Movie Review: Spider-Man 3

Movies Reviews

By Scott Rosenberg May 1, 2007, 11:30 GMT

(Caution: Spoiler(s) below)

As the topper of a small film festival and its chief programmer, I watch movies. A LOT of movies: Mostly independent, many foreign and of course Hollywood movies. Some of these movies are good, others very good and some, well no need to say. Kicked back, almost nodding off (movie started an hour and a half late – by the time it started at 9:30 pm, I would generally be home asleep), I watched Spider-Man swing through New York. Suddenly, I thought to myself, “This is what Hollywood is all about!”‘Spider-Man 3’ is a big budget (nearly US$300 million), action and special effects packed marvel (ohh, bad pun) to behold on the big screen. But even more so, Sam Raimi and his older brother Ivan, have spun (I’m really not trying to generate these witticisms) a tight web of interlocking sub plots- each with a strong theme unto itself. First, there is the on-going story of Peter Parker– Spider-Man (Tobey Maguire), who is becoming a bit stuck on himself as his popularity soars across the city.Next is the evolving love story of Parker and his girl friend Mary Jane Watson (Kirsten Dunst) and both Parker’s and MJ’s relationship with their high school chum Harry Osborn (James Franko).Feeding into Peter Parker’s narcissism is the tale of (what I call)an “evil” black blob that fell to Earth in a meteorite and when in contact with people, causes a person’s “dark side” to emerge. And, as in so many stories before – the dark side, once released, is hard to do away with.Of course this blob finds Peter and Spidey soon finds himself enjoying (way too much) his new popularity and fame which begins to threaten his relationship with his friends, more so with MJ who is going through a rough patch of her own.Fourth, there are efforts at revenge, Harry revenging his father’s death which he thinks Parker caused – new character Eddie Brock (Topher Grace), who becomes Spidey’s nemeses “Venom” after coming in contact with the blob - he wants to get back at Parker for making him lose his new job at the Daily Bugle and believing that Parker has stolen his girlfriend. And lastly, another new character Flint Marko (Thomas Haden Church) the “Sandman,” who Spidey learns killed his Uncle Ben.And lastly, tales of love and friendship: Between Peter and MJ, as friends, Peter, Harry and MJ, between Flint Marko and his ill daughter and between Peter and his Aunt May (Rosemary Harris) , who is probably my favorite character.Aunt May is sugar and spice and everything nice. She is there to bring you up when you’re down and give you a dose of reality when your ego begins to run away with you. When revenge overcomes Parker after learning that Marko killed his Uncle and is on the loose, Aunt May’s voice bounces into his head and says to him “Uncle Ben wouldn't want us living with revenge in our hearts, it's like a poison. It can take you over and turn us into something ugly.”Her words of wisdom are messages to be learned by us all As tightly knit as the stories are woven, there are some holes. Why doesn’t Spidey own a cell phone? He has to call MJ on a pay phone in the boarding house he lives in .Ok, so Parker is poor – but he has a job working as a lowly photographer for the Daily Bugle and has some disposable income. His well-off buddy Harry could have even given him one for his birthday or Christmas.And what’s with the overt gestures to American patriotism – reminiscent of the early Superman (George Reeves) movies on TV? (Superman Announcer: Yes, it's Superman, strange visitor from another planet, with powers and abilities far beyond those of mortal men! Superman, who can change the course of mighty rivers, bend steel with his bare hands, and who, disguised as Clark Kent, mild-mannered reporter for a great metropolitan newspaper, fights a never-ending battle for truth, justice and the American way!)When Frank Marko’s character is introduced, it is made clear that he is a good man that has had bad luck in his life. If so, when he becomes Sandman why does he do bad things?Parker figures out how to shed himself of the black blob, but how did he know sound vibrations were the secret weapon? Finally, there are several new characters introduced in the story that are superfluous – plots are thick enough, why introduce the new characters now? For the future of the franchise?But that too is in doubt. Raimi is talking of moving on to ‘The Hobbit.’ Tobey Maguire has let it be known that he is ready to move on. James Franco was just killed off, can he arise from the dead?Sony Pictures prez Amy Pascal, has publicly said there will be a ‘Spider-Man 4.’ It would be a shame to change cast and crew in mid-stream – just as things were getting good, really - really good!Opens wide May 4 everywhere. MPAA: Rated PG-13 for sequences of intense action, violence.