Spiderman 3

Apparently it was the biggest movie opening ever in Hong Kong. Shame it wasn’t a better film.

Up until wednesday night, I was a big fan of the current Spiderman franchise – of the look of the first two films, of the cast and of the way the character has been portrayed. I’m more than willing to confess an abiding interest, since Spidey was my early childhood favourite in the superhero stable (Superman was too American, Batman was cool as a comic but way too camp as a TV show and Wonder Woman was kind of odd).

So, it saddens me to say that in Spiderman 3 everything felt tired, forced and, jerky. Of the three films, this one retains the least of the comic-strip look (scene composition in the first two films was largely about aspect,angle and bringing emotional potent details into sharp focus), it capitulates to the tired hollywood trick of telling you what you are seeing is compelling (count the number “…look, spiderman, cool…” type lines) and it has the lowest level of brooding tension (relational, sexual, or otherwise).

In fact, watching Spiderman succumb to the dark, elemental force at the centre of the plot is so dull and weak that it makes Darth Vader’s weary emergence in the most recent Star Wars film seem almost shakespearen by comparison.

That so very little of this film is as tight, polished or memorable as the first two films is a real shame, because at the heart of story are some interesting ideas about character, morality and forgiveness. I shudder to think how quickly (and unreflectively) some preachers will jump on the black creature idea as a metaphor for sin (which would reveal some really weak theology). But maybe, a film that misses its opportunity so badly deserves such a risable fate?

It’s not that the film is that bad, really, it’s just that it’s that disappointing. Spiderman 3 relied on both a strong brand, established cast and phenomenal marketing campaign to generate a lot of interest. It’s just such a shame it failed to deliver on the ideas and tensions that were available in the story. Spiderman 3 is mostly fun, occasionally exciting but in the end, a film created for a much younger audience than the first two – a fact that probably explains its weaknesses.

[tags] Spiderman 3 [/tags]