Spider-Man 3 (spoilers eventually)

Professor Smooth · Post by **Professor Smooth** » Thu May 03, 2007 2:25 pm

So who's seen it?

My opinion: Better than 1, not better than 2. It could have been better, but there are some REALLY good parts to the flick. I could have done without Gwen Stacy, though.

Shanti418 · Post by **Shanti418** » Fri May 04, 2007 4:03 am

I've already bought my tix for tomorrow for my girlfriend and I. Even going to go mingle with the geeks at my LCS's SM 3 midnight release party. (Free beer/food/comics? How could I NOT go?)

I'm interested to see how Bryce Dallas Howard looks as Gwen. I haven't really seen any shots of her that I can remember. I think they're just hedging their bets in case Kirsten Dunst decides to jump ship.

Ozz · Post by **Ozz** » Fri May 04, 2007 7:51 am

Shanti418 wrote:I'm interested to see how Bryce Dallas Howard looks as Gwen.

http://film.onet.pl/F,11375,1,18,galeria.html

Three hours and I'm in!

Obfleur · Post by **Obfleur** » Fri May 04, 2007 10:10 pm

This movie was a big disappointment

Ozz · Post by **Ozz** » Fri May 04, 2007 10:14 pm

Obfleur wrote:This movie was a big disappointment

No, it was fantastic. I loved that.

Shanti418 · Post by **Shanti418** » Sat May 05, 2007 8:05 pm

I thought the movie was good. I'm not sure where to place it among the other two quite yet.

On one hand, everything worked well together, and the villans were well developed despite only having a bit of individual screen time. Adding to that, I thought Toepher Grace and Thomas Hayden Church stole the show. Lots of nods and winks to continuity, good ending, good times.

On the other hand...hmmm...my biggest problem was that because the movie had so much story to cover, it kind of felt like an "on rails" movie. We as the audience are always being rushed around to the next scene, and as such, all the scenes are very specific and purposeful. The problem with this is that the scenes sometimes end up feeling contrived and corny. Understandably, it's a kid's popcorn summer movie, but I thought the opening monologue was almost painful, and in a crucial scene between MJ and Peter on a bridge, most of the audience was laughing, it was so cheesy. I alos didn't like James Franco's take on "reformed" Harry.

Obfleur · Post by **Obfleur** » Sat May 05, 2007 8:14 pm

Peter Parkers pimp montage was god awful. Why the hell did they keep that?
And the dancing in the jazz club? Gha. Hideous!

Shanti418 · Post by **Shanti418** » Sun May 06, 2007 12:56 am

I had no problem with the pimp montage. The character of Peter Parker is never cool. Even when he's trying to act cool, he's still doing it in a dorky way, which I feel was the point of the montage. It allows us to see his confidence and swagger, but also how it's not exactly something that he wears well or could/should continue doing.

But talking to the contrived, corny nature of the movie, I thought the whole Bad Peter = Hair in Face bit was kinda silly.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun May 06, 2007 12:18 pm

I thought the handling of Sandman was good and the symbiote's effects on its hosts well-paced.

Saying that, I did think Harry's turnaround far too rushed, but inevitable, and throughout the trilogy, I've found the pumpkin-bombs' effects too varying in magnitude. In 1 they can flash-fry several men on a balcony, but only remove part of Spidey's mask, and in 3, they can completely vaporise Brock and the symbiote but only leave Harry with a few scars on his face?

angloconvoy · Post by **angloconvoy** » Sun May 06, 2007 12:39 pm

In the comics there were different kinds of pumpkin bombs. Would have been nice if they'd given a few different designs to rub out that little problem, though I can happily count the harry/brock thing as protection from the goblin armour vs molecular instability from the sound wall, or something (that may be the geekiest thing I've ever said on this board).

I wasn't a fan of the dancing sequences, either the jazz club or the omlette making.

I quite liked the pacing, given the amount they were cramming in. Kept it moving fast enough that the deficiencies didn't bother me during watching, and kept it short enough that it felt like a movie rather than an endurance test. Liked venom and sandman, though felt Brock having fangs was a bit unnecessary.

I liked Harry's turnaround, it didn't feel too rushed to me since I always though the character was meant to be a bit mental on account of being torn between father and friends and therefore quite switchable.

If they make a fourth its just screaming for the lizard, what with mention of connors in 1 and his roles in 2 and 3.

Yaya · Post by **Yaya** » Sun May 06, 2007 5:30 pm

It was better than I thought it would be.

But they could have cut about 30 minutes out of the thing, really.

So it's the most money-making event on its first day of release here in the US than any other movie in history.

Anyone think Transformers could break that record? How about Pirates 3?

Shanti418 · Post by **Shanti418** » Sun May 06, 2007 6:29 pm

I dunno....I think a big part of SM3's success is that people know that it's going to be good from SM 1 and 2. On the other hand, people are just looking for a reason to go to the movies in July, whereas this is just another weekend.

I don't like the Pirates movies, so who knows about those.

Hot Shot · Post by **Hot Shot** » Sun May 06, 2007 8:05 pm

I haven't seen it yet, but maybe I can get my mom and sister to make a trip to the movie theater for their birthdays(They were born on the same day. Wierd, huh?).

Is it me or is it that the only good movies this summer are sequels?

Post by **spiderfrommars** » Sun May 06, 2007 11:19 pm

GOOD:

Pimp Parker
Action scenes
Sand effects
J Jonah Jameson
Bruce Campbell
The villains (I don't think there were too many in the end - I wouldn't want to lose either Sandman or Venom and Harry got a good resolution)

BAD:

Spidey crying
The flag waving bit
"I forgive you"
Brit reporter
Peter snogging Gwen (he wasn't even effected by the symbiote)
MJ snogging Harry (no excuse)
Harry's amnesia (worked in the comic, not so great here)
Sandman just stumbling into a major experiment
The "evil" hair cut
The butler (perhaps he should have mentioned that Norman killed himself in the FIRST film!)
The Ben murder retcon
Soppy ending (where's my Spidey swinging from the buildings dagnamit!)

Entertained but dissapointed, and the guffawing audience didn't help. Gah.

Blacksword · Post by **Blacksword** » Mon May 07, 2007 1:09 am

Some stuff was handled really well: the Harry plot was really good aside from how goofy he acted after his change of heart. Otherwise Harry was brilliant.

The symbiote plot, excellent

each of these two would have made an excellent movie on their own, and would have been a lot better for it. Or heck, keep the symbiote stuff but end the movie with Brock being possessed by the symbiote. Venom deserves his own movie, not to be blown up after existing on screen for 20 minutes. And with a few tweaks the Harry plot could have supported itself on its own.

While I hated the Uncle Ben retcon, the guy who was Sandman was really good. He could have made a good subpot character to either a Venom or Harry Orsborn film.

In short this film got Schumakered(tm) too many characters, too many plots such that characters were somewhat wasted - though no where near as badly as I've heard happened in Batman and Robin. It was mildly Schumakered.

And for the most part I agree with Spidey's assessment: pimp parker was silly but that was the point - though the jazz club was just a titch to much.

Okay overall, but a lot of wasted potential given all the various good bits.

Professor Smooth · Post by **Professor Smooth** » Mon May 07, 2007 2:18 am

The problem with a symbiote/Venom movie is that you need to have Spider-Man fighting somebody to move the plot along until Brock gets the alien. Spider-Man acting all evil/emo for an hour and a half is cool, but he needs to be doing something while he's at it or you lose the target audience.

That's where Sandman came in so nicely. Nobody gives a **** about Sandman (well, not THAT Sandman, anyway), but he plays the part of Spider-Man's punching bag rather well and allows for some cool special effects. A movie where Spidey's fighting the Sandman in the black suit while Brock keeps getting shafted would have made for a satisfying movie. Even the Harry stuff could be incorporated pretty easily. Personally, I'd have had Harry come to his senses while he's in a coma for most of the movie instead of having the evil/goofy/evil/heroic thing, but that's neither here nor there.

Gwen and Captain Stacy, though. They added nothing to the movie. They were props and that's being generous. Those two characters exist to die. And they didn't do that. You could have EASILY tossed in Felicia Hardy in place of Gwen and had some sense made of it.

As it stands, I think the movie was pretty good. It's definitely the most "comic-booky" of the trilogy. I'm thrilled that the early rumors of killing off Aunt May and Mary Jane turned out to be just that. The main cast remains intact, the door is WIDE open for Venom, Harry, Norman, and Doc Ock to come back in future movies.

I look forward to Spider-Man 4 in 2010.

Post by **spiderfrommars** » Mon May 07, 2007 9:34 am

I half expected (well, quarter-expected) Raimi to surprise us with an MJ death (well he did introduce MJ before Gwen in the first film so it makes kinda sense) but it was not to be.

I seriously doubt this cast will return for the fourth film.

Anyone else disappointed Harry didn't wear a goblin mask?

Post by **Best First** » Mon May 07, 2007 9:46 am

i enjoyed it from start to end.

i though the pimp scenes were hilarious, although it maybe skirted a little close.

Agree about the Butler though.

The notion this could have been any shorter is an odd one, how the hell could you cut 30 mins out of a film that was bursting at the scenes anyway? My only real complaint is there are some thing sthe could have been developed more, but i suspect that could have led to piles.

I was half expecting the sandman to e on SPidey's side at the end, the way he was pitched, that was the only other thing that really bothered me to be honest, when he said "i didn't want this", having just been involved in a massive staged fight with no other purpose than to kill people and with an innocent girl at risk.

Harry came close to stealing the show for me - that man should have been Anakin skywalker...

Loved the amount of continuity cast wise from the previous films, the inflated role for the landlord/his duaghter, Flash Thompson in the background at Harry's funeral.

Oh, and it turns out the platinum blond hair and big hooters works a treat - who knew?

Post by **spiderfrommars** » Mon May 07, 2007 11:23 am

Best First wrote: Flash Thompson in the background at Harry's funeral.

Ooh, I didn't notice that.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon May 07, 2007 12:58 pm

spiderfrommars wrote:
Best First wrote: Flash Thompson in the background at Harry's funeral.
Ooh, I didn't notice that.

He was only on screen for about 2 seconds.

As was a framed Daily Bugle front page showing "Doc Ock Still At Large", when Brock gets the scoop over Parker.

Post by **Best First** » Mon May 07, 2007 5:06 pm

spiderfrommars wrote:
Best First wrote: Flash Thompson in the background at Harry's funeral.
Ooh, I didn't notice that.

har. I am a bigger geek than ye.

er...

Yaya · Post by **Yaya** » Mon May 07, 2007 5:12 pm

Best First wrote: The notion this could have been any shorter is an odd one, how the hell could you cut 30 mins out of a film that was bursting at the scenes anyway?

Specifically, that scene where he's dancing around in the bar. Course, that wasn't 30 minutes, but it sure as hell seemed like it.

Harry came close to stealing the show for me - that man should have been Anakin skywalker...

Hell ya. He has more charm than Haydenssen, and is a better actor, IMO. Did he try for the part, by any chance?

Professor Smooth · Post by **Professor Smooth** » Tue May 08, 2007 1:34 am

The more I think about it, the more I liked Spider-Man 3. There were some silly parts in it, but life is kinda silly sometimes. They could have gone into detail about how the Symbiote was from a planet that had been consumed by yada...yada...yada... But that would have just been MORE tacked on. Instead we get, "Eh, space goop. We cool? Alright, moving on."

What else can you do with The Sandman? He's the Sandman. He turns into sand. Unless they wanted to end the movie with him discovering a cure for cancer, there was no place else to go with it. Would have been nice to get some closure on what happened with his family, but what can you do?

Venom. I really wish they hadn't gone out of their way to nuke Venom. But it would be fairly easy to say that what was left of the symbiote kept what was left of Eddie Brock alive. They could even have Venom calling himself "we" in Spidey 4 or 5. He would have actually bonded with the Symbiote to stay alive.

The emo-Spidey thing doesn't bother me ONLY because it was funny as hell.

I wonder if a Sinister Six movie can happen at some point?

Say that the Goblin formula healed Norman and Harry. Say that Doc Ock survived and washed up on shore someplace. Sandman's still around. Venom can be a fusion of Eddie Brock and the alien. Add a villain or two from the next movie, Kraven, the Lizard, Mysterio, Electro, whoever.

I think The Other might work pretty well as a movie. It sure as hell failed as a comic book, but it might make a decent flick.

How about a Spider-Man: Unmasked movie at some point? In 10 years, that might be the accepted status quo.

But now I am just rambling. I'll have to see the movie again to decide if I liked it as much as I think I do now.

Post by **spiderfrommars** » Tue May 08, 2007 1:18 pm

At least Spidey didn't defeat the Sandman with a vacuum cleaner.

Stan Lee. Bless 'im.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue May 08, 2007 9:23 pm

I liked the way the Sandman had control over all sand in the local environment, rather than just his own body's complement. I've only ever seen that in one spidey comic, and that was a side-effect of some extra-sticky webbing spidey used to try and subdue him.

Impact webbing was reasonably well placed in its unannounced introduction, too.

Hound · Post by **Hound** » Tue May 08, 2007 10:00 pm

I really enjoyed it. The pace was relentless. It made me laugh and it shocked me (Pete hitting MJ).

The special effects were stunning too.

Professor Smooth · Post by **Professor Smooth** » Wed May 09, 2007 12:08 am

After Spider-Man opened up that water pipe and Sandman got blasted, I really thought that Peter had killed him. All of the Sandman scenes from the trailers had already been used and I really thought that Pete had actively killed somebody.

Post by **Best First** » Wed May 09, 2007 7:26 am

Hound wrote:I really enjoyed it. The pace was relentless. .

Yeah, after the reviews i was expectinga bit of a slog.

i really think some of thee reviews are down to people just needing stuff to say other than "yeah, that was good too"

A really solid trilogy for my money.

Post by **snarl** » Wed May 09, 2007 7:51 am

That was great!

I liked the jazz dance and the pimp scenes were money.

Bruce Campbell is a legend.

Spidey should have nailed Mrs Brant.

That British reporter was terrible!

I think it felt a bit contrived at parts, such was the pacing... Literally every scene was in to take the narative a step forward.

Bridge scene I heard was 'funny'. Not for me... 1 or 2 people laughed... I didn't think it was brilliantly executed, but it wasn't so bad that it was funny, not at all.

Still, I enjoyed every moment of it, cannot understand the realtively poor reviews.

Post by **Best First** » Wed May 09, 2007 8:43 am

ok, my memory is already failing me - what was the 'Bridge scene'?

agree on Miss Brant.

Which reminds me that the bit with Jonah and his pills was GENIUS.