sequel to be as wild as Part II
you’re not interested in Western settings
Overview
Back to the Future Part III works best when you accept it as a victory lap rather than a reinvention. The move to 1885 gives the series a fresh visual identity, and Zemeckis leans into the pleasures of a classic Western while keeping the time-travel premise nimble and funny. The result is less manic than Part II, but more emotionally direct and often more charming.
Worth noting
Christopher Lloyd gets a wonderful showcase here, and the film lets Doc Brown become the heart of the story in a way that feels earned. Mary Steenburgen adds real warmth, and the romance gives the finale a sweeter, more wistful shape than you might expect from a franchise closer. The VFX and production design are still impressively polished, especially for a film that’s constantly juggling comedy, action, and period detail.
Bottom line
If Part II is the series at its most frantic, Part III is the one that settles into a confident groove. It may not be the most beloved chapter for everyone, but it’s an affectionate, well-made ending that understands exactly how to send these characters off.
Top Letterboxd reviews
Crash Jatcko (3.5★) · 4241 likes
Anyone else ever think it was kind of a dick move for Doc to talk for two and a half movies about destroying the time machine and then just fuck around and build a goddamn time-train?
adambolt (4★) · 2662 likes
think i came a bit every time they said "back to the future"
Mr. DuLac (4★) · 1998 likes
Everybody everywhere will say, "Clint Eastwood is the biggest yellow-belly in the west."-Saloon Patron
It's so odd to me that Back to the Future Part II and Part III were written together and then shot back to back. Part II is pure chaos compared to the first film to the point that the film contradicts it's own "time travel rules". You end up with quite a silly future, an alternate 1985 and going back to 1955 incorporating scenes from… more
👽 Zara 👽 (3.5★) · 1817 likes
need marty’s gay ass cowboy outfit so bad it was such a slay
Kat (4★) · 1672 likes
Fuck everyone who hates this film it's a masterpiece.