‘Spidey’ losing gusto
Scott D’Amico, Online Editor
With a budget exceeding a quarter of a billion dollars, the latest installment in the “Spider-Man” series, “Spider-Man 3,” proves a bigger budget doesn’t always equal a better picture.
In 140 minutes, Spider-Man/Peter Parker, played by Tobey Maguire, engages in two love triangles and battles his inner Spider-Man after experimenting with a symbiotic suit — black goop inside a shooting star that attacks the super-hero, leaving him with a new black suit.
But, a “Spider-Man” movie wouldn’t be complete without a villain, so director and co-writer Sam Raimi provides three.
James Franco returns as Harry Osborn, the son of the Green Goblin, who is intent on claiming Spider-Man’s life as vengeance for his father’s death.
Spider-Man must also take on Sandman, played by Thomas Haden Church. Sandman is Flint Marco, an ex-con who’s looking for any way to secure money for his ill daughter.
Lastly, Topher Grace plays Eddie Brock, a photographer competing against Parker for a staff job at the Daily Bugle who later turns into Venom.
If that seems like a lot to take in, it’s because it is — “Spider-Man 3” is bloated.
This is a movie that demands your focus because of its complicated story lines.
That would be fine if “Spider-Man 3” were “JFK” or “The Color Purple,” but someone might remind Raimi this is still just a comic book movie.
However, “Spider-Man 3” isn’t without its bright spots.
Along with Grace, Bryce Dallas Howard as Gwen Stacy is another new face in the “Spider-Man” series.
Although Howard’s role doesn’t have much to do with the relevance or advancement of the plot, she still turns in a surprisingly good performance.
Grace also turns in a solid performance. It’s a shame his character wasn’t better fleshed out because, as Brock, he steals nearly every scene he is in.
Also, the story of Spider-Man’s symbiotic suit is fleshed out well.
The suit acts like a drug to Spider-Man, making him arrogant and colder to everyone around him, including Mary Jane, played by Kirsten Dunst.
The power of the suit culminates in a humorous montage of Spider-Man strutting down the street with a new hairdo, while thrusting his pelvis at any woman walking by.
The special effects also help save the movie. The transformation of Sandman is a particularly pleasant sight to see, as are most of the other action sequences in the film.
However, despite the large budget, there isn’t an action sequence in the third installment that lives up to the action sequence where Spider-Man saves a train full of people in “Spider-Man 2.”
At the end of the day, “Spider-Man 3” will assuredly be one of the top grossing movies of the year, but when compared to the other “Spider-Man” films, this third installment is the worst.
Rating: C+
