If any of you are familiar with Sam Raimi’s 2002-2007 Spider-Man trilogy, you most likely view the first film with a nostalgic fondness for early superhero movies, revere the second film as possibly the best superhero movie of its time, and well… you probably don’t talk about the third movie much.
Spider-Man 3 is the critically disastrous ending to the popular trilogy, all due to the meddling of overzealous producers. This meddling primarily came in the form of Venom, a character the director never intended on implementing into the film but was eventually convinced to because the studio knew the character would appeal to comic-book fans and would, theoretically, make box-office numbers shoot through the roof. Which it did worldwide. Domestically, the movie failed because of poor reception from critics, fans, and general movie-goers. Glaring flaws in the writing and direction made it a tragic end for the Spider-Man trilogy (which was in the works to have a fourth film, all the way until reviews were released). But looking back at this film, it has all the elements of a good movie. Four dimensional characters with compelling arcs, dynamic and creative visuals, a beautiful score by Christopher Young that caringly builds off of Danny Elfman’s uproarious original soundtrack, and a strong cast of talented actors. So why is it, pardon my French, utter merde (shit)?
The biggest flaw that I have with this film is that it is painfully obvious. Nearly every beat in this film is so thoroughly predictable, I feel stupid just watching it. The two characters that best display this obviousness are the lead himself, Peter Parker, and one of the three antagonists, Harry Osborn. When Peter is enveloped in the black ooze known as Venom (a design that I genuinely find incredible to watch to this day, despite some awkward CGI moments), the moment should be dark, intimidating, scary even. The music displays this wonderfully, painting this new Spidey as an incredibly powerful anti-hero with foul intentions. The deep brass and cascading drums emit the heavy weight of the suit, a sense of danger and the phrase: “don’t fuck with this guy.” Too bad Tobey Maguire’s adorable face and the painfully soft line “This is somethin’ else” undercut this ominous sensation with the innocence of a newly born puppy. It gets worse when he adds greasy bangs and guyliner that says: “it’s not a phase, mom.” Rather than allowing Tobey Maguire to act with sincerity and tangible darkness, the script makes him thrust his hips to funk music and throw tantrums like a bitter five-year-old. It gives the audience no opportunity to actually witness his transformation. It hands it to us on a silver-platter and says, “Get it? He’s evil now.” It poorly reflects Maguire’s talents and makes us feel like idiots.
The same goes for James Franco’s Harry, although this performance is delightful to watch. Franco goes full throttle with what he’s given and although it’s deliciously cheesy, it demonstrates that he’s at least having fun with the role. However, it still flops because of the thematically obvious script. “He’s a bad guy, so now he says mean things because he’s a bad guy.” But on the surface, a fight between Peter and Harry where they are both at their most fragile and insane should be riveting. And it almost is. The dramatic and emotional beats are all there, but the corny script lessens the weight of the moment and it comes off as a weak attempt at drama.
Now to the villains. All I can say about Venom is that he is horribly miscast with Topher Grace as the “brooding” baddie. Granted, I do resonate with the idea that he is a perfect opposite to Tobey Maguire’s Parker, as neither of them have particularly strong physical features. They’re both baby-faced boys steeped in roles that don’t properly reflect their best strengths as actors. So, with this mindset, I understand his place in the film. Still, I’m begging you, give him a deeper voice when he becomes Venom, (and remove the pointy toothed human face, good god, the man looks like a rodent).
Sandman is one of my favorite characters in this film. He’s the only one I genuinely care about because he’s the only character who isn’t a giant tool for no reason. His actions are all based on self-defense and self-preservation. He wishes he could save his daughter but because he is already a criminal, he sees no use in trying to return to a normal life. If he gives up the chase and hands himself to the police, he would be unable to assist his daughter with her illness. So, he stays on the run and tries to help her as an outlaw. To me, this plot line makes sense, especially if you compare it to everything else in this film. The scene where he initially transforms into the Sandman, a literal body of sand, is beautiful. The tragic score along with his actual inability to physically keep himself together makes him a compelling character. He’s stepped too far into the world of criminality and cannot help but fall to pieces and crumble like sand. It’s powerful stuff and makes me wish the whole movie was centered around him. Too bad he turns out to be Uncle Ben’s killer, an added plot thread that, while it moves the story forward, reads as forced drama.
All-in-all, this film has many good elements. Peter Parker’s descent into ‘dark’ Spidey could have been a brilliant character study. Harry Osborn’s assumption of the role of Green Goblin could have been tragic and moving. Eddie Brock’s Venom… well, I don’t quite know how to improve upon that element, at the moment. Recasting, maybe? Scrap Eddie altogether? There are options. Sandman’s desperation to save his daughter through a life of crime could have been wonderfully twisted yet touching. But the blunt presentation of the themes and the obvious distrust in a script that would allow the actors to, you know, act? make the entire experience a cringey whirlwind of predictable moment after predictable moment. I didn’t even mention the horrendous dance sequence during Mary-Jane’s club performance (another moment where, rather than letting Maguire demonstrate his skill as an actor, the script tells him to act like a douche with zero realistic motivation). Lord in heaven was this a hard scene to sit through.
When all is said and done, Spider-Man 3 genuinely had potential. But, as with many superhero movies, producers love to get their money-hungry paws on the story and transform it into something the audience is “sure to love!” And, as usual, when this happens it just makes the viewer out to be an idiot, unable to understand the deeper meaning behind careful direction, a script filled with subtext, and a story that doesn’t rely on pure spectacle and action for the audience to slog through.
The Happy Cinema Corner 