Hook Up To The Web!

Rating: Null/10 (16 October 2010)

I've got some really mixed feelings about Spider-Man 3. It manages to divide me like no other film has done before or since. On one hand i find it to be a big, enjoyable, living comic book akin to Superman 2, with awesome action sequences not to mention good humour and heart. On the other hand i remember reading the comic book series on which the movie is based, and will freely admit that Sam Raimi fails to get the best out of the storyline as its presented in Spider-Man 3, and its tantalising to wonder what a director who was a fan of the whole Venom/Alien Symbiote storyline, could have came up with. The movie is about half an hour too long and Raimi really got the mood and atmosphere needed to tell that part of the story quite simply wrong. I feel Tobey Maguire is sleep walking through the role this time almost as if he is fed up with the character, which is a shame because he is required to carry the film to the best of his ability. Also the character of Eddie Brock is presented almost as an after thought as is the character of Gwen Stacey played by Bryce Dallas Howard, who is a great actress but seems to be in this film just so Spidey will rescue her. Thomas Hayden Church is spot on as Sandman, looking so much like the character whilst putting a human spin on him. The storyline is a little convoluted but aside from playing a darker side of Peter which you aren't required to like, you end up not liking him all the same. The Alien Symbiote storyline is a worthwhile addition to the Spider-Man movie mythology, but doesn't come off as well as it might and the character of Venom just falls flat. That said there is a lot to enjoy in Spider-Man 3, the action sequences and special effects are first class as always, but its the script, despite being fun, that lets it down. So the Sam Raimi/Tobey Maguire Spider-Man movies come to an end, they were at times very enjoyable, and i for one cant wait to see the Andrew Garfield/Marc Webb reboot, should be awesome.