Everything matures nicely in this conclusion

Rating: 8/10 (14 January 2001)

First of all, I'd like to say that I don't understand the many reviews I've read which criticize this film for taking on a Western element. It makes a lot of sense (and is very exciting) to place emphasis on the time you've travelled to. In the first film, there was a portrait, albeit a rough one, of 1950s middle-class American culture, in the second, a hypothetical future with all the colorful whiz-bang technology that was the vision in the 1980s, and in the final, the Old West--complete with costumes and catch phrases that seem awfully cliched now but were a lot newer in 1885. The traits of the West (issues of absolute historical accuracy aside) were more deeply explored here than the other two environments were in their respective films--which I liked; it was nice to see some more emphasis on where they were rather than why they were there or how they could leave. It pointed to some evolution in the role of Doc's time machine, going from scientific breakthrough to instrument of recreation. That change provided some room for more thorough character development, particularly the Doc through the introduction of his love interest, but also Marty in an exposition of his strength of character--no longer the scared, bewildered kid he was in the first two films, he showed new attitudinal and intellectual resource. I think growth was the overall theme here, a satisfying result of all the adventures. As Marty said, "It's been educational."