Review

Review Date: 6-May-07
Spoiler Rating: Medium
Juju Judgment: Juicy

Spider-Man 3 (2007)

I reread my reviews of the other Spider-Man movies and was surprised how much of the praise I said then I could also say now. "A popcorn flick that possesses character and heart as well as eye-popping action," I wrote of the first installment, and "[it] touched me more than many 'serious' films that set out to deliver a message about humanity," of the second. My surprise stemmed from the fact that "Spider-Man 3" felt inferior to its predecessors. At first I couldn't tell why, but my old reviews illuminated the movie's weakness in addition to its strengths. Where once I applauded director Sam Raimi's craft, this time I missed his enthusiasm and skill. "Spider-Man 3" has heart and action, all right, but it's regrettably lacking in pizzazz.

Not that Raimi didn't set himself a challenge. Megasequels demand more, more, more, so Spidey's third outing is chockablock full of major characters with major issues. The hero himself (Tobey Maguire) feels like his star is on the rise as he prepares to pop the question to his lifelong love (Kirsten Dunst), not realizing that she feels her star has plummeted to earth. Speaking of which, a meteorite delivers an alien parasite which hides in Peter's apartment waiting for the opportunity to feed on hate. It might have done better to land with his estranged friend (James Franco) who had vowed to rain vengeance upon Peter's head for his father's death and tries to do so as the movie begins. They appear to get a chance for a fresh start, but unfortunately Peter and everyone he knows is human and fallible, which means that trouble is on the way. It initially takes the form of an escaped convict (Thomas Haden Church) whose molecules are replaced by sand and who uses his new shape-shifting powers to rob banks for a noble cause.

This convict also turns out to be the guy who really murdered Peter's uncle, and when Peter hears about this it's just the opening the parasite needs. Possessing his mind through the Spider-Man suit, it turns him into a spiteful killer most unlike his chivalrous, dweeby self. Then it moves on to a naturally spiteful little monster named Eddie (Topher Grace), who hates Peter out of both professional and romantic rivalry. Our friendly neighborhood webslinger ends up caught between his own blunders, his loved ones' misunderstandings, the sandman's misguided honor, and Eddie's amplified meanness. What else but love could save the day?

Yes, while the first two flicks were about responsibility and sacrifice, this one concerns forgiveness, and that is its saving grace (along with Topher, who shines among the excellent cast). Peter may escape the humiliation planned for him by Possessed Eddie (I know his name is Venom but nobody says it on screen), but he can't avoid the humiliation scripted for him a couple scenes earlier. Raimi, who also co-wrote, previously distinguished himself with a crisp style and touches of horror and humor; here he delivers two hours of uninspired recital and one nightmarishly odd sequence in a jazz bar. (Bruce Campbell's cameo is the only successful humor.) Maybe it is time to pass the speakerphone to someone new. Still, the appeal of the franchise which Raimi began lives on. Most of us won't shoulder the responsibility of keeping a city safe, but we will make mistakes that need to be forgiven. The gist of this third chapter is moving enough to smooth the occasional flatness and awkwardness of its telling.

Copyright © 2007 The Jujube (M. I. Kim). All rights reserved.