Spiderman 3: near-miss to greatness

Posted by halfnote (A) on June 9, 2007 at 21:30:49

I finally saw this film today. Despite my reservations, I would have to say, overall, it was a grand entertainment. It doesn't quite achieve the melodramatic poetry and moral resonance of the first film, the strongest of the three. Like the first two films, it interweaves those quintessentially American ideals of true love, simple moral rectitude, and responsibility AND the anti-ideals of industrialism and avarice into an almost mythical tapestry. Yet, 3 disappoints.

The problem with this film, for me, is that, despite the wonderful and synergistic story elements present in its plot (how far can one go in the cause of right, when does the responsibility to one's self superceded by one's responsiblity to others, and other themes), it seems more preoccupied with mere spectacle than with realizing their full artistic potential. I guess I shouldn't be surprised, except that, here and there, the film comes so tantilizingly close to real poetry, it's all the more frustrating that it chooses to just gloss over things.

WARNING: SPOILERS FROM HERE ON!
The Sandman character, a man who apparently has the humanity drained from him by a physics experient, comes to a moral insight and the film's conclusion which seems almost absurd. In one moment, he is easily enlisted in a murder plot to eliminate Spiderman. In the next, he is apologizing for his role in the demise of Uncle Ben, displaying a full-blown moral consciousness. [By the way, why Spiderman stops to listen to the Sandman achieve his psychological breaktrough is a mystery, since his friend, Harry, is seriously wounded just a few feet away. Why not have this epiphany AFTER Spiderman attends to Harry? Sloppy script!] The Sandmand could easily have been handled in a way which made his moral conflict and evolution much more convincing. He simply did not have a strong enough motive to seek Spiderman's demise, and his character was not sufficiently huamized to make his moral transformation seem like anything more than a melodramatic convenience.

Harry's transformation back into Spiderman's best friend is also sloppy. The movie wants to surprise the audience with what everyone already knows -- that Harry is going to come to Pete's aid. The film would have been more satisfying if Harry's transformation was developed more convincingly.

The kiss that alienates Mary Jane was also poorly handled. It is just not consistent with the Parker character that he initiates the kiss with the Gwen as a publicity stunt. It would have been much more convincing if he had acquiesced to her urging, rather than the other way around. Again, sloppy scripting. Also, the coercion of Maryjane to abandon Peter by Harry is another weak point. It has more the feeling of a device to move the plot forward than logical dramatic or character development.

Despite these, and other flaws, though, Spiderman 3, all in all, is a fine film of its type. I found myself wishing that Sam Rami (sp?) had had brought in a script supervisor. The flaws, as glaring as they are, could easily have been smoothed over. I found myself saying, "Why didn't they just do this thing, or that?" "Why not just toss this scene and develop THAT a bit more."

Heck, I know it's easy to criticize. The problem with Spiderman 3, despite is numerous charms, is that, so often, it's easy to see how so many of the flaws could have been cured. But, overall, I would still recommend strongly that you see this film if you haven't. It's a great popcorn movie. Sadly, it was almost so much more. But then, maybe I'm just excepting too much from a comic-book inspired movie.

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