Spider-Man 3 (2007)
The third Spider-Man movie wasn't so bad after all!
For some reason I'd memorized it as the movie that ultimately disrupted the original trilogy. The one that threw everything into disarray and chaos. The one that packed in too many villains, and skewed the original character progression and continuity, and basically just put in so much of everything all at once that it became impossible to make a sequel.
And maybe all of that is true - the director did say multiple times that the third movie was a big mistake, and Venom in particular, but after all's said and done (and I've watched the movie), I'm still positively surprised. It wasn't bad at all. The Sandman (played by Thomas Haden Church) is as memorable as the vicious soul-poisoning Venom is, and I'm happy to see the New Goblin come around too. Their roles interweave flawlessly, though both Eddie Brock and Gwen Stacey have disappointingly short-lived appearances, and though the black Spider-Man is pretty cool at first, the style of the movie follows suite, and it's not really the Spider-Man style. J. Jonah Jameson contributes most of the comedy this time, not Toby; his life's pretty sad. There are some good scenes, like the one at the restaurant, but it all feels a bit fragmented and inconsistent, for him as well as the others.
It wouldn't have been wrong to delve into each character a bit more, on Eddie in particular - who wouldn't have had a future after this even if they did make a sequel. Things happen fast, and though that's the kind of world we live in, and quick plot progression's often a much appreciated action-intensifier in any good movie, a slower pace would've let us immerse ourselves a bit more. To grow with the characters. To share in their grieving, and hate, and love, and experience the story like the previous two. It's a fast-paced and ferocious movie in it's own accord, but it doesn't really feel like the Spider-Man pace anymore... though it all falls back in place at the ending. I just wonder what happened to the Sandman. Did he get the money? Did he save his daughter?
I don't mind a bit less cheesy and romantic, but this could have been more. Maybe a longer movie. Maybe two. It's a strong action movie in its own accord, but not as complete as the previous.
rated 3/5: not bad