Web Slinging Melodramatics (Movie only) (Spider-Man 3 (2 DVDs))

Member Name: marandina

Product:	Spider-Man 3 (2 DVDs)
Date:	09/05/07 (192 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great fx, decent story

Disadvantages: Too slow at times, too long

I guess when a movie costs $258million you are expecting major payback in the audience. If ever I was worried about a potential turkey it was with the latest Spiderman movie after mixed reviews in the media and a one-star rating in The Times. Having established the franchise in 2002 with the original movie “Spiderman”, “Spiderman 2” followed in 2004 and the latest in the sequence seeks to develop the interpersonal stories involving the main characters against the customary backdrop of all action, web-slinging, high falutin’ antics at the top of tall buildings. So it was a certain degree of trepidation that I queued in the bank holiday crush to buy my tickets and take my place with all of the other folks thronging to watch one of this summer season’s string of blockbusters.

Co-written by Sam and Ivan Raimi with a screenplay by Ivan Raimi and Alvin Sargent, Sam Raimi directs his latest siege gun of special affects wrapped in an envelope of emotional melodrama. With Spiderman’s popularity reaching new heights, Tobey Maguire playing the lead once again, can do no wrong. Loved by New York and its New Yorkers, the web-slinging crook catcher basks in the glory of his many good deeds. However, storm clouds are gathering. As a meteorite crashes to Earth, a black sticky symbiote is released which attaches itself to our hero in the form of an alternative costume colored black rather than red (needless to say, black is the colour cue for evil). Meanwhile, Flint Marco (Thomas Haden Church) has escaped from prison and whilst fleeing from the cops he falls into a particle accelerator device (like you do). As the experiment kicks in and the scientists pass his presence off as a bird or something, the centrifugal process turns the killer of Spiderman/Peter Parker’s uncle into the Sandman having messed about with his particles (as you’d expect from a particle accelerator). If this wasn’t enough, Peter’s best friend, Harry Osborne (James Franco) has had a relapse of conscience and decided to avenge his father’s death at the hands of Spidey by turning himself into Green Goblin Junior and Eddie Brock (Topher Grace) has become yet another super villain in the shape of the rather nasty looking, razor-teethed Venom after picking up the black, sticky symbiote in a church; Spiderman finally having found a way to rid himself of the dark alter ego he’d become tangled up in, because of it. With Parker being the reason for him losing his job at The Daily Bugle, Brock/Venom now wants revenge too, joining a queue that’s getting longer by the second. Confused? Well, it does all make sense as the plot unfolds leading to the explosive finale that you’d expect with all that going on.

With a certificate 12A and a run time of 140 minutes, there’s a lot to pack into this story. We are talking “Titanic” proportions and, in may ways, the latest Spiderman looks and feels very much like the much maligned film that rose above its obvious ending and took a fortune at the box office. The most obvious comparison is the love story at the heart of the movie. Pete’s love for Mary Jane Watson (Kirsten Dunst) is explored in great detail with the added complexity of both Harry Osborn’s alternative adoration and the ensuing revenge sub-plot that leads Harry to break the couple up in an attempt to ruin Peter’s life. Let’s start with what’s good about the movie. As you would expect from someone with Raimi’s track record, both direction and special affects are tip top with memorable set pieces dotted throughout the film. The creation of The Sandman is impressive, the fight scene between building-bound alleyways involving a surprised Peter Parker and Green Goblin 2 is enthralling and the sequences involving Venom are enough to scare most young children (and me a little). The musical score predominantly written By Christopher Young matches the movie’s emotions, sweeping everything along during its lengthy run time. Even the story is pretty coherent albeit verging on chick flick with some of the dramatic “Kiss Me Hardy” Nelson, dieing-on-the-deck moments at the end.

There are criticisms of the movie. Whilst both Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst pick up where they’ve left off with their reasonably (if not completely) convincing on-screen chemistry (Maguire is just too understated for me and the scenes in the jazz club all a bit silly), James Franco looks worryingly like he's doing a good impression of Steve Coogan, what with all that grinning and leering at the camera. Considering the curious script thrown at Haden Church in trying to garner funds to bail out his sick and dying daughter, he looks the part given the baleful expressions he wears in his downtrodden world, cast out by his wife and consigned to roam the world committing crimes in the name of his ill-fated little girl. Seeking redemption for his sins, Haden Church provides the tears at the climax as a number of ladies (and men in all probability) reached for their hankies. The single biggest flaw in the film is the run time and at over 2 hours, it’s simply too long. To put it into context, my 11-year old went to the toilet twice and for large parts of the movie, the story was so slow and pensive that he could have nodded off (along with his father, if truth be told). Still, if you like a slow building love triangle stranded in the middle of a superhero showdown the this will be for you and the script writers forgiven for their attempts to pull at the emotional drawstrings of its audience’s collective heart.

The way is open for the continuation of the Spiderman franchise with further movies likely. With the main leads established and comfortable, all that’s needed now is the invention of further villains and a decent soap plot to take the story on further. This won’t be the best superhero movie that you’ve ever seen and Nolan’s interpretation of the Batman myth is done a lot better than this. In fact, Tim Burton might be a wise choice for a fourth movie to bring some much needed self effacement and humour to what’s become a far too serious exercise in comic book, celluloid hero-worship. “Spiderman 3” is ultimately a take it or leave it experience; neither really good or particularly bad. Fans of action movies, superhero movies and even chick flick cum romantic melodrama will enjoy it along with older children (note the 12A rating). Go and see it for your own reasons but there is better to come this season; there simply must be.

Thanks for the read

“Spiderman 3” is on general release across the UK.

More info at: spiderman3.sonypictures.com/

Summary: Overview of Spidey 3