Spider-Man 3

Spider-Man 3 ***1/2

Directed by Sam Raimi
Written by Sam Raimi, Ivan Raimi, and Alvin Sargent, based on the comic book characters created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko

Starring:
Tobey Maguire as Peter Parker/Spider-Man
Kirsten Dunst as Mary Jane Watson
James Franco as Harry Osborn
Thomas Haden Church as Flint Marko/Sandman
Topher Grace as Eddie Brock/Venom
Bryce Dallas Howard as Gwen Stacy
James Cromwell as Captain George Stacy
Rosemary Harris as May Parker
J.K. Simmons as J. Jonah Jameson
Dylan Baker as Dr. Curt Connors
Bill Nunn as Joseph 'Robbie' Robertson
Theresa Russell as Mrs. Marko
Cliff Robertson as Ben Parker
Ted Raimi as Hoffman
Bruce Campbell as Maître d’
Elizabeth Banks as Miss Brant

140 Minutes(Rated PG-13 for sequences of intense action violence).
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When it comes to the superhero movies it does not get any better than the Spider-Men. And Spider-Man continues to outrun all of the others in style, substance, and even acting at times. There seems to be an overemphasis in trying to make these superhero movies bloated with campy humor and over the top situations(like "Ghost Rider.") While "Spider-Man," and especially this new one, does have some scenes where it is a little over the top, this element is not prevalent in almost every frame. While Nic Cage was clearly just trying to have a good time in "Ghost Rider," Sam Raimi tries to make a decent product, and he has made three great and very entertaining films where he goes beyond the term "decent." Now "Spider-Man 3" is a mild disappointment after the masterpiece that was "Spider-Man 2," but it is still a great continuation of the previous two. Now anybody could remember what happened at the end of the second film, and you would automatically know that the third film would be more bloated than ever. Well, Raimi not only covers what he left hanging in the second, but he adds a whole new batch of obstacles that make 'Spider-Man 3" extremely accountable of it's two hours and twenty minutes-and it is never boring.

Now, Peter Parker was bitten by a spider a few years back and became the web-slinger superhero Spider-Man. Now he has to contend with the city of New York that he wants to protect, ensuring that he can balance between saving the world and maintaining a proper relationship with Mary Jane Watson, the girl of his dreams, and also live with the fact that his best friend thinks he killed his father. And college. Peter Parker ends up battling his friend Harry Osborne in a fight which results in Harry loosing his memory. Everything seems back to normal for a while, although New York becomes attacked by a giant massive Hulk-ish villain named Sandman. Really Flint Marko, an escaped convict that got in the way of a scientific experiment, Marko just needs money to give to his daughter who is dying of a rare disease. However, Parker will not let Marko off easy, especially when he finds out that he is the man that really killed his uncle years before in a carjacking. And then there are hints at another love interest with the blonde and rich Gwen Stacey (played by Bryce Dallas Howard, who is somewhat of a goddess), who is really Spider-Man's first girlfriend in the comics, and lastly a rival photographer, Eddie Brock. Not to mention the strange force that fell from the sky and attached itself onto Peter's suit, turning it black and turning him into a curt and rude and cocky boy.

Now that does seem like a lot of material for a two hour and twenty minute film, and that did not even mention the fact that Harry regains his memory, and that there is a third villain that ends up showing up for the third act. One could think that Raimi was going way over his head, packing way too much into the third, and what he originally said would be the final, film. But he does it with such skill that it never seems forced, and whenever one storyline is taking a break there is another, even better one, to pick up the pace. And like the previous films there is a fair balance between the action and the romance. Those who complain that there is too much love here only has to remember the first lines of "Spider-Man," and how this has always been at heart a love story. In the first two films the biggest tension came from Peter Parker and Mary Jane, and not Spider-Man and whatever villain he is facing. There is also a certain comic edge to it, which also mesh well. Bruce Campbell does another cameo as a Maître d’ in a fake French restaurant on the night where Peter wishes to propose to Mary Jane. And J.K. Simmons is fantastic once again as the editor at the newspaper where Peter works, and is always trying to catch Spider-Man doing something criminal. Parker's eventual turn into the dark side have his sporting an "emo" look-long hair, all black, even a little eye-shadow. He goes a little dance-somewhat cheesy, but then again there have always been a certain corny humor under toning in all of the films-the "Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head" bit from the second film is a perfect example, and that bit worked perfectly.

Since I saw the film later in the week of its release, I heard a lot of complaints about the film. One of them was the huge love element, but the second was Topher Grace's Eddie Brock, and his eventual turn into the evil Venom. "In the comics" Venom is portrayed as a big and burly man, kind of like Thomas Hayden Church's Sandman. In the movie Venom is smaller, a little puny, and has the same voice as Topher Grace. But in my eyes they had to get an actor that kind of resembled Tobey Maguire in a way, because the Venom portrayed in the film is really the opposite of Peter Parker. Everyone is so wrapped up into how Spider-Man happened in the comics that they are forgetting that book and film are two separate entities of the same thing. If they stuck to the comics for every little thing that happened there would be no suspense or mystery. People need to enjoy the Spider-Man films because of what they are, and not because of what they were missing from the comic books.

All in all, "Spider-Man 3" did not have the same feel as the second. Some of the scenes did go on a bit too long, and a fist fight between Peter and Harry in the middle did not really work for me. And there is a strange image involving Mary Jane's cell phone and it having the first and last names of the people that she would call. And I am still convinced it is impossible to pick up a cinder block and hurl it at somebody while hanging in mid-air. Maybe for Spider-Man, but definitely not for Mary Jane. I still enjoyed it very much-it's a sweet film, a great action film, and a good time. This has it all, and is a great kick start for the summer movie season that is sure to be a good time.