 Spider-Man 3 (2007)
Rated: PG-13 for sequences of intense action violence.
Runtime: 140 mins.
Director: Sam Raimi
Writer: Sam Raimi & Ivan Raimi
Cast: Tobey Maguire; Kirsten Dunst; James Franco; Thomas Haden Church (complete cast)
Tagline: Next summer, the greatest battle lies... within.
Genre: Action/Adventure/Sci-fi
Memorable Quote: "Uncle Ben wouldn't want us living with revenge in our hearts, it's like a poison. It can take you over and turn us into something ugly"
Release Date: May 4, 2007
Distributor: Sony Pictures Entertainment
Official Site: www.sonypictures.com/movies/spiderman3/site/
View the Trailer: www.apple.com/trailers/sony_pictures/spider-man_3/
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| Reel commentary: ... It's bigger, louder, faster, and more, but notice I didn't say better... falls quite a few notches below the first two films and only slots somewhere in the middle of the pack of films released this year to date ... full review |
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By Frank Wilkins
The Spider-Man franchise has been hobbled by a staggering blow from what I call Third Installment Disintegration Syndrome or TIDS. TIDS is the unraveling of a film franchise that occurs exactly upon the release of a third installment. It usually goes something like this: the first film in the series strikes magic with a fresh idea that catches an audience off guard and leaves them wanting more; the sequel picks up on the flavor and energy of the first and rides the momentum of the concept to new heights. But by the time the third installment is rolled out, audiences have had time to digest the screen and DVD releases of the first two films, and are looking for something new. But unfortunately, the filmmakers misinterpret "something new" and replace it with "bigger, louder, faster and more". And that's exactly what has happened to the Spider-Man series with its release of Spider-Man 3. With nothing else really left to do, writer/director Sam Raimi simply rehashes many of the concepts, formulas and plotlines from the first two films and spits them back out as a bloated, 50-pound screaming offspring with arms flailing and legs kicking. It's bigger, louder, faster, and more, but notice I didn't say better. It's not necessarily a bad film, as there's still enough good stuff to keep its head above water, but it falls quite a few notches below the first two films and only slots somewhere in the middle of the pack of films released this year to date.
The film picks up with Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) in a state of bliss. Relieved by Mary Jane's (Kirsten Dunst) knowledge of his alter-ego, things couldn't be going better for Spider-Man, who has reached rock-star status amongst the citizens of New York City. But unfortunately he's too busy to lend his support to his girlfriend who has begun to experience a letdown in her Broadway singing/acting career. Now strained by his faltering relationship, Parker falls victim to a black, gooey "symbiote" that attaches itself to his suit and not only turns it black, but also feeds into his darker side. Parker now revels in his newfound power and hunger for revenge, only to find himself harboring many "un-Spidey-like" feelings - namely, self-awareness, apathy, and the overwhelming desire to avenge the death of his Uncle Ben, who was revealed to have been killed by Flint Marko (Thomas Haden Church).
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Bryce Dallas Howard as Gwen Stacy
All images copyright © 2007 Columbia Pictures
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So, with the inflammation of Peter Parker's dark side, the development of a few more plot directions, and the introduction of some new villains, the dominoes of Spider-Man's downfall are in place. Speaking of villains, Harry Osborn (James Franco), who you'll remember from the prequel, is looking to avenge his Green Goblin father's death, but suffers a blow to the head, causing him to temporarily forget his beef with Parker. Enter Flint Marko, whose appearance will most assuredly please the fans of the comic book. Seems Marko's molecules are inadvertently fused with those of sand when he accidentally falls into a pit during a particle physics experiment. The birth of Sandman is one of the most eye-popping special effects of the entire film, but then again, most of the other effects don't seem to have evolved much past what we experienced five years ago in the first Spider-Man. In fact, some here seem just downright "cartoonish."
Another villain making an appearance is Venom (Topher Grace), born from the identity of Eddie Brock, Parker's photography competitor at The Daily Bugle. Venom seems to be handled merely as an afterthought however. He doesn’t appear until about three-fourths of the way into the film and even then, he doesn't really seem that villainous as his face is constantly morphing back-and-forth between that of the toothy snake-like monster and Eric of That '70s Show. It's as if to fill in some missing plot elements, the filmmakers felt the need to continually remind his enemies - and audience members - that Venom is actually Eddie Brock.
There's plenty of Spider-Man action and other cool stuff to keep the audience interested for the full two-and-half hour plus runtime. In fact, most viewers will be blown away by the special effects, fight sequences, and plot advancements. But upon further inspection, many will also notice that the magic of the first installment is missing, instead replaced by hyped-up antics, loud noises and mile-a-minute goings-on of things that have already happened in the first two films - otherwise known as TIDS. Many of the biggest film franchises in Hollywood history have fallen victim to this very ailment – including such legendary series as The Godfather, Batman, X-Men, Harry Potter, Jurassic Park, and The Matrix. I'm afraid we must now add Spider-Man to that list, but let's hold out hope that this Summer's releases of the third installments of Shrek and Pirates of the Caribbean don't suffer the same fate.
Frank Wilkins
 Comments
Richard Says:
May 7, 2007 at 16:03
Frank,
I just read your Spidey 3 review...great work! I couldn't agree more, and
also think it's a huge step down for the series.
Though I have to disagree with you on one point...I think the Harry Potter
films are only getting better with each installment, with the 3rd one in
particular a giant turning point for the series.
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Frank Says:
May 8, 2007 at 14:49
Richard,
Yes, I kind of stretched a little on the Harry Potter thing. But I needed it to fit into to my theory. :)
I did like the third HP better than the 2nd one and I think it was because of Cuaron's vision. But I loved the first one SO much and it was SO magical seeing it come to life for the first time that I don't think anything will ever come close in my mind.
Frank
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Coremister Says:
May 14, 2007 at 17:43
I think spiderman3 is awesome... it's alot better than the first two. It is awesome, and i hope that they continue series!
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We reviewed the single-disc widescreen edition.
Screen Formats: 1.78:1
Subtitles: English; Spanish; Closed Captioned
Language and Sound: English: Dolby Digital 5.1; French-Canadian: Dolby Digital 5.1; Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1
Other Features: Color; interactive menus; scene access;vaudio commentary; outtakes; photo hallery; Snow Patrol music video.
- Commentary - Feature-length commentaries
- 1- with James Franco, Tobey Maguire, Thomas Haden Church, Sam Raimi, Kirsten Dunst, Bryce Dallas Howard, and Topher Grace
- 2 - with Avi Arad, Grant Curtis, Laura Ziskin, Scott Stokdyk, and Bob Murawski
- 61/2 minutes of Bloopers and outtakes
- Advertisements - Action Command Spider-Man toy commercial.
- Photo Galleries - Sketches, paintings, sculptures, special effects, director and cast photo galleries.
- Previews - for Upcoming Blu-ray discs, "Vantage Point," "Across The Universe," "The Water Horse: Legend Of The Deep," "The Ray Harryhausen Collection," "Surf's Up," "Storm Hawks," "Close Encounters Of The Third Kind- The Ultimate Edition," "Ghost Rider," "Seinfeld-Season 9," "Vitus," "The Jane Austen Book Club," and "My Kid Could Paint That."
- Music video: Snow Patrol "Signal Fire"
- DVD-Rom: - Spider-Man: Friend Or Foe video game preview.
Number of Discs: 1 with Keepcase Packaging and cardboard slipcase.
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Buy the DVD
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Buy the
Soundtrack
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| Tobey Maguire |
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Spider-Man/Peter Parker |
| Kirsten Dunst |
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Mary Jane Watson |
| James Franco |
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New Goblin/Harry Osborn |
| Thomas Haden Church |
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Sandman/Flint Marko |
| Topher Grace |
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Venom/Eddie Brock |
| Bryce Dallas Howard |
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Gwen Stacy |
| Rosemary Harris |
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May Parker |
| J.K. Simmons |
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J. Jonah Jameson |
| James Cromwell |
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Captain Stacy |
| Theresa Russell |
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Emma Marko |
| Dylan Baker |
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Dr. Curt Connors |
| Bill Nunn |
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Joseph 'Robbie' Robertson |
| Bruce Campbell |
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Maître d’ |
| Elizabeth Banks |
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Miss Brant |
| Cliff Robertson |
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Uncle Ben Parker |
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