Spider-Man 3 (2007)

Overall rating from 1 to 100: 74

O Masterpiece (95-100)
O Excellent (75-94)
X Good video rental (60-74)
O Merely OK (50-59)
O Pure mediocrity (30-49)
O Medusa: don't watch (1-29)

Review by Jason Pyles / May 4, 2007

Regardless of what I write, you'll see "Spider-Man 3" anyway. I still did — despite my respected colleague's review that gave the movie a "D+." It’s not that bad, but just don't get your hopes up too high. "Spider-Man 3" is good, not great.

Yes, I'd still recommend seeing it in the theater. This summertime, popcorn blockbuster is at least worth the matinee prices. Though I accurately classified it as a "Good video rental," the dizzying special effects deserve a big-screen debut — despite some shortcomings that I’ll mention momentarily.

Spider-Man returns at the top of his game. All is well. He is loved and appreciated by the people of New York City. And, Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) has big plans for his girlfriend, Mary Jane (Kirsten Dunst).

Parker's best friend, Harry Osborn (James Franco), still harbors bitterness toward Spider-Man. Osborn blames the wall crawler for his father's death and is consumed by an obsession with vengeance.

Also, we meet an escaped convict named Flint Marko (Thomas Haden Church), a man who has unfortunate, intimate ties to the Parker family. Marko's motivation toward evildoing is somewhat understandable and reminiscent of Mr. Freeze's lofty ambitions in the dreaded "Batman & Robin" (1997).

When the fleeing convict falls into a "Particle Physics Test Facility," he obtains the talent to exfoliate through his corpuscles, among other things that pertain to sand. (Actually, the Sandman and a crazy crane scene are the movie's high points.)

Next we have shiny, black, goopy, alien ooze that falls from outer space, finds a host and amplifies its host's traits — especially aggression. The extraterrestrial essence gives Parker and a weasel photographer named Eddie Brock (Topher Grace), many issues with social protocol.

(Note to parents of young Spider-Man fans: Venom might have an adverse effect on little ones — namely scaring them to death.) I had my doubts, but I’m happy to report that Topher Grace makes a good Venom.

Interestingly, "Spider-Man 3" provides inner struggles for each of these main characters. We watch as they wrestle with themselves, one another and a disjointed storyline.

There is a lot of silly comedy in "Spider-Man 3.” Some of it is funny. This was probably included to offset the dark heaviness of the movie, but the jokiness becomes so absurd that we get the sense that the filmmakers became slaphappy during the making of this third installment. There is a tangible carelessness in each aspect of the film: dialogue, plot, acting — even the occasionally "cartoonish" special effects. (These effects are still wonderful to watch, but they seem unfinished.)

Nevertheless, the movie is entertaining. But it's doesn't bode well for this summer’s big action movie when I hear the guy sitting on my right ask how much longer the movie will last, and I see my friend on my left checking his watch. Perhaps the 140-minute runtime should have tingled Sam Raimi's spidey sense; it sure made my butt tingle.

Directed by Sam Raimi
Tobey Maguire / Kirsten Dunst / James Franco
140 min. Action
MPAA: PG-13 (for sequences of intense action violence)

Copyright 2007.
JP0098 : 485