Spider-Man 3
Rated PG-13 for sequences of intense action violence.
reviewed by Christopher Lyon
Boy, did this film have a lot to live up to. Not only are director Sam Raimi and company responsible for two of the top ten box-office hits evar, the last “Spider-Man” film was really, really good -- not just a splashy superhero spectacle. Can they possibly continue that streak? Well, yes and no.
Story
Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) is in a pretty good place, for a change. His girl Mary Jane (Kirsten Dunst) knows his secret, and she still loves him. And she’s reached her dream of singing on Broadway. Maybe more impressive, the people of NYC love Spider-Man for the crime-fighting hero he is. They’re even giving him the key to the city. He’s decided to be happy guy -- and maybe even to pop the big question to MJ and live happily ever after.
But that would make for a lousy movie. Instead, former best friend Harry Osborn (James Franco) comes gunning for Peter for killing his dad. And the police discover that Flint Marko (Thomas Haden Church) -- a criminal who just escaped from prison and stumbled into the odd power to dissolve into sand and harness it as a weapon -- is the man who really killed Peter’s Uncle Ben. Oh, and a new kid (Topher Grace) is trying to move in on Peter’s turf as the go-to photog for the Daily Bugle.
To top it off, Peter gets infected with a black, slimy substance from outer space that binds itself to a host and feeds off negative inclinations like anger, aggression, revenge, and bad hair. It forms itself into a cool black/grey version of the Spidey suit that Peter can’t bring himself to take off. Cue: Evil Pete trashing his relationships and risking his rep as a good guy and a hero to make them all pay.
Verdict
If it sounds from that synopsis like there’s a lot going on, there is. Raimi and his team seem to have answered the question of how to live up to the first two films by including more of everything that made them great -- lots of relationship-driven character development; plenty of rock ‘em, sock ‘em comic book action sequences; big doses of serious worldview issues; and even several scenes of wacky comic relief. Honestly, it’s just a little too much to hold together in one 160-minute story.
Don’t get me wrong. I enjoyed the movie. A lot. Most of it works really well. It just doesn’t come together to reach the satisfaction level of S-M2. The big battle sequences are good, but none of them grabbed me as forcefully as that battle on the train with Dock Ock -- or that car coming through the store window -- in Ep. 2. The comic relief is often funny, but it also feels a little distracting -- as if Raimi doesn’t trust the weight of the drama he’s built out of the connections between Peter, MJ, Harry, and even the Sandman.
On the cool side, Black Spidey looks good (even though he’s bad). He looks even cooler when he becomes the Venom character with the evil teeth and long, pointy claws. As a villain, he worked much better for me than the Sandman character, who is tough to hold onto, motivation-wise. Most of the performances are decent, with Maguire getting the bulk of the juicy stuff as evil Pete, complete with awkward strutting and bad emo hair (and what looked like eyeliner, at one point).
At moments like that -- and when evil Pete does a sexy dance with the police chief’s daughter to punish MJ for something -- the movie loses focus completely and leans into the absurd, as if Raimi is purposely reminding us this is all just for fun. Interesting, but it also breaks the spell of the storytelling.
In spite of my down tone, though, it really is a good, meaty film made all the richer by the BIG, unsubtle messages upon which Raimi builds the whole operatic tale. More on that below. You don’t walk out with the triumphant feeling often associated with comic book films, necessarily, but “Spidey 3” leaves you with plenty to mull over. And it left me looking forward to catching it again to put all the pieces together a little more clearly.
The movie nabs its PG-13 rating with plenty of action violence -- some of it fatal -- and a little blood. I only caught a few swear words, and sexual content is limited to kisses and that strange little dance number.
Worldview
One thing I’ve appreciated about the whole Spider-Man series is Raimi’s commitment to trumpeting valuable messages between the web-slinging mayhem. In Ep. 1, Peter famously accepted the now familiar notion that “with great power comes great responsibility.” Last time around, he wrestled with the idea that we must all take responsibility for the consequences of our own choices.
In S-P3, the messages are even less subtle. And for me, at least, they’re even more powerful.
Raimi takes a lot of time to build in big compassion for everyone on screen -- and for all of us sitting in the audience. He cares that we understand the pain felt by heroes and villains alike. Peter has been unjustly betrayed and has lost his beloved uncle. Because of one costly, understandable mistake, Sandman has lost his family. MJ feels justifiably neglected. Harry’s lost his dad.
But Raimi doesn’t just stop with “everybody hurts.” He goes on to say that our suffering does NOT make it okay for us to hurt others. Personal pain is not a justification for holding on to anger, revenge, and selfishness. No matter how difficult our lives become, hurting others is always wrong.
That’s not to say it isn’t fun. Peter, Harry, and Eddie Brock (Topher Grace) all get a rush of power from giving in to the dark side of revenge. And they like it. At one point, Brock says, “I like being mad. It makes me happy.” Anger gives focus and strength-- for a while. And then, like the sticky black stuff from outer space, it takes over our whole lives.
Spidey would have no argument with the Bible’s teaching to rid our lives of anger, rage, and malice. (Colossians 3:8) And though -- in the film’s most moving scene -- Peter realizes his need to forgive those who have wronged him, the story only hints at the reason for such forgiveness. While an enemy prays to God for Peter’s death, Peter confronts his vengeful heart in the bell tower of a church.
Aunt May later tells Peter he must learn to forgive himself, and Peter praises another character for embracing his better self. God’s Word aims much higher than self-goodness. It teaches that we must accept not our own forgiveness, but God’s -- available only through Jesus. (Ephesians 1:7) It’s because we have been forgiven so much that we can turn around and forgive those who hurt us. (Ephesians 4:32) We can look and look, but we’ll never find good in ourselves (Isaiah 64:6) unless Christ is in us. (Colossians 1:27)
Throw in big ideas about love and marriage, friendship, loyalty, and reconciliation, and “Spider-Man 3” packs in more messages than the average youth group Bible study. And more punching. I’m guessing.
Bring on number 4.
Questions
• Am I out to lunch? Does S-P3 live up to the standard of the first two films? Which of the three is the best?
• What was your favorite action sequence in this movie? In the series?
• Did you like Topher Grace as Eddie Brock/Venom? How about Thomas Haden Church as Flint Marko/Sandman? Who has been the best Spidey villain so far?
• Why do you think writer/director Sam Raimi works so hard to build positive worldview messages into the Spider-Man films? Does all that moral wrestling help or hurt the movies? Why?
• Do you feel stronger and more focused when you’re angry? What’s the problem, really, with holding on to anger and staying committed to getting even with people who wrong you?
• Do you want to see a “Spider-Man 4,” or have you had enough of the series?