Spider-Man 3
DIR: Sam Raimi • WRI: Sam Raimi, Ivan Raimi, Alvin Sargent • PROD: Avi Arad, Grant Curtis, Laura Ziskin • DOP: Bill Pope • ED: Bob Murawski • DES: J. Michael Riva, Neil Spisak • CAST: Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, James Franco, Thomas Haden Church, Topher Grace, Bryce Dallas Howard, Rosemary Harris, J.K. Simmons, James Cromwell

Rumours of this being the last of the series abound, and the storyline does little to alleviate these whisperings. As ambiguous as ever, this latest Spidey tale leaves plenty of threads loose when the credits finally roll. And if this turn out is to be Peter Parker’s last swing of the web, is it a fitting ode to the arachnid-boy?

The answer, as with the previous two Spider-Man movies, is not that simple.

Spider-Man 3 comes in at a whopping 2 hours 20 minutes, and plays largely on Peter Parker’s emotional wranglings. The Spidey of this instalment is famous and loved, but Peter’s life is suffering because of it. The duality of his personality is further complicated by the arrival of an alien sludge. Spidey’s aggressive impulses are enhanced and intensified by this symbiotic creature, and Peter’s life is made the more difficult for its presence. The relationship with Mary Jane is further explored, as is his tumultuous friendship with Harry Osborn, who finally debuts as Son of Green Goblin. Gwen Stacey makes an appearance, much to comic lovers’ joy, as does the cocksure Eddie Brock – played with fantastic style by the hilarious Topher Grace.

Leaving the story at this, with the pervading sense of dread awaiting Venom’s full manifestation, would have made the perfect Spidey movie. But, as with so many in the sequel business, they got greedy! Enter, stage left, giant man made of sand.

That’s not to say that Thomas Hayden Church’s Sandman isn’t a first-rate foil – after all, comic books love the ‘villain with a heart’. It isn’t that he is a bad character, or even a bad villain – the problem is that the movie is already overloaded with action setups and bad-guy showdowns. To add Sandman to the mix seems to be more a case of ‘we can do it’ rather than ‘we should do it’.

The butt-numbing length of the movie seems less bearable with the addition of a ridiculous ‘alien sludge makes me cool’ dance-scene reminiscent of The Mask – and not in a good way. It goes on for about 10 minutes too long, and raises serious questions on the quality Sam Raimi’s input into editing.

But besides these petty niggles, Spider-Man 3 is a fairly solid addition to the franchise. Peter’s character is still a tad annoying, but is expanded on so much in this outing that it becomes far easier to identify with his emotional battles. Mary Jane is given more dimension as a woman in love with a man she can never fully have, and the interplay between the two has moved into a new level of maturity. Harry takes on the mantle of Green Goblin, and is a far cooler and edgier incarnation than his father ever was – mainly because, as with everything in this movie, the emotions of the character run far deeper than the mask. Topher Grace is a joy to watch as Eddie Brock, bringing wit and flair to every scene. The final manifestation of Venom is exciting, but far too brief – again, taking Sandman out of the equation might have given this better baddy more scope and time.

Though Spidey may be loosing some of its younger fans through procrastination, it’s retaining the older, more critical ones. Giving Peter the emotional edge he needs, and developing his character beyond the suit, means Spider-Man 3 packs more punch than your usual summer blockbuster.

Sarah Griffin

Rated TBC (see IFCO website for details)
Spider-Man 3 is released on 4th May 2007.
Spider-Man 3 – Official website