Much Better Than I Remember

Rating: 8/10 (23 September 2015)

I recently watched Spidey 3 and you know what, I really enjoyed it.
Sure it has its problems. The Sandman story is a complete waste of time, Maguire doesn't quite pull off Emo Parker and Franco never looks particularly comfortable in his skin.
Having said that, there is a great deal to like.
Peter and Mary Jane's relationship continues to evolve, never reaching a fairy tale ending that ensures it remains firmly grounded in reality.
Harry and Peter's relationship also takes some fantastic twists and turns ending in a satisfying climax.
Venom, although underdeveloped, shows real potential and his bust up with Spidey is some of the most thrilling of all three films.
Raimi is also on stellar form. Although clearly uncomfortable trying to juggle so many elements, the direction is always top notch blending seamlessly with the gorgeous CGI driven set pieces.
There's also the trademark black humour that continues to work well with the dark themes that are explored - jealousy, guilt, betrayal and revenge.
While it certainly isn't Spidey 2, I like it as much as the original. For pure enjoyment, I might even suggest that I like it more. It is just tarnished by thoughts of the film that it might have been had Raimi been given free reign.
And no matter how disappointed I was at the time of its original release, it is worlds better than the guff that followed. No offence Andrew Garfield. I like you as an actor but those Amazing Spider-Man films are real dogs.