Spiderman 3

So I saw Spiderman 3 yesterday (I know they spell it with a hyphen, but it looks goofy to me that way), and I've been trying to sort out my thoughts about it ever since.

It's definitely a mess on many levels, but on the other hand I was generally entertained and into it, so I can't really give it a bad review, despite its flaws. Call it a B-.

*** Spoilers ***

John August, on his blog, points out all the coincidences/contrivances in the script, and he's right. Spiderman basically has three people he is in conflict with (romantically, at work, and vengefully), and all just happen to turn into supervillains along the way. Only Venom is because of Spiderman, and even that is contrived -- it would have been a lot more acceptable if Topher Grace's character had followed Peter Parker to the church, rather than just happening to be there.

The biggest problem is that by far the most interesting storyline -- Spiderman wrestling with his dark side, the symbiote that ultimately turns into Venom -- doesn't even get going until the second half of the script. Until then, aside from Sandman, all we really get are recaps of Spiderman's greatest hits -- Spidey clashes with his old buddy/New Goblin, Peter Parker is nervous about Mary Jane, Aunt May shows up for some dull bits, the editor rages.

And Sandman, though interesting visually, really has an underdone storyline. He is motivated by worry for his ill daughter, but we never get the sense of if/how the money he is stealing is going to save her, or if he is spending any of his non-psycho time with her. At the end, he's a brutal bad guy, and then suddenly, for no particular reason, he's apologetic, and sort of a good guy, and he heads off to his life.

I get what Sam Raimi was going for. Having three villains gives a lot of opportunity for eye-popping special effects sequences (as long as they are going to let you spend $250-300 million on a movie, you might as well put it on the screen) and on a visceral level this often works. The opening fight with New Goblin is good (and the whole storyline pays off well -- finally-- late) .

But all the Sandman stuff just bogs down the first half. There's a nice, tight movie here, in the story of Spiderman, the symbiote, his giving into his dark side, and in making Venom more of a character, instead of late FX throwaway; the stuff with the New Goblin could have been layered into this. Instead, they camp up Peter Parker's dark side bits (anyone really believe that his lame, finger-guns hepcat dude would really turn a girl's head, except in pity?), while the whole jazz club dancing scene he does is pretty eye-rolling.

The story really needed to be done in a darker, BATMAN BEGINS style. But of course, that doesn't bring in the kiddies.

Still, you know, there are things here that work, and I was generally entertained. I just wish it was better.

Also, as mentioned on one of the comments below, I also saw "28 Weeks Later" over the weekend. Thumbs up on that movie; despite some real eye-rolling contrivances in that storyline too (suddenly logic doesn't seem to be at a premium), it's still a good ride.