When it came to comic book movies, there was no better series than the Spiderman movies. Director Sam Rami was one of the first directors to make a superb superhero movie since Tim Burton took on Batman in the 1980's. When fans heard that the final chapter in the Spidey trilogy would feature big name villians Sandman and VENOM, everyone flipped out. That was, until everyone saw the movie...
I don't think there is a single movie I have ever been more excited for before Spiderman 3 came out. I remember the time between the first trailer and the actual movie's release being the longest year ever. When I saw this movie, I cannot begin to tell you how I felt. Spiderman 3 may be the most DISAPPOINTING movie i've ever been excited about. But don't take my word for it, just read my reasons why...
" This is just like how I felt after seeing this movie"
Casting Director needs good taste in actors...badly!
Now i'm not saying that the entire cast of Spiderman 3 was poorly chosen. I still think Tobey Maquire is the best Peter Parker to ever grace the big screen. Kirsten Dunst as Mary Jane Watson was also a good pick for this series. Honestly, I didn't have any sort of problem with any of the returning cast from the previous movies, with the exception of Harry Obsbourne, played by James Franco. My problems begin with the new cast members because there are a lot of inconsistancies with the new picks for Spidey 3. The spectrum of acting skill is all over the place.
On one hand, you have Thomas Haden Church, who plays Flint Marko, also known as Sandman. I will go on record right now to say that Church is probably my favorite actor in this entire movie. He played Sandman to a T and really drew the viewers into actually becoming sympathetic for this villian. Sandman is an ex con who escaped jail in order to be with his daughter. While running from the cops, Marko hides in a large container of sand, unknowing that it is actually a particle accelerator. Marko's molecules become fused with the sand and he is given powers to control sand, become sand and morph his body using the sand. The criminal then decides he is going to use his new found powers to steal money in order to save the life of his terminally ill daughter.
In the middle of the spectrum is Bryce Dallas Howard, who plays Gwen Stacey, the love interest of Eddie Brock and Peter Parker. As insignificant as Gwen might seem to a casual fan, she is actually pretty important to the overall storyline of the movie, especially when getting into the tension between Brock, Parker, and Mary Jane. Now, Howard didn't do a terrible job as Gwen Stacey, the problem really comes from her not being as big a part of the story as she should have been (more on the story later).
At the other end of the spectrum, you unfortunately have Topher Grace, who plays Eddie Brock, also known as VENOM. If there was ever a complete opposite of what Brock should have been, Topher Grace would be the perfect fit. If you've ever read the Spiderman comicbook or watched the cartoon, you would have expected Eddie Brock to be played by a big, burly actor. Instead, we get little Topher Grace, who played Eric Forman on That 70's Show. Grace cracks some horrible jokes through out the entire movie and just doesn't play a convincing role. Basically, Eddie Brock is played out as Peter Parker's opposite. They have the same job at the same newspaper and they both are after the same girl, Gwen Stacey. What happens is that Parker basically ruins Brock's life after Parker gets Brock fired from the Bugle and steals away Gwen. Eddie goes to pray for the death of Peter at a church and discovers Parker fighting with the symbiote that became his black suit. When Peter rips the suit off, the symbiote drips down to the ground and infects Eddie, turning him into the villian VENOM. Brock does almost nothing in this movie but act pissy and make some of the worst jokes this series has ever seen, worse than Spiderman 2's jokes. But my real problem with Eddie Brock has to be, like Gwen Stacey, that he doesn't play as big a part in the story as he should (more on the story later).
Oh yeah, Bruce Campbell is back too...
"Thomas Haden Church is EXCELLENT as Sandman"
The Movie Is Called Spiderman, Not Peter Parker
One of my biggest complaints with Spiderman 3 is that Spiderman just isn't on screen as much as he should have been. For most of the movie, viewers are forced to follow the "riviting" adventures of Peter Parker instead of their friendly neighborhood Spiderman. For those of you who didn't already figure out where I was going with this, Peter Parker is not the most exciting person.
The problem isn't so much with Peter as it is with the emo version of Peter Parker. After the symbiote takes over Spiderman when he is sleeping, Spidey's suit becomes black and his powers become accelerated, but at the same time it zaps all his emotions away other than his "attitude". Peter Parker was never meant to have this sort of "attitude" and it just completely ruins his character. Seeing Parker just act like the biggest douche bag in history just isn't something people should have to see.
If Peter's new found "attitude" wasn't bad enough, just wait until the second half of the movie where Peter decides to embarrass himself, Mary Jane and just about everyone who has ever known him. For those of you who actually have seen the movie, you probably know what scene i'm talking about. That's right, i'm talking about the JAZZ DANCING SCENE! Instead of trying to win Mary Jane back after Peter basically chooses Gwen Stacey over her, Parker decides to visit MJ at her place of work, but Peter isn't just visiting. For some odd/stupid reason, Peter feels that he needs to break out into a jazz dance. If there was ever a moment in the history of cinema, that was so awfully bad that it made people cry tears of pain, this would be it.
Even though having Peter on screen for a good chunk of the movie is not good viewing, the moments where Spiderman is kicking ass are still great, with the exception of the pose he had to make in front of the american flag (america is great, but that was a little TOO much).
"Watching Peter Parker change into his emo alter ego is truely the most painful part of this movie"
A Platypus of a Storyline
I'm just going to come out and say this. The BIGGEST problem with Spiderman 3, as a whole, is the storyline. For some incredibly odd reason, Sam Rami decided he wanted to TRY and tell, not one, not two, BUT THREE different stories at the same time. The first story comes in the form of the Peter Parker, Mary Jane and Harry Obsbourne. Peter and Mary Jane have finally begun to settle down as MJ and Peter are able to accept the lifestyle Peter has to live while being Spiderman. Peter decides he wants to FINALLY pop the question to MJ. Meanwhile, Harry is stweing over the fact that his best friend killed his father. Strangely enough, Harry and Peter clash as Peter is getting ready to propose to MJ. One thing leads to another and Harry is injured, causing him to lose his memory.
Next up, you have the storyline between Spiderman/Peter Parker and Flint Marko/Sandman. Peter learns that Marko was the man who shot his Uncle Ben from the first movie. Marko escapes from prison in order to reconnect with his terminally ill daughter. After he becomes Sandman, Flint decides to continue his life of crime in order to save the life of his only family. Meanwhile, Peter clashes with sandman as he tries to save the city from certain destruction. After Peter aquires the black suit from the symbiote that John Jamison (MJ's ex) brings back from space, he figures out that Marko was the one who killed his uncle as goes out on a vendetta to get revenge.
Finally, we have the Eddie Brock/VENOM, Gwen Stacey, Mary Jane and Peter Parker/Spiderman storyline. Sprinkled throughout the movie are little moment where Peter Parker and Eddie Brock clash. As Peter Parker undergoes his changes through out the movie, he constantly clashes with his "rival", Brock. Throughout the movie Peter basically destroys Eddie's life one moment at a time. First, he takes Eddie's girl, Gwen Stacey. Then, he gets eddie brock fired from the Daily Bugle. At this point, Eddie is at his breaking point, wanting Peter to suffer the way he has. As Eddie prays at church for the downfall of Peter Parker, he discovers Parker in the belltower, tearing off the black symbiote suit. As Eddie watches this event unfold, the symbiote falls down to the ground. Since the symbiote cannot survive without a host, it clings to the first thing it can, Eddie Brock. The symbiote takes over Eddie's body and turns him into, as Sam Rami likes to see it, the anti spiderman, also known as VENOM.
Out of all these storylines, the sandman aspects have to be the best parts. Watching Sandman and Black Suited Spiderman clash are great fun. I just wish the other two stories were of the same calibur. The problem with the other two stories is that nothing is fleshed out the way it is done in the sandman storyline. The creators of the film tried to balance the three plots ontop of one large ongoing story for the movie and they failed badly. This causes PLENTY of inconsistancies throughout the story. Most of these inconsistancies revolve around the Peter/Spidey and Eddie/VENOM storyline.
To set things up, lets talk about the relationship between Harry and Peter. After Harry loses his memory, he and peter become pals again. As Peter undergoes his changes, Harry begins to remember why he is pissed at Peter. The conflict climaxes when Peter attacks Harry with a pumpkin bomb. Peter throws the bomb at harry and it explodes right next to harry's face, scarring him.
Fast forward to the end of the movie where all 4 main characters and villians clash at a construction site. Spiderman fights Sandman AND VENOM after both villians decide to team up against Spidey. Instead of going after Peter, Harry jumps into the fray on the side of Parker's. VENOM is only seen for the last 30 minutes of the movie. VENOM is much stronger than Spiderman and proceeds to kick Spidey's ass throughout the last fight scene. The symbiote that makes up VENOM is incredibly sensative to sound. Spidey sees an opening and attacks VENOM by banging pipes together to create sound waves. While VENOM is stunned, Spidey sticks pipes around him and continues to bang on the pipes. When he gets the chance, Spiderman grabs Eddie Brock and pulls him from the symbiote, separating the parasite from it's host. Spidey picks up a stray pumpkin bomb and throws it at the symbiote. As the pumpking bomb soars through the air, Brock runs back to the symbiote and merges himself with it once again. The pumpkin bomb hits and destroys the symbiote...or does it? The ending of the fight is just completely messed up. It solves nothing and only adds to the confusion. Eddie jumped back in with the symbiote and he is no where to be found. So where's Eddie's body, if VENOM is really dead? Also, how could such a GREAT COMIC CHARACTER meet such a HORRIBLE end? I mean, I know VENOM is weak against sound, but he gets killed by a little explosion. The same kind of pumpkin bomb blew up right next to Harry's face and it only scarred him. Why does it KILL VENOM?! But seriously, do you really think VENOM is dead? I sure don't...
The whole ending of the movie is weak. Seeing as how this is the final installment in the Spiderman trilogy (this trilogy atleast. there will be more movies), you would think everything would be solved and there would be no loose ends. Well, for the most part, that is true. But almost nothing is solved when it came to Eddie and Gwen. I mean, Gwen just sort of disappeared before the last fourth of the movie began. The only things that are really solved are the conflicts between Peter, MJ and Harry.
"It looks like Spidey is fighting himself. I think Rami took the idea of Venom being the anti-spiderman a little too seriously"
Final Thoughts
As much as I complained about Spiderman 3, I still went and saw the movie and I did make it through till the end. I was so disappointed with this movie that I couldn't help but be pissed. My favorite comic book character, VENOM, got the shaft and was only in the last 30 minutes of the movie and for that, I cannot ever forgive Sam Rami for.. ACTUALLY, you can compress all the VENOM scenes into about 5 minutes of screen time. THAT IS BULLSHIT!
Spiderman 3 was not what I expected it to be and for that it isn't the best movie in the trilogy. It's far from a bad movie, but just don't expecting to be WOWED like the trailers were doing.
I don't think there is a single movie I have ever been more excited for before Spiderman 3 came out. I remember the time between the first trailer and the actual movie's release being the longest year ever. When I saw this movie, I cannot begin to tell you how I felt. Spiderman 3 may be the most DISAPPOINTING movie i've ever been excited about. But don't take my word for it, just read my reasons why...
" This is just like how I felt after seeing this movie"
Casting Director needs good taste in actors...badly!
Now i'm not saying that the entire cast of Spiderman 3 was poorly chosen. I still think Tobey Maquire is the best Peter Parker to ever grace the big screen. Kirsten Dunst as Mary Jane Watson was also a good pick for this series. Honestly, I didn't have any sort of problem with any of the returning cast from the previous movies, with the exception of Harry Obsbourne, played by James Franco. My problems begin with the new cast members because there are a lot of inconsistancies with the new picks for Spidey 3. The spectrum of acting skill is all over the place.
On one hand, you have Thomas Haden Church, who plays Flint Marko, also known as Sandman. I will go on record right now to say that Church is probably my favorite actor in this entire movie. He played Sandman to a T and really drew the viewers into actually becoming sympathetic for this villian. Sandman is an ex con who escaped jail in order to be with his daughter. While running from the cops, Marko hides in a large container of sand, unknowing that it is actually a particle accelerator. Marko's molecules become fused with the sand and he is given powers to control sand, become sand and morph his body using the sand. The criminal then decides he is going to use his new found powers to steal money in order to save the life of his terminally ill daughter.
In the middle of the spectrum is Bryce Dallas Howard, who plays Gwen Stacey, the love interest of Eddie Brock and Peter Parker. As insignificant as Gwen might seem to a casual fan, she is actually pretty important to the overall storyline of the movie, especially when getting into the tension between Brock, Parker, and Mary Jane. Now, Howard didn't do a terrible job as Gwen Stacey, the problem really comes from her not being as big a part of the story as she should have been (more on the story later).
At the other end of the spectrum, you unfortunately have Topher Grace, who plays Eddie Brock, also known as VENOM. If there was ever a complete opposite of what Brock should have been, Topher Grace would be the perfect fit. If you've ever read the Spiderman comicbook or watched the cartoon, you would have expected Eddie Brock to be played by a big, burly actor. Instead, we get little Topher Grace, who played Eric Forman on That 70's Show. Grace cracks some horrible jokes through out the entire movie and just doesn't play a convincing role. Basically, Eddie Brock is played out as Peter Parker's opposite. They have the same job at the same newspaper and they both are after the same girl, Gwen Stacey. What happens is that Parker basically ruins Brock's life after Parker gets Brock fired from the Bugle and steals away Gwen. Eddie goes to pray for the death of Peter at a church and discovers Parker fighting with the symbiote that became his black suit. When Peter rips the suit off, the symbiote drips down to the ground and infects Eddie, turning him into the villian VENOM. Brock does almost nothing in this movie but act pissy and make some of the worst jokes this series has ever seen, worse than Spiderman 2's jokes. But my real problem with Eddie Brock has to be, like Gwen Stacey, that he doesn't play as big a part in the story as he should (more on the story later).
Oh yeah, Bruce Campbell is back too...
"Thomas Haden Church is EXCELLENT as Sandman"
The Movie Is Called Spiderman, Not Peter Parker
One of my biggest complaints with Spiderman 3 is that Spiderman just isn't on screen as much as he should have been. For most of the movie, viewers are forced to follow the "riviting" adventures of Peter Parker instead of their friendly neighborhood Spiderman. For those of you who didn't already figure out where I was going with this, Peter Parker is not the most exciting person.
The problem isn't so much with Peter as it is with the emo version of Peter Parker. After the symbiote takes over Spiderman when he is sleeping, Spidey's suit becomes black and his powers become accelerated, but at the same time it zaps all his emotions away other than his "attitude". Peter Parker was never meant to have this sort of "attitude" and it just completely ruins his character. Seeing Parker just act like the biggest douche bag in history just isn't something people should have to see.
If Peter's new found "attitude" wasn't bad enough, just wait until the second half of the movie where Peter decides to embarrass himself, Mary Jane and just about everyone who has ever known him. For those of you who actually have seen the movie, you probably know what scene i'm talking about. That's right, i'm talking about the JAZZ DANCING SCENE! Instead of trying to win Mary Jane back after Peter basically chooses Gwen Stacey over her, Parker decides to visit MJ at her place of work, but Peter isn't just visiting. For some odd/stupid reason, Peter feels that he needs to break out into a jazz dance. If there was ever a moment in the history of cinema, that was so awfully bad that it made people cry tears of pain, this would be it.
Even though having Peter on screen for a good chunk of the movie is not good viewing, the moments where Spiderman is kicking ass are still great, with the exception of the pose he had to make in front of the american flag (america is great, but that was a little TOO much).
"Watching Peter Parker change into his emo alter ego is truely the most painful part of this movie"
A Platypus of a Storyline
I'm just going to come out and say this. The BIGGEST problem with Spiderman 3, as a whole, is the storyline. For some incredibly odd reason, Sam Rami decided he wanted to TRY and tell, not one, not two, BUT THREE different stories at the same time. The first story comes in the form of the Peter Parker, Mary Jane and Harry Obsbourne. Peter and Mary Jane have finally begun to settle down as MJ and Peter are able to accept the lifestyle Peter has to live while being Spiderman. Peter decides he wants to FINALLY pop the question to MJ. Meanwhile, Harry is stweing over the fact that his best friend killed his father. Strangely enough, Harry and Peter clash as Peter is getting ready to propose to MJ. One thing leads to another and Harry is injured, causing him to lose his memory.
Next up, you have the storyline between Spiderman/Peter Parker and Flint Marko/Sandman. Peter learns that Marko was the man who shot his Uncle Ben from the first movie. Marko escapes from prison in order to reconnect with his terminally ill daughter. After he becomes Sandman, Flint decides to continue his life of crime in order to save the life of his only family. Meanwhile, Peter clashes with sandman as he tries to save the city from certain destruction. After Peter aquires the black suit from the symbiote that John Jamison (MJ's ex) brings back from space, he figures out that Marko was the one who killed his uncle as goes out on a vendetta to get revenge.
Finally, we have the Eddie Brock/VENOM, Gwen Stacey, Mary Jane and Peter Parker/Spiderman storyline. Sprinkled throughout the movie are little moment where Peter Parker and Eddie Brock clash. As Peter Parker undergoes his changes through out the movie, he constantly clashes with his "rival", Brock. Throughout the movie Peter basically destroys Eddie's life one moment at a time. First, he takes Eddie's girl, Gwen Stacey. Then, he gets eddie brock fired from the Daily Bugle. At this point, Eddie is at his breaking point, wanting Peter to suffer the way he has. As Eddie prays at church for the downfall of Peter Parker, he discovers Parker in the belltower, tearing off the black symbiote suit. As Eddie watches this event unfold, the symbiote falls down to the ground. Since the symbiote cannot survive without a host, it clings to the first thing it can, Eddie Brock. The symbiote takes over Eddie's body and turns him into, as Sam Rami likes to see it, the anti spiderman, also known as VENOM.
Out of all these storylines, the sandman aspects have to be the best parts. Watching Sandman and Black Suited Spiderman clash are great fun. I just wish the other two stories were of the same calibur. The problem with the other two stories is that nothing is fleshed out the way it is done in the sandman storyline. The creators of the film tried to balance the three plots ontop of one large ongoing story for the movie and they failed badly. This causes PLENTY of inconsistancies throughout the story. Most of these inconsistancies revolve around the Peter/Spidey and Eddie/VENOM storyline.
To set things up, lets talk about the relationship between Harry and Peter. After Harry loses his memory, he and peter become pals again. As Peter undergoes his changes, Harry begins to remember why he is pissed at Peter. The conflict climaxes when Peter attacks Harry with a pumpkin bomb. Peter throws the bomb at harry and it explodes right next to harry's face, scarring him.
Fast forward to the end of the movie where all 4 main characters and villians clash at a construction site. Spiderman fights Sandman AND VENOM after both villians decide to team up against Spidey. Instead of going after Peter, Harry jumps into the fray on the side of Parker's. VENOM is only seen for the last 30 minutes of the movie. VENOM is much stronger than Spiderman and proceeds to kick Spidey's ass throughout the last fight scene. The symbiote that makes up VENOM is incredibly sensative to sound. Spidey sees an opening and attacks VENOM by banging pipes together to create sound waves. While VENOM is stunned, Spidey sticks pipes around him and continues to bang on the pipes. When he gets the chance, Spiderman grabs Eddie Brock and pulls him from the symbiote, separating the parasite from it's host. Spidey picks up a stray pumpkin bomb and throws it at the symbiote. As the pumpking bomb soars through the air, Brock runs back to the symbiote and merges himself with it once again. The pumpkin bomb hits and destroys the symbiote...or does it? The ending of the fight is just completely messed up. It solves nothing and only adds to the confusion. Eddie jumped back in with the symbiote and he is no where to be found. So where's Eddie's body, if VENOM is really dead? Also, how could such a GREAT COMIC CHARACTER meet such a HORRIBLE end? I mean, I know VENOM is weak against sound, but he gets killed by a little explosion. The same kind of pumpkin bomb blew up right next to Harry's face and it only scarred him. Why does it KILL VENOM?! But seriously, do you really think VENOM is dead? I sure don't...
The whole ending of the movie is weak. Seeing as how this is the final installment in the Spiderman trilogy (this trilogy atleast. there will be more movies), you would think everything would be solved and there would be no loose ends. Well, for the most part, that is true. But almost nothing is solved when it came to Eddie and Gwen. I mean, Gwen just sort of disappeared before the last fourth of the movie began. The only things that are really solved are the conflicts between Peter, MJ and Harry.
"It looks like Spidey is fighting himself. I think Rami took the idea of Venom being the anti-spiderman a little too seriously"
Final Thoughts
As much as I complained about Spiderman 3, I still went and saw the movie and I did make it through till the end. I was so disappointed with this movie that I couldn't help but be pissed. My favorite comic book character, VENOM, got the shaft and was only in the last 30 minutes of the movie and for that, I cannot ever forgive Sam Rami for.. ACTUALLY, you can compress all the VENOM scenes into about 5 minutes of screen time. THAT IS BULLSHIT!
Spiderman 3 was not what I expected it to be and for that it isn't the best movie in the trilogy. It's far from a bad movie, but just don't expecting to be WOWED like the trailers were doing.
