Caffeinated Clint
An advance look at the super sequel
Paul Fischer reviews Spider-Man 3
Peter Parker has finally managed to strike a balance between his devotion to M.J. and his duties as a superhero. But there is a storm brewing on the horizon. When his suit suddenly changes, turning jet-black and enhancing his powers, it transforms Peter as well, bringing out the dark, vengeful side of his personality that he is struggling to control. Under the influence of the suit, Peter becomes overconfident and starts to neglect the people who care for him most. Forced to choose between the seductive power of the new suit and the compassionate hero he used to be, Peter must overcome his personal demons as two of the most-feared villains yet, Sandman and Venom, gather unparalleled power and a thirst for retribution to threaten Peter and everyone he loves.
“Spider-Man 3” heralds the official start of the summer movie season, and with that, all eyes are on what must be one of a handful of anticipated crowd pleasers. The third in the Raimi-led franchise is unlikely to disappoint ardent fans, and on so many levels, the film, which by all accounts cost over $200m, is a spectacular popcorn-munching extravaganza, with visual effects that often seem to dominate and supplant narrative. Like an over stuffed Christmas stocking, there are many sequences that one feels could have been excised, yet, when it comes down to it, Raimi’s artistry remains evident. One of the masterful aspects of this comic book franchise, more than any other, is that these movies explore so many multi faceted themes, each of which is evident in the duality of Parker’s Spider-Man alter ego, a character we thrive to be. In this third film, he becomes even more complex, and while it seems Venom was stuck onto this story to appease fans, the events that lead up to Venom’s creation enhance a subtext that is needed to further flesh out the character. And star Maguire plays the darker, cockier Peter Parker, with full force aplomb, in one of the film’s funnier and acerbic moments. Of course, this Spidey is also a love story, as Parker deals with his fame, he also loses his Mary Jane in the process, and this relationship is beautifully explored, as is the equally complex relationship that exists between Peter and Harry.
Clocking in at about 130 minutes, “Spider-Man 3” is a tad long, but Raimi arrests our attention with a conglomeration of impressive visuals [Sandman is remarkable in itself], yet balances the visuals with character and a complex narrative, all mean feats. He elicits some wonderful performances by Thomas Hayden Church, who is remarkable as Flint Marko, giving the character more depth that ever existed in the comics, while Topher Grace’s Eddie Brock/Venom combo are a joy to watch and listen to.
Raimi’s final film is flawed, to be sure, yet at the same time its sense of exuberance, visual flair and sense of fun, make this third chapter in Peter Parker’s self-odyssey, grand, spectacular entertainment, that will weave its eye-popping web to a captivated audience, and undoubtedly make another small fortune at the box office come May 4.
