Spider-Man 3 is the first very good movie of the summer season

Rating: 9/10 (8 May 2007)

I just saw Spider-Man 3 with my friend and while I can see why some critics have complained about some of the length and subplots, for the most part I enjoyed it. Certainly it was nice to see Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, and James Franco together again as Peter Parker, Mary Jane Watson, and Harry Osborne. I also liked Thomas Haden Church as The Sandman and Topher Grace as, first, Peter's Bugle photo rival Eddie Brock and then the black Spidey costume-dominated Venom. Hilarious scenes of J. K. Simmons as J. Jonah Jameson and Raimi regular Bruce Campbell as a French waiter who greets Peter. Nice turns from Rosemary Harris as Peter's Aunt May and Mageina Tovah as Ursala, the landlord's daughter (I first noticed her as Luke Giradi's first girlfriend, Glynis Figliola, on Joan of Arcadia). Also nice additions of James Cromwell as Captain Stacy and Ron Howard's daughter Bryce Dallas Howard as his daughter Gwen. And Spidey creator Stan Lee says something to Maguire that seems very poignant here. All this and some of the most thrilling scenes provided by Sam Raimi make this one of the most exciting movies of this young summer season. In other words, don't hesitate, just watch it!