The Comic Book Gazette

Cast: Tobey Maguire (Peter Parker/Spider-Man), James Franco (Harry Osborn/New Goblin), Thomas Haden Church (Flint Marko/Sandman), Topher Grace (Eddie Brock Jr./Venom), Kirsten Dunst (Mary Jane Watson), Bryce Dallas Howard (Gwen Stacy), Rosemarry Harris (Aunt May), J. K. Simmons (J. Jonah Jameson), James Cromwell (Captain George Stacy)

Credits: Sam Raimi (Director), Avi Arad (Producer), Stan Lee (Producer), Laura Ziskin (Producer), Grant Curtis (Producer), Sam Raimi (Writer), Ivan Raimi (Writer), Alvin Sargent (Writer)
Rating: 90%
Synopsis: Things are finally looking up for Peter Parker, the amazing Spider-Man. The city regards him as a hero, not the menace J. Jonah Jameson makes him out to be. He can now concentrate on his schoolwork. And the love of his life, Mary Jane Watson, has gotten a part in a Broadway play. Meanwhile, Harry looks down at Peter from a seat high up in the theater. He takes MJ on a date, where he spins a giant spider-web. They’re watching a meteor shower. Cut to one of the meteorites. Something is crawling out of it; it almost looks like big, black spider, or a pitch-black hand, in the way it crawls. As Peter and MJ are leaving, it manages to latch itself onto Peter’s moped.

We then cut to a scene in Harry’s mansion. There are a bunch of Goblin masks, such as the Green one, and a new silver one, as well as several different gliders, and a skateboard-esque glider. We see Harry stepping out of the gas chamber, having inhaled the Goblin glass.

Peter later visits his Aunt May. He tells her that he plans to ask MJ to marry him. Aunt May gives Peter her wedding ring, so he can give it to Mary Jane.

As Peter is riding home on his moped, a figure swoops down. They start a brutal fight, with the New Goblin stabbing and cutting Peter. He then takes off his mask to reveal that he is Harry. Peter manages to defeat him, but Harry is badly injured. Harry later wakes up at the hospital, with no memory of Peter’s identity or his hatred towards Spider-Man.

We then see Flint Marko. He visits his house to see his daughter, who is sick. He argues with his wife. Apparently he became a thief to get money for his daughter’s operation. His wife tells him to leave, but not before his daughter hands him a locket.

We then see Flint Marko, the police hot on his trail. He manages to escape into a hole in the ground filled with sand. Little does he know it’s a particle accelerator, and his body mutates into sand. He manages to regain enough control over his density to grab the locket, transform into his old face and shirt, and walk away.

As Spider-Man is given the key to the city, he shares an upside-down kiss with Gwen Stacy, who he had earlier saved from a giant crane. Mary Jane watches, bitter because she feels that kiss was special, and she doesn’t know if it was Spider-Man kissing Gwen- or Peter Parker.

Meanwhile, Sandman attempts to rob an armored vehicle. Spider-Man shows up, but he is quickly defeated. He then learns from Captain Stacy (Gwen’s father), that Flint Marko is the man who killed his Uncle Ben.

At his apartment, he is having nightmares. Meanwhile, the suit attaches itself to him. He wakes up, on the side of a skyscraper. He feels- good. Powerful.

He apparently kills Sandman in a subway after seeing he cannot control his density when wet.

However, the suit is still influencing him. He breaks Eddie Brock (a rival photographer)’s camera, snaps at his landlord, and hits on women. He also goes emo, new haircut, black clothing, and all (minus the slit wrists, unless you count the slit the webbing comes out of). He also snaps at MJ when she tries to comfort him.

Terrified, he asks Curt Connors to analyze the suit.

MJ therefore goes to Harry, who she kisses and has a great time with.

Meanwhile, Harry regains his memory. He tells MJ to break up with Peter if she wants him to live. Peter confronts Harry, taunting him. (“Look at little Goblin Jr. You going to cry now?” after defeating him). Harry is enraged and throws a pumpkin bomb. Peter casually throws it back, where it explodes in Harry’s face, and walks out.

Peter, angry at MJ, takes Gwen Stacy to the jazz club where MJ works to make MJ jealous. Gwen realizes Peter is using her, and runs away.

Thinking he’s bothering MJ, a security guard tries to show him the exit. He throws him off, as well as some other guards, in addition to accidentally pushing MJ (who tries to calm him down). Terrified at what he’s done, he runs.

He goes to a church and, ringing a bell, manages to get the alien symbiote off.

Eddie Brock, angry at Peter having exposed his photos as fakes and getting him fired, prays for Peter to die. Hearing the bell, he goes to investigate, and he sees that Peter Parker is Spider-Man, when the symbiote falls in him. He is now-- VENOM!!!

Sandman sees him and they team up. They kidnap MJ as bait. Peter asks Harry for help, but his face scarred, he refuses.

He fights Venom and Sandman alone, where he is brutally pounded by Sandman, held by Venom’s web. Harry shows up at the last minute and rescues him. Together, they defeat Sandman and rescue MJ. They look for Venom. They find him, and Venom stabs Harry with his own glider. Peter defeats Venom using its vulnerability to sound. Spidey manages to pull Brock off the weakened symbiote. Peter throws a pumpkin bomb at the symbiote, but he is unable to stop Brock, who jumps into the symbiote, thus destroying both.

Sandman then explains his side of the story. He needed money to pay for an operation to save his daughter’s life. He needed a getaway car. He found Uncle Ben’s. Uncle Ben told him to put down the gun and go home, in an attempt to save not himself, but Flint Marko. His accomplice then ran up. Surprised, the gun went off in Flint’s hand. Peter then manages to forgive Marko.

Meanwhile, MJ is with Harry. Peter stays at his side. They try to get help, but Harry realizes he will die no matter what, and tells them he died with his best friends.

The movie ends at Harry’s funeral.

While the Venom symbiote was destroyed, however, no mention is made of having destroyed the sample Curt Connors had…

Thoughts: I LOVED THIS MOVIE! I know many will disagree with me, but this is, in my opinion, the best Spider-Man movie so far, and quite possibly the best super-hero movie EVER.

I managed to catch the midnight showing and the energy in the theater was awesome. Everyone booed when Harry kissed MJ, cheered when the symbiote bonded with Brock to become Venom, and laughed when Peter went emo.

There’s a dance number in this movie. It’s over the top, utterly ridiculous, and would not usually be in a super-hero film. And I loved it! It worked great, better than Spider-Man 2’s Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head.

And the special effects are breath-taking. They’ve progressed a lot since the first film, and the camera angles make you feel as if you’re up there with Spidey.

Oh, and each scene with Jonah is laugh out loud HILARIOUS.

Granted, the movie isn’t perfect. There was a lot going on, which is most people’s biggest complaint. I think the villains were handled great, except for Venom.

I love Venom. I’ve been looking forward to his big-screen debut for years. And it lived up to my expectations- almost.

His design was great. The costume was black, not gray or purple as advance art would have you believe. The webbing on his costume didn’t bother me. It’s not like Spider-Man’s webbing, it’s more organic. The teeth and tongue were done just right. Not too long, and no drool. Plus, he had a great line: Venom’s holding MJ, and he says, “My spider-senses are tingling, if you know what I mean.”

But he still deserved more screen time.

And there’s still the matter of Conner’s sample not being acknowledged. I don’t know if this was done purposely, but it would be perfect for Carnage’s debut if a fourth film is made.

This movie was really good, but I’d rather the original cast and director return for the next film, or else not have another film. This trilogy has been great, and better to let it end on a high note than have a fourth film mess up the quality of the series.

UPDATE (05/06):

I saw the movie again yesterday, and I thought of a few more things I hadn't mentioned before. I'll keep this brief.

Good:

• Topher Grace as Eddie Brock
• Thomas Haden Church as Sandman
• Tobey's acting has improved
• A LOT more humor
• Handling of Pete's dark side

Excellent:

• James Franco as Harry
• Stan Lee's cameo ("I guess one man really CAN make a difference. 'Nuff said.")
• Bruce Campell's cameo
• J. Jonah Jameson (Funiest part in the movie)
• The beggining to the musical number, with the retraction and the music- you gotta see it

Bad:

• Topher's regular voice for Venom (it should have been digitally altered, like in the cartoon)
• Venom needed a lot more screen time
• Gwen as "the dumb blonde"

 

--Sergio B.