I saw Spider-Man 3 today

[LOTRFan]

It was certainly a clunky film, the pacing was tragic and the movie lacked any direct sense of threat. Simply, there was just too much, almost as if Raimi was asking to be let go - and go out with every possible barrel blazing. The film certainly had it's moments, and some rather meaningful ones too; but I felt as though it never really made up it's mind as to what type of film this was to be. The big reveal by the butler was just meaningless, and it certainly undercuts most of the second film's tension. The "Emo Act" was laughable, and there was a sense amongst the audience that something really awkward was happening - and yes, maybe that was deliberate.

Oh well, it wasn't awful; it just wasn't good either. And please don't make me endure any more of Dunst's singing ...




Bring on the Pirates!

 

[The Mike]

I have mixed feelings about it. I liked it, definitely enjoyed the Black Suited Spidey parts, thought that aspect was introduced too late especially with all the hype around it.

I really enjoyed Gwen Stacy's character, even her look gave me vibes from the 60s rendition in the comics although why Mary Jane looked emaciated I'll have no idea.

The fight scenes were done really well although looking at the Goblin Lair in this one and the various Goblin masks why Harry chose that particular look at the "New Goblin" is really beyond me creatively, especially with the yellow version of Gobby right there, I for sure thought Hobgoblin. The Harry storyline was nicely played out although the middle part was unnecessary and the confession before the climax was strangely placed especially since I got a whole Batman vibe from it.

Felt the Venom storyline was actually perfectly played, they encapulated the Brock downfall perfectly and the suit's rejection just fine. The look of Venom had me though because he screeches more than speaks and his face looked too "pushed in", not to mention the eyes were much larger and closer to the mouth with seemed to be just teeth and so he didn't match ANY of the product released. They were definitely targeting the "Ultimate Venom" including the whole Eddie Brock Jr, thing.

The interesting thing is the storyline IMHO that look "forced" was the Sandman storyline....he was barely in it for the major villain of this film. The resolution with that character was stupid. Not to mention all of the "MUMMY" ripoffs which was a complete loss of the source material.

Its not that I expected too much, its that I expected a film. Something with development. Had they just used Harry or Venom it would have worked but splitting your time with all three was overkill, not to mention that with a film with so many slow parts it definitely felt fast paced in terms of development if that makes any sense.

I liked Venom, was upset by the resolution there. Hated the Sandman completely, liked the Church casting but hated the way he was used. Like the New Goblin but he should have donned his real armor at least for the climax. Enjoyed the Dark Parker parts. Hated both useless dance scenes. Absolutely was floored by the Black Suited look, played amazingly well on film. Enjoyed the fight scenes more than any other SM flick. Hated the open ending because if this was originally supposed to be the last Spider-Man film it was handled poorly. Didn't like the "Rock Star Spidey" thing. Loved the J. Jonah scenes. Thought the Uncle Ben thing was useless could have easy been omitted. Thought overall the film ran about 15 minutes too long for what they had on-screen.

Its definitely the "Return of the Jedi" for me of the trilogy. There are some parts that I like but definitely like the second one better and the first is in a dead heat....just like the Star Wars Original Trilogy.

Interested where they go with Spider-Man 4 and hope we return to the one villain a film ideal.

 

[The Mike]

Venom Rushed was Arad's fault

Spidey 3's Raimi Talks Venom

Spider-Man 3 writer/director Sam Raimi told SCI FI Wire that he thought about introducing the new villain Venom in this sequel and continuing the story in a possible fourth film, but ultimately decided the entire story should be told in one movie. "I thought it would be unfair to [the fans]," he said of breaking the storyline up. The consequence of that decision is that fans may have to wait a bit to see the full-fledged supervillain in all his glory in Spider-Man 3.

The Venom storyline is one of only three main stories in the third installment of the webslinger franchise. In it, Peter Parker becomes affected by an alien symbiote, which turns his suit black, before it is rejected and migrates to Peter's romantic and professional rival, Eddie Brock (Topher Grace), who then transforms into Venom.

"So the very nature of that story demands that you either do it [as] two [parts], if you want to spend more time with Venom, which I didn't think was fair to the audience, to the fans of Spider-Man," or that you do it all at once and introduce Venom fairly late, Raimi said in a news conference. "I thought about it, I really did. And I kept reading the fans' e-mails that [producer] Avi [Arad] would send me—'They'd better not just introduce him to tease us!' ... I felt that the fans didn't want that, from the thousands of e-mails that were sent me."

Raimi added: "Avi said, 'You're not giving me what I asked you.' ... He said, 'They want Venom. Just give them Venom already!' So I said 'OK.' But, obviously, through the very nature of it, he's only going to be in half an act or one act [at the end of the film]. I'll just make it as thorough and the best that I can [and] deliver Venom in the most complete way that I understand the fans might want him. That was my desire. I was led there." Spider-Man 3 opens May 4 in conventional theaters and in IMAX

 

[jml969]

Saw it again last night. I wanted to give it a another go around and see if I was giving it a fair shake....well... I did like it a little better than the first time. Maybe it wasn't as shocking to see the dancing and singing the second time. Oh well, I'm still a Spider-man fan. At least it wasn't as dissapointing as Clooney's "Batman and Robin ". That still gives me the shivers...

 

[Agent0028]

Kind of an odd question here, was the guy who played the Butler in some other movies? He really looked familiar to me (except much younger in my memory) but I can't place him.

 

[TheObsoleteMan]

Well, I'm fresh from seeing it and I enjoyed it well enough, definitely more than I did Spidey 2. The 1st one is still far and away the best for me. Venom and the symbiote were great, but I would've liked to have seen more Spidey action in the black suit. Sandman was cool eye candy. Harry was the best part of the movie imo, James Franco was just great. When Pete looks back at the diner and Harry gives that wink and smile, brilliant.

I also enjoyed the much maligned strutting scenes, they were hilarious. That's what I would imagine a nerd like Parker would think is cool, a bad Saturday Night Fever reject.

That jazz club scene though, that was just extremely goofy. They must have been smoking some strong stuff when they came up with that one.

 

[Seth Gecko]

Well, I'm fresh from seeing it and I enjoyed it well enough, definitely more than I did Spidey 2. The 1st one is still far and away the best for me. Venom and the symbiote were great, but I would've liked to have seen more Spidey action in the black suit. Sandman was cool eye candy. Harry was the best part of the movie imo, James Franco was just great. When Pete looks back at the diner and Harry gives that wink and smile, brilliant.

I also enjoyed the much maligned strutting scenes, they were hilarious. That's what I would imagine a nerd like Parker would think is cool, a bad Saturday Night Fever reject.

I agree, better than SM2 and SM1 is still my fav as well and 99.9% of what else ya said.(i wanna go again)I can't say it enough i loved the Pimp struttin Parker.

 

[user 1190]

I watched it last night. Wow I have not wanted to leave a movie early in a long time. I finished it very unimpressed. I was a good thing that dumb ticket taker didn't take my ticket or my buddies, so I walked back up said I missed the show the rest last night were sold out so I got my money back.

 

[Buttmunch]

I liked it. I really like Sandman, but felt he was underused. His storyline never wrapped up (his daughter). He could definately show up in the sequels. As could Venom. Remember Doc Conners still has a piece of the Symbiote. If the Symbiote could connect itself to part of Brock's ashes, they could bring them both back. Who knows, maybe they'll try to extract part of the symbiote and create the Lizard through it.

 

[Dark_Spidey]

I liked it. I really like Sandman, but felt he was underused. His storyline never wrapped up (his daughter). He could definately show up in the sequels. As could Venom. Remember Doc Conners still has a piece of the Symbiote. If the Symbiote could connect itself to part of Brock's ashes, they could bring them both back. Who knows, maybe they'll try to extract part of the symbiote and create the Lizard through it.

That's exactly what I thought. The symbiote might use Connors as a new host and make his arm grow back.

 

[LOTRFan]

I liked it. I really like Sandman, but felt he was underused. His storyline never wrapped up (his daughter). He could definately show up in the sequels.

Exactly, I mean really what happened there?!

So we are supposed to care about this man and his dying daughter, the fact that all he is doing is for her, and then he merely floats away. What a foolish resolution - well, in reality there wasn't any! Spider-man simply allows him to disapate into New York, without owning up to any of his subsequent crimes, and what in Parker's mind afforded him the assurance that he wouldn't just begin another spree.

Major plot issue for me anyway.

 

[TheObsoleteMan]

Remember Doc Conners still has a piece of the Symbiote. If the Symbiote could connect itself to part of Brock's ashes, they could bring them both back. Who knows, maybe they'll try to extract part of the symbiote and create the Lizard through it.

I think that piece of the symbiote would probably end up being Carnage.

 

[Seth Gecko]

That would be cool,cassidy is way more of a psycho than brock.

 

[jedibear]

Saw it today....
First, I'll admit I'm not the biggest Spidey fan, but the first two were okay enough...number one had the baggage of being an "origin" film and it pulled that off quite well with a well-cast group of players and it relied on using the basic "superhero" movie template to good effect...the second one added some flair with a more interesting villain and took the whole story a step further. They both had action/set piece scenes that were built into the story, not just the "stop-the-story-it's-time-for-money-shot" variety that often happens in this genre of movie...

Now we get to this new installment. Ugh. All the hoary cliché complaints that one can read in mainstream and various boards (including here) sadly apply...overlong, overblown, overstuffed and yet, thin on character interaction and development...and more. And the audience I saw it with was reacting negatively...inappropriate laughter, groaning, and heckling throughout.

I actually thought the movie was going along fine for the first half, striking the same tone as the other two, but then it just started racing downhill at a good clip with it's funky final battle (those newscasters were cringe-inducing, momentum-destroying wastes!) until it sputtered out to it's teary, almost bleak ending. (Where was Dr. Phil to initiate the group hug?)

My main impression was that the actors didn't care...the chemistry was gone or forced (Dunst was really awful [never sing again..PLEASE!]and Rosemary Harris looked slightly bewildered to be saying basically the same thing while pouring the same cup of tea over & over again), the effects guys blew their wad early and didn't have time to finish rendering some of the major scenes (the whole "Godzilla meets Hulk meets Mummy" Sandman stuff at the end was particularly bad...and must we have yet another sequence of perfectly rendered destruction like crumbling buildings and falling debris where NO ONE on the crowded streets below gets hurt? I'm as capable as the next guy at suspending my disbelief but...enough already) and the script was just filled with too much reliance on convenient coincidences and lame plot devices to try and cover the lazy writing. (Screw the butler, I want to hear what the maid has to say!)

There was some fun....Sandman's "birth" had a lyrical (if illogical) beauty to it, Simmons chews the scenery again as JJ, Ms. Howard displays a bit of old-style Hollywood glamour as Gwen and it was a nice touch to have some of the supporting players say and do more this time (the suddenly-soft landlord, the helpful professor, JJ's secretary)...but it was all undone by a stuttering pace, a badly executed script and leads that looked clearly uncomfortable and over it.

This franchise needs a rest. Hopefully, if it returns in a few years it will be with some new blood and a new approach ala "Batman Returns" otherwise, I fear we'll be subjected to nipples and more good actors slumming for a paycheck in a simpering campfest. Let's hope not....

But "Spiderman 3" is the first turkey of the summer season...

 

[Buttmunch]

I think that piece of the symbiote would probably end up being Carnage.

That may be true, but I think a lot of people would be mad if Carnage got more screen time and development than his "old man." Carnage could be interesting though, maybe just make him look just like venom (all black, but some obvious facial changes) since it would be the same symbiote and it wouldn't make much sense (yet) for him to turn red.

Future villians I could see:

Lizard - obvious with Conners
Venom II/Carnage - obvious with left over symbiote
Sandman - still out there
Vulture - hey maybe the Butler adapts the Goblin equipment for his own uses
Doc Ock - there was a poster of a Daily Bugle front cover in S3 that said "Doc Ock Still at Large." This could obviously be from S2, but could also be a hint that Ock didn't really die. Not that much of a strech.

Of course I'd love to see a Sinister Six for Spidey 6 (Ock, Sandman, Vulture, Kraven, Mysterio, and Electro).

 

[Lembas Eater]

Okay, I saw it again today since I took my nephew and the problems aren't as bad as the initial shock. I like the end "forgiveness" of Marko and there are a ton of ways to bring back the Symbiote/Venom, including the sample that Dr. Conners has.

To me, the worst offencers remain: THE BUTLER. Pulled out of hat, completely unnecessary. There have to have been other ways to get Harry to come around, etc. Btw, I really thought James Franco did a great job with what he had been given (actually, none of the actors are to blame).

Then there's the Big Bad Saturday Night Fever Peter. I couldn't believe that I was actually seeing that in a professional movie with "Spiderman" in the title. Its a little less shocking the second time, the payoff being Peter embarassing Mary Jane and truly realising what the suit had been doing to him, etc.

All in all, I don't think its the massive mess that everyone says it is. I sure thought so initially but it rides a lot easier the second time. And if people feel there isn't enough room for three villains and Evil Spidey then how in the hell can we complain about not getting a "Sinister Six" movie??

 

[automaton]

the fundamental problem with the film is the lack of compelling storytelling... these characters deserve a dose of deep psychological emotional drama as experienced within the comics.

 

[tomandshell]

I haven't seen this yet--but the more I hear about it, the less impatient I feel about getting to the theater ASAP...

 

[Radagaster]

SPOILER:SPOILER:SPOILER





Ok, just a couple of questions that I can't figure out:

1) If Parker was stuck to the symbiote, how is he able to just stick it in the suitcase and pull it out as he likes. But, come time he needs to let go of it, the only way was at church tower?

2) I don't understand how the Sandman was beaten at the final battle scene. I mean he just crumbled, but it didn't make sense what would cause him to do that.

 

[Collector Freak]

I can't believe some people on this board are lauding this piece of crap movie. Not surprisingly, though, it's the same people who always seem to be satisfied by second rate rubbish.

Anyone with any sense of appreciation for good comic book movies CANNOT like this film.