Spider-Man 3
Director: Sam Raimi
Rated: TBA
from Thurs 3 May



The third in a film series seems to be something of an unreliable beast. Will you get 'Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade' and leave the theatre happy, or 'Back To The Future III' and just be happy to leave the theatre? With the third 'Spider-Man' the tension is heightened by the enormous success of parts 1 and 2 and the attention of the demanding fans.

After many troubles, Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) finally seems to be handling his double life as college student and friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man. He's even thinking of settling down with girlfriend Mary Jane Watson (Kirsten Dunst). But he still has problems. A rival photographer, Eddie Brock (Topher Grace) is stealing his shots, and his friend Harry Osborn (James Franco) blames him for his father's death, which he plans to avenge with some of dad's old Green Goblin hardware. Add to that, police believe crook Flint Marko (Thomas Haden Church), recently transformed into the invulnerable villain the Sandman, may be the real killer of Uncle Ben in the first film. At his lowest ebb, Peter discovers a mysterious black goo that turns into a new costume, one that makes him much more powerful, and dangerous.

If this all sounds like a lot in one film, it is, and I've yet to mention potential love interest Gwen Stacy (Bryce Dallas Howard) or Brock's connection to what comic fans know as the Venom symbiote. The trademark of this series is the contrast between Peter's domestic and heroic life, and this is again used to great effect, but adds even more to the storyline. Even at over two hours, one film can't contain all this successfully, and as a result 'Spider-Man 3' ends up half-telling multiple stories rather than give us one that feels complete. There's also an overdose of humour that hampers what could have been an interestingly dark tale.

Nonetheless, it makes for a spectacular experience. The action set pieces are more dizzyingly kinetic than ever, though my favourite scene was Marko's transformation into Sandman, a quiet, almost mythic moment. The acting lives up to the high standard of the previous films, and in the case of the previously wooden Franco, improved substantially. Grace combines cocky charm and menace as Brock, and while the Sandman is an underdeveloped character, Church plays him with as much heart as he can. It's a shame that Gwen Stacy, such an important character in the comics, is barely a distraction in this film, but Howard makes her a very charming one.

While the makers may have gone too far in attempting to outdo the last two films, there's plenty to like if you can hang on for the ride. And for fans, the prospect of three classic villains is sure to please. By no means the best of the series, 'Spider-Man 3' is certainly an exhilarating addition.

Henry Nicholls