Spider-Man 3

Spidey’s back in black and gone bad in the (over)hyped sequel Spider-Man 3. I’ve almost literally been counting down the days to this movie ever since the day that Spiderman 2 came out, the film that I regard as one of the best comic book movies ever. Tobey Maguire gained my respect, proving that The Cider House Rules wasn’t a fluke. Doc Ock was pretty cool, too.

So, with all the praise I’m heaping on the first two flicks, why do I feel slightly disappointed? Well, for one, to get it onto the table, it’s probably the most entertaining movie so far this year. (A worthy competition.) So by the time you read this it’s Thursday and half of you guys have already seen it and derived your own opinions. My guess: maybe 50% of you guys were slightly disappointed but definitely entertained (like me), 25% loved it, and 25% hated it. Throw in maybe .001% who declare it the best movie ever.

But onto what I was saying. Why am I disappointed? Well, the last movie perfected the emotion of Peter and MJ’s relationship. No melodrama. In this, they both cry at least five times and have less great dialogue to work with. Other than those few gimping flaws, there’s nothing slacking or lacking.

For the first time in a while, Peter and MJ are doing great, contrary to the situation in the second movie. Pete’s superhero alter ego, Spider-Man, is adored by the press. Even the eccentric anti-Spider-Man editor of The Daily Bugle has gained some respect for the guy. MJ makes her debut on Broadway. Peter decides to propose to MJ, courtesy of his Aunt May’s treasured wedding ring.

Then, continuing a subplot from the second film, Harry becomes the Green Goblin and, considering he found out in the second film that his best buddy Peter was actually Spider-Man (see, Harry considers Spider-Man responsible for the death of his father) he attacks Peter, but instead of killing Spidey it nearly kills Harry. Now he has memory loss and can’t remember the last few months, or anything regarding Peter’s superhero alter ego.

Meanwhile, escaped convict Flint Marko is on the run to find money so he can obtain pricey medicine for his ailing daughter. When the police locate him, he escapes into a scientific test site (does anyone read the KEEP OUT signs?), and the scientists are too dang dumb to notice. When the machine goes off, it puts sand into the DNA of poor Marko and voila, Sandman is born.

While MJ and Peter are out on a date, a weird alien goo finds it’s way onto Peter…This goo apparently amplifies emotions, specifically rage. This does much:

1) Peter/Spidey begins to flirt with a girl that he saves…MJ gets jealous….You know the drill.
2) A five-minute sequence that could be funnier than anything in Blades of Glory…Lets say it involves a lot of dancing, flirting, eating, and overacting. All on Spidey’s part.
3) That new ambitious photographer, Eddie Brock, fakes photos of Spidey robbing a bank and turns the city against him…Peter proves the photos wrong and gets Eddie fired. And…well…through weird circumstances Eddie becomes Venom.
4) Peter gets paid three times as much as usual at his job.

Meanwhile…Apparently Flint/Sandman is the one who REALLY killed Pete’s uncle in the first flick, giving Spidey a motive to hate his guts. Meanwhile, Harry suddenly, despite apparent amnesia, in a flash remembers everything...Including his brutal fight with Spidey. That’s all in the first hour.

I really liked it. It was complex, action-packed, and quite funny. But at times it was kinda campy. And although many complain it was overlong, I complain it wasn’t long enough. B