$151 Million Domestically and $382 Million Worldwide For the Opening Weekend Can't be Wrong ~ Movie Review of 'Spider-Man 3'

            With a production budget of $258,000 million, ‘Spider-Man 3’ is reportedly the most expensive movie ever made.  Unlike its predecessors, the two hours and twenty minutes were worth the time.  Spider-Man is one of the few film franchises that is getting better with each successive episode and Sam Raimi, both director and co-writer, is a major reason why.

Sure, there are a lot of villains, and yes, Kirsten Dunst’s thin-lipped Mary Jane is always in peril, and yes, the spandex spider suit makes Tobey Maguire look three months pregnant, but STILL the movie is enjoyable.  Raimi’s direction and writing intersperses more humor than expected, along with giving the characters very human story arks that other superhero movies do not share.  The writing, directing, and most importantly the special effects compensate for the lackluster cast.

It isn’t that I think the actors are horrible in their roles, because I don’t, it is just that taken as individual performers they are boring to watch.  At one point, there was discussion about Jake Gyllenhaal taking over Maguire’s role due to debate over money, but that didn’t happen and it is too bad because Gyllenhaal has as many, if not more, acting chops than Maguire and a site more pleasant to the eye too.  Kate Hudson was originally offered the role of Mary Jane for the first ‘Spider-Man’ movie back in 2001, but turned it down for a lesser role.  At least if there was a threat of Hudson hitting the ground and splatting, do to the evil deeds of a comic book villain, there would some concern from the audience.

Kirsten Dunst is an actress that I think is cast in more interesting parts than her talent warrants.  She is an attractive woman but not really a beauty, which is fine, except the audience is supposed to believe her as one.  She moves awkwardly, like a vegan three year old at a dance recital, and in this Spider-Man episode is cast as a Broadway singer.  I don’t know if it was her voice enhanced or if she Ashley Simpsoned it, but the overall effect was a huge yawn.

On the other hand, Bryce Dallas Howard is very likeable as the blond love interest of Peter Parker, which I find ironic since she is a red head and although Kirsten Dunst isn’t a true blond, she is blond most of the time.  It’s nice to see Howard in a role where she isn’t the blind girl in love tracking through the scary woods or a thing called a sea narph set on saving humanity (‘The Village’ and ‘Lady in the Water’ respectfully).

Although I have read complaints that ‘Spider-Man 3’ was too confusing, I didn’t find it so.  It is, after all, a film based on a comic book and that alone does not cry out intricate plot sophistication.  If people are confused about the surfer guy (‘New Goblin’) played by the only eye candy in the movie, James Franco, who is reprising his role as the spurn son determined to revenge his father’s death at the hands of Spider-Man, then I think the terrorists have already won.

Another villain is Sandman played by Thomas Haden Church, who I guess in his own way is eye candy as well.  He was the one who really killed Peter Parker’s uncle, not the other guy – remember from the first movie.  His character is motivated by trying to help his sick daughter.  That’s what happens we Americans don’t have universal health coverage – sick children and super villains.  My only complaint about this character is I didn't understand how exactly he became the sandman, I mean I saw it happen, but I didn't understand it.  I understand Peter was bitten by a spider, I understand the green surfer dude developed the technology, and Dr. Otto Octavius was a scientist who is a victim of an experiment gone wrong, but what experiment created Sandman I have no idea.

Oh wait, I do have another complaint, there was a great scene after Sandman is made into sand where his body takes shape, starting with details of the head, chest, and for a brief second one hopes, but one is denied.  Just in case you are wondering, the same hold true of the Spider-Man costume, but I didn’t really care.

Then there is Aunt May, played by Rosemary Harris who terrorizes lower Manhattan as the Dependo Wearing Wisdom Dispensing Crone.  Did you really buy that?  No, she wasn’t really a villain, but there is always the next three sequels so don’t count her out.

The final villain was the one that I found most interesting and scary.  I won’t give too much away, but suffice to say that he and Spidey are uniquely connected and I loved his smile.  Played by Topher Grace, who is on his way to becoming a major star, he is the only super villain who was an a$$hole to begin with.  I hope both he and his counterpart return in the already slated sequels.

With that said, what I liked was how Parker/Spider-Man grew in this film.  Although, I suppose I wasn’t supposed to like the more assertive, and at times mean spirited, student/photographer/boyfriend/superhero, I admit that seeing him with a little more ump made him much more likeable.  I think that was a major problem with the first two movies, which was more about the character than the acting, Peter Parker was too bland in a slice of white bread dipped in milk way for my taste.  Always tortured by what he couldn’t do and down trodden by his newspaper editor, I found Parker the whipping boy a snooze.  Yes, I am sure that many prefer the super good nerd in spandex, but I am the type of person that gave nerds wedgies and stole their lunch money (hey, if I didn’t do it, as adults would they be able to rage at the world and do those things that make us non-nerds regret how we treated them?).

The special effects in this film impressed even me, and I’m pretty hard to impress.  I didn’t even get tired of the chase scenes because each had a different twist and turn that distinguished them from one another.  I imagine when Oscar time rolls around next year, the academy voters will not forget this film in the technical categories.  If you like special effects then ‘Spider-Man 3’ it is a must not miss while it is playing in the theater and some places it is even showing on IMAX screens, which is even better.

This film has already made a ton of money, so much money in fact that I wondered what would happen if the studio decided to donate it all to end poverty in Africa (I guess that is like asking Haliburton not to profit from the war).  Being that it is yet another comic book character brought to life (for some reason, which I can’t really figure out, many comic book fans have a special place in their heart for Spidey) people will see it if they are fans of this genre and keep far away from it if they are not.  Overall, I say this movie works well as a family flick (if your children are eight and up) as well as a date movie.  In the end, I walked out pleased that I had seen it.

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