Not as good as 2, but still worthy

Rating: 8/10 (11 July 2007)

Most of the people I know who saw "Spider-Man 3" say they didn't like it. But to be honest, I think that if the bar hadn't been set so high by "Spider-Man 2", I think they would all say they liked it.
The biggest criticism I hear is that the villains don't have enough to do. Admittedly, I don't think Venom (Topher Grace), Sandman (Thomas Haden Church) or even New Goblin (James Franco) quite measure up to Willem Dafoe's performance as the original Green Goblin of the first film. But to be honest, I never thought the villains were the heart of any of the movies. Instead, it is Peter Parker's relationships with Mary Jane, Aunt May and Harry.
Where this film succeeds is where Sam Raimi's strengths lay: Firstly, the kinetic fireworks of his cinematography, not only during the action sequences, but also in the parts where Mary Jane and Peter are struggling with their relationship. Secondly, Raimi has known for a long time how to get the best performances out of his actors when the camera is absolutely still.
To address the film's main flaw, and the reason I still rate it lower than "2": Yes, the new villains disappoint, especially for comic-book purists. In the original comic, Sandman was an unrepentant crook. In this film, he is treated sympathetically and is given a seriously ill daughter that he steals for. (If they wanted a sympathetic villain, they should have used the Lizard or Man-Wolf, who had no choice in what they did). In the original comic, the New Goblin was a mentally ill drug addict. In the movie, he's merely a spoiled rich kid. And I thought his turning to the good side at the end felt forced. (I don't know how the movie Venom compares to his comic-book counterpart because I have no use for Marvel Comics published after Stan Lee quit writing them and became a mere figurehead).
However, because of Sam Raimi's skill as a director, the strengths of the actors, and the willingness to show Peter Parker having adult relationships with his loved ones, I give this 8 out of 10. If there is a Spider-Man 4, however, I will likely stay home if Raimi is not at the helm.