Bravery And Originality

Rating: 8/10 (18 May 2007)

I am bewildered and saddened with the negative reviews this film has garnered. I believe this to be the best Spider-Man yet. I was very impressed with the inventive action scenes and applauded the way that Raimi allowed enough screen time to provide rounded back-stories to all the villains.
Topher Grace was excellent as the charmingly, cocksure photographer and I thought this was Maguire's best Spidey performance. This was the only Spidey film where he's been able to show such an emotional range to his character. His scenes where he struts down the street 'finger shooting' attractive women were genuinely funny as his confident, womanising scenes were totally believable.
I understand how the less exciting MJ or Aunt May scenes were needed to push the story along but they could have been a little more engaging. I couldn't help but smile as I noticed how people in the audience would wait for these scenes before dashing out to the toilet! Another gripe would be how the alien meteorite happened to (conveniently) land a few meters away from Peter Parker but as we're also being asked to believe a man made of sand, it can only register as a minor bugbear.
Sam Raimi has rounded off the trilogy on a high with his imaginative action scenes and brave choice of sympathetic villains whilst recapturing the stomach churning, skyscraper swinging feeling that was missing from the second instalment. I take my hat off sir.