Superman III (1983)
If the world's most powerful computer can control even Superman...no one on earth is safe.
Aiming to defeat the Man of Steel, wealthy executive Ross Webster hires bumbling but brilliant Gus Gorman to develop synthetic kryptonite, which yields some unexpected psychological effects. Between rekindling romance with his high school sweetheart and saving himself, Superman must contend with a powerful supercomputer.
In Superman III, consciousness is carried by machines — a plane of “corporate tech dystopia”. The story fights on E8/E11 of the E0–E14 reality ladder, compressing technology, power, corruption.
Same rung, same subject
Films fighting at the same level of reality, about the same things.
Same subject, different rung
The same preoccupations examined at another scale — one mind versus a nation.
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984)E7/E12 · rare rung · power, technology
Godzilla vs. Hedorah (1971)E7/E10 · rare rung · power, technology
King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962)E6/E12 · rare rung · power, technology
The Big Short (2015)E10/E13 · rare rung · corruption, power
Stargate: The Ark of Truth (2008)E9/E13 · rare rung · power, technology
Wizards (1977)E9/E13 · rare rung · power, technologyAlso bends a rule of reality
Other films that change a standing rule of their world — ranked first by those bending it at the same rung.
The Circle (2017)alters at E10 · same rung · loose
Repo! The Genetic Opera (2008)alters at E10 · same rung · loose
WALL·E (2008)alters at E10 · same rung · rigorous
In Time (2011)alters at E10 · same rung · loose
Incredibles 2 (2018)alters at E10 · same rung · loose
I, Robot (2004)alters at E10 · same rung · looseAlso hides consciousness here
Other films that move a human interior onto the same kind of thing.
Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)consciousness in machines · superhero defense
Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011)consciousness in machines · machine war on Earth
Transformers: Age of Extinction (2014)consciousness in machines · alien‑mech war
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009)consciousness in machines · mechanical alien war
Transformers (2007)consciousness in machines · mechanical war
RoboCop (2014)consciousness in machines · cybernetic policingSame subject, different mask
The same preoccupations carried by a different kind of thing — grief told through the dead, an animal, a machine.
Heavy Metal (1981)consciousness in abstractions · corruption, power
Avengers: Endgame (2019)consciousness in aliens · power, technology
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (2024)consciousness in animals · power, technology
Rampage (2018)consciousness in animals · power, technology
Status Update (2018)consciousness in aliens · power, technology
The Toxic Avenger (1984)consciousness in monsters · corruption, powerSame people
Shared director or cast.
