Looking Closer's Film Forum: "Spider-Man 3"

Spider-Man 3

In the first film, he was exhilarated by newfound talents, and learned to use them for the greater good. In Spider-Man 2, he felt the burden of responsibility, and considered tossing the mask aside and living a normal life. This time, Spider-Man's brought crime to a standstill and become the most popular celebrity in New York. But pride comes before a fall, and when you're swinging between skyscrapers, that's a very long fall indeed.

To be fair—Spider-Man doesn't just fall. He's pushed … by a variety of malevolent influences. The "3" in the movie's title may well be referring to the number of supervillains ganging up on our hero.

While it's not as satisfying as the second installment, Spider-Man 3 delivers 139 minutes of engaging, occasionally exhilarating entertainment that manages to bind drama, comedy, music, and action without losing its balance. And the special effects? You'll get your ten bucks' worth, no question.

But it's not perfect... not by any stretch of Sony's expensive imagination. Preposterous coincidences, an overcrowded storyline, and other problems may send viewers home grumbling.

My full review is at Christianity Today Movies.

Steven D. Greydanus (Decent Films) writes:

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s ChestKing KongSpider‑Man 3 Spider‑Man 2

Greg Wright (Past the Popcorn) says,

Spider-Man 3

Federica Matthewes-Green says,

... the dialogue and characters and underlying themes, are all richer than the usual action movie fare – it’s a banquet of a movie.

Stephen McGarvey (Crosswalk) says,

Those who enter the theater with their $9 bucket of popcorn looking to be wowed by heretofore unseen action sequences won’t go home disappointed. Those who are looking for more of the poignant storytelling of the first two films, which blended character growth and deeper philosophical themes with Peter Parker’s adventures, may be dissatisfied.

And Harry Forbes (Catholic News Service) says,

Some may find it overlong, but that's a small carp in such a satisfying, surprisingly moving film, with its solid themes of good versus evil, self-esteem, forgiveness and redemption. Though the film is classified for adults because of some comic-book brutality, many parents may deem it acceptable for their older teens.

Peter Suderman (National Review) highlights the highs and lows, but has a lot of trouble with the film's conclusion. (You might want to steer clear if you're worried about "spoilers," as this may be too revealing for you.) writes,

Spider-Man

Anthony Lane (New Yorker) shows no mercy:

In an early scene, a meteorite crashes to Earth, and from it crawls what seems to be a tiny garbage sack with half a mind of its own: not a bad image of where this film belongs. And, would you believe, the first person this superblob attaches itself to is, yes, Peter Parker. It doesn’t choose him; nobody has targeted him—of all Earth’s inhabitants, he just happens to be close by. Is this truly the best that the filmmakers can be bothered to do for our delight? Just how easily and stupidly pleased do they presume we are? ... [T]his is where the film becomes so embarrassing that you have to crouch down and stuff popcorn in your ears.