The No Win Scenario

Rating: 6/10 (5 May 2007)

The first in the series was groundbreaking. The original, while fresh and exciting was not without it's flaws. With all of it's back story and build-up we were left with only the beginning, the first chapter in adventures yet to come and thus not as inviting to multiple viewings. A strong, charming film and a worthy realization of Spidey on the big screen, but it still, like Peter Parker himself, certainly had room to grow and mature. Enter Spider-Man 2. Hilarious, exciting, heartbreaking and sometimes all at once (look no further than the tour-de-force finale) it is not only a stellar "superhero" flick but a well crafted, emotionally powerful and sincere film of any genre. It had raised the bar for blockbusters across the board. Now comes Spider-Man 3. With word of a mammoth budget and incredibly high fan expectation, meeting status quo will and has been interpreted by many as failure. Public perception seems to be as of this writing, that the film is not up to snuff of the previous 2, however in truth it is as good in different ways than it's predecessors, just not better. This is a no win scenario as it no longer has the benefit of first time novelty and must raise the stakes across the board to not only deal with it's own track record, but several franchises that have become more mature and complex in their own right (Batman Begins, Superman Returns and even non-superhero pulled from comic epics like 300 and Sin City). So the film piles on even more battles, more set pieces with outcomes determining bigger stakes and even bigger sacrifices. As a whole it is quite a wonder to see how it all gels in the end and makes sense because there is a lot going on here. Unfortunately, fans and critics (especially critics) are often cynical with ongoing installments of any series, and here the most vocal and easily annoyed are given some legitimate ammunition. 1) There is far too much emphasis in getting characters out of their masks and reminding us of the actor's abilities and not realizing the characters themselves. Voices are rarely altered (this vocal oversight is most noticeably a problem with Venom) and characters rarely wear the full costumes and masks they have been celebrated and associated with on page for decades. It seems quite obvious the studio paid for names, and thusly want bang for the buck. So we not only get a number of big "thespian" moments of tears, songs and dance (literally) to satisfy actor needs to "showcase" but we also get Spidey to often without a mask, Goblin 2 who rarely uses the protective mask that you would assume he needs to be safe during his acrobatic daring do and a constant facial reminder of who exactly is playing Venom (and at times in poorly chosen moments which detract from menace). The viewer is often "taken" out of the film. 2)Not enough forward progression. Some loose ends are tied, but the film leaves many still dangling and some rather large ones open altogether! While there is redemption, on the whole there is a feeling that this is an "installment" rather than true closure. That being said, anyone who tells you the money isn't on the screen must have been watching a different film. From the quiet almost poetic creation of the Sandman as he forms human shape; to the many brawls throughout the film, leading up to the juggernaut finale, you get your CGI money's worth, even if you do loose a little of the humanity in all of the many computer pixels buzzing around. The human moments are still the franchise's strongest points and there's more drama here than a full night of 1980's prime time soap opera. The whole endeavor may be a victim of it's own excess, but only the truly jaded and cynical viewer wont appreciate the tapestry of spectacle and emotion woven by director Sam Raimi and Comapny for what is still a Summer blockbuster entertainment that aims to be more than a clichéd collection of one liners and eye candy. It has a lot to live up and to, and sometimes fails but it remains a worthy successor in truly unique escapist franchise. 'Nuff said.