Good, Until the End

Rating: 7/10 (24 March 2007)

Just saw this movie for the first time after reading all these glowing reviews. I'll agree, I like how they developed the characters a little more. After all, it's hard to write a good story if you don't know the characters, because it's hard to have a good story if you don't care about the characters. And it's hard to care about the characters if you don't know what makes them tick, what motivates them, etc. In that, they did an excellent job and it made for a good story. Because you know the characters better, you care about what happens to them, and it keeps your interest.
Now, for the bad news. Towards the end of the movie, they indulged in stupid story writing and turned Spiderman into Dumbassman. Why in the name of all that is good and holy did they have him take off his mask while he was trying to stop the train? Was it because he couldn't see? If that's the case, why is he wearing the damn mask in the first place? That's right up there with the hockey game from hell in the BATMAN AND ROBIN movie as being the dumbest action scene ever written. Also, Doc Oc looked kind of weird rolling around like a bowling ball on top of the train every time Spidey hit him, but I guess that's just the nature of the material they were working with. And then, when the fight is over, this kid hands Peter the mask and says, "We won't tell anybody." Right, kid. A whole train full of people are looking down at his exposed face. How well will they be able to keep the secret? Now everybody in New York City knows who Spiderman is. As of this writing, another sequel is due out in about a month. How will he survive? Move to Chicago or something? This scene ruined what was otherwise a good movie, but not enough to make it awful. Also, both movies are disappointing in two ways: (1) I miss the wisecracks Spidey made in the comics while he's beating the crap out of the bad guys. (2) I would like to have seen the conflict between MJ and her father developed a little more and come to some kind of resolution. Otherwise, I've seen better, but I've also seen worse. 7 out of 10. (I feel generous today.)