Spider-Man swings back in style!

Rating: 7/10 (8 May 2007)

Well, I've been looking forward to this movie ever since I walked out of Spider-Man 2, and despite all the bad things I've heard about it - Spider-Man 3 certainly didn't disappoint! Sure, you could spend all day picking faults with the film if you really wanted to, but what's the point? The first two films set the bar very high for comic book movies, and this film is not a disappointment considering what went before it. I have to say that I'm not a 'Spiderman fanboy' and have, in fact, not even read the comics; but that is testament to the brilliance of Sam Raimi's vision as he has managed to turn Spider-Man into a franchise that is accessible to everyone. The plot this time around is far more complex than in the last two. Spider-Man's celebrity status has grown among the people of New York City. His private life is going well also. However, good things never last long; and Spider-Man is about to face a threat from his former best friend Harry Osborne who wants revenge for the death of his father, as well as a 'simian' life form from another planet and the return of his uncle's killer, this time in the guise of powerful new villain 'Sandman'.
The most outstanding thing about this film is definitely the special effects. The fight scenes are brilliantly realised, and Sam Raimi certainly knows how to put a thrilling compilation together. The Sandman provides Spider-Man 3 with its best visuals, as the Terminator 2-style villain switches between sand and flesh in style, and the director constantly makes good use of this set-up. The visuals are obviously important in a film like this, and the film contains many a memorable scene. The best of these sequences come in the form of the creation of the villains, and while it has to be said that the way they come about is a little convenient (Sandman stumbles upon a nuclear experiment with sand...), it's not too difficult to believe since the film takes place in a world where a human/spider hybrid fights criminals in New York City. Popular Spider-Man villain Venom makes an appearance also, albeit it a brief one. However, the way that his character is built up makes up for the lack of screen time that the resulting villain has.
One of the most common problems viewers have picked out with this film is the fact that there are a lot of different plot lines going on. It's true that the film does become more than a little bit complex and the new characters suffer as a result of that. But the Spider-Man Universe is obviously a vast one, and Sam Raimi had a lot on his plate when it came to writing a story that would please the fans, stay true to the comics and entertain the audience. He actually juggles the numerous plot threads very well, as most of the points get across and the impending plot holes aren't enough to spoil anyone's enjoyment. Sam Raimi's sense of humour is brilliant, it was obvious that the likes of J.K. Simmons and B-movie legend Bruce Campbell were going to provide comic relief (and they do), but the funniest thing about the film for me was Peter Parker's reaction to the black suit. In a sequence that seems to be rather widely disliked, Spidey goes from geeky physics student to a (sort of) suave lady-killer with hilarious results. The sequence shows a lot more imagination than many directors would have given the idea of a superhero turned 'dark'.
The acting is largely decent also. The returning characters all give performances that you would expect from there, while the new additions fit in well. Thomas Hayden Church pretty much sleepwalks through his role, but he's still an asset to the film as he completely looks and feels like he has come straight out of a comic book! Topher Grace is slimy and irritating as he should be, and the sequence immediately before he changes into Venom says a lot about his character. Overall, Spider-Man 3 is not exactly a perfect film - but it's certainly an entertaining one and I know for sure that I'll be seeing it again!