As a big time Hollywood director, Sam Raimi gets his fair share of mail. That probably explains why he didn’t get the memo telling him that blockbuster sequels are supposed to get worse with each installment, not better. Even with the Sony hype machine set into overdrive and the high expectations of a rabid fan base, Raimi and his cast have outdone themselves to deliver a second sequel that cements Spider-Man as the greatest comic book movie franchise of all time.
Yet the usually lethal symptoms of ‘trilogy-itis’ couldn’t be more obvious if they were accompanied by a blonde bombshell carrying a neon sign. Bigger cast, bigger scope, three villains (a cardinal sin usually) and a special effects budget larger than the GNP of small nations, it’s all there. But what stops Spider-Man 3 from falling into the cursed company of lamentable third acts like Matrix Revolutions and T3 is the steady hand of Raimi as he deftly sidesteps the pitfalls of the blockbuster sequel to ensure that character and story remain in the foreground over CGI wizardry.
Spider-Man 3 picks up where its predecessor left off; Peter Parker (Maguire) finally seems to have come to terms with his responsibilities as Spider-Man and has even become the golden boy of New York City, while his relationship with long-time sweetheart Mary Jane (Dunst) has deepened. But when revelations regarding the true murderer of his beloved Uncle Ben come to light, Peter is sent into a downward spiral as his rage and anger threaten to consume him. To make matters worse, a living alien substance that feeds off dark feelings attaches itself to our nerdy hero with frightening and hilarious results.
Unlike most movie trilogies where the third film is usually scraping the bottom of an empty barrel, Spider-Man 3 never feels like it’s just been tacked on to the series as a quick money spinning operation. The fact that all of the original cast and crew have stuck around prevents the film from feeling disjointed and unnecessary. Even the extras return for a third time to help weave Spider-Man 3 into the fabric of the first two films.
Once again, JK Simmons steals the show as the combustible publisher J. Jonah Jameson while regular cameo stars Bruce Campbell and Ted Raimi get their moment in the sun. Spider-Man 3 is a culmination of several storylines that have been brewing since the original film. The main beneficiary of this serialized storytelling is Harry Osborn, played superbly by a haunted James Franco. As Pete’s best friend and his greatest enemy, Harry struggles to find a balance between his love for his friend and his desperate desire to attain the love and respect of his dead father Norman, the original Green Goblin who was killed in a battle with Spider-Man. After building slowly in the previous two films, it’s great to see Harry’s tragic plight elevated to the foreground and it’s paid off magnificently.
The award for most visually stunning villain undoubtedly goes to Thomas Haden Church’s Sandman and the computer boffins behind the scenes. The Sandman is an awe-inspiring monstrosity that threatens to devour the city whole, while the appearance Venom in the final act is ferocious and terrifying. Raimi had to be persuaded into using Venom, who is loved and loathed by fans in equal measure, but he uses him to great effect as a living symbol of the darkness Spider-Man allowed himself to embrace.
Raimi proves himself to be a master when it comes to delivering kinetic action scenes. From the first fight between the new Green Goblin and Peter as they race through the city to the massive final confrontation between the four protagonists, the stakes are raised higher and higher leaving the audience gasping for breath. Each action sequence out does the previous one and raises the bar substantially higher for the competition.
The film is the ultimate Hollywood blockbuster. It provides the prerequisite high-octane drama, but more than that it’s grounded by an engrossing story with compelling characters and a hero wracked by his inner turmoil. With a fourth Spidey film already a cast-iron certainty, don’t be surprised if Sam Raimi and Tobey Maguire choose to step aside and let someone else take the franchise in a new direction. These three films stand together as one epic and complete superhero masterpiece and anything that comes next would surely struggle to live up to the original trilogy.
Spider-Man 3 is a monumental achievement. An action flick with a heart and a brain, it satisfyingly concludes what has been a fantastic series of films. If only all comic book movies could treat its audience with such intelligence and wit. Bravo.
SPIDER-MAN 3
Directed by: Sam Raimi
Cast: Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, Thomas Haden Church, Topher Grace, James Franco