Sam Raimi does a competent job on Spider-Man 3, but the franchise is getting a trifle tired.
Spider-Man 3 (2007)
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Reviews Counted:236
Fresh:147
Rotten:89
Average Rating:6.2/10
Consensus: Though there are more characters and plotlines, and the action sequences still dazzle, Spider-Man 3 nonetheless isn't quite as refined as the first two.
Rated: 12A [See Full Rating] for sequences of intense action violence
Runtime: 2 hrs 20 mins
Genre: Action/Adventure
Theatrical Release:04-05-2007
Synopsis: The Marvel comics hero returns for more high-flying fun in this third installment in the series. Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) is up to his usual Spidey tricks, attending university classes as an... The Marvel comics hero returns for more high-flying fun in this third installment in the series. Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) is up to his usual Spidey tricks, attending university classes as an awkward geek, then quickly slipping into his red-and-blue suit to save New York City from various villains. And there are villains aplenty. Thomas Hayden Church blows in as the Sandman, an escaped convict whose molecular structure is destroyed in a particle accelerator. The freak accident gives him the ability to form and reform from piles of dust. While the Sandman sifts through the city streets robbing banks, Spidey must also contend with his onetime friend, Harry (James Franco), who has taken up where his father, the Green Goblin, left off. Harry chases Spider-Man down on his goblin glider, hurling pumpkin bombs. But Spider-Man's biggest battle is perhaps within himself, when he is taken over by meteorite ooze--a substance that gives him great power, but also turns him into a vengeful, selfish jerk. Throw into the mix Peter's new competition at the Daily Bugle--the ambitious, sneaky Eddie Brock (Topher Grace)--and Peter's relationship troubles with Mary Jane (Kirsten Dunst), and SPIDER-MAN 3 weaves a tangled web indeed. Director Sam Raimi's playful style and his delightfully campy screenplay hold true to the spirit of the Stan Lee comics, and he does an excellent job of hitting all the right superhero notes. Raimi has created an action film that is a feast for the eyes, but comes with fully rounded characters and a moving moral lesson to boot. The special effects are astounding, but Raimi makes sure the film isn't all action and no talk--he makes Peter's struggle a human one, and one that we can all relate to, regardless of our web-spinning ability. [More]
Starring: Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, Thomas Haden Church, Topher Grace
Starring: Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, Thomas Haden Church, Topher Grace, James Franco, James Cromwell, Bryce Dallas Howard, Dylan Baker, Rosemary Harris, J.K. Simmons
Director: Sam Raimi
Director: Sam Raimi
Screenwriter: Alvin Sargent, Ivan Raimi
Producer: Laura Ziskin, Avi Arad, Grant Curtis
Composer: Christopher Young
Studio: Columbia Pictures
Reviews for Spider-Man 3
The effects are amazing and fans will enjoy the references to the comics, but the film is something of a disappointment overall because it tries to do too much.
Spider-Man 3 may disappoint those who think tongue-in-cheek spectacle is the only name of the game.
Not an awful film by any means. But you don’t need spidey sense to know this isn’t a patch on its prequel.
Spider-Man 3 is top-notch entertainment but still fails to live up to the previous two outings.
Everyone’s favourite arachnid returns in his slickest, smartest and darkest movie yet.
Not as sinister as expected, but Raimi has spun a deft exercise in popcorn thrills. Hold on and enjoy.
The film doesn't teem; it just seems cluttered - a collection of scenes, and occasionally great visuals or gags, strung together by an inadequate plot.
As he scampers around the bathtub of popular culture, Spidey is beginning to exhaust everyone's patience.
The visceral stuff - the fighting and chasing - is great. The comedy is funny. But the film unravels with no emotional charge and you'll be pretty restless during the climactic apologies.
Despite a few knots in the story, that trademark combo of warmth, wit and charm keeps you hanging.
The tone is ultimately more subdued than your average superhero movie. Kudos to Raimi for making it feel justified.
This third instalment feels surprisingly uneven, even as it keeps us utterly entertained for the lengthy running time.
Still smart, still exciting and still action-packed. It’s just a shame to note that, after promising greatness, all Spider-Man 3 delivers is satisfaction.
It's easily the best of the trilogy and, for my money, one of the most enjoyable films of the decade.
Sam Raimi and company should have ... made a movie and not an f/x tapas plate.
Latest News for Spider-Man 3
July 21, 2009:
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April 10, 2009:
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Though they weren't at liberty to discuss any of the details, calling them "super secret," writers Paul Wernick and Rhett Reese have divulged that they've been hired to pen the... More...
September 05, 2008:
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This week's Ketchup bottle brings news about Spider-Man 4 & 5, Ghostbusters 3, and casting news for Matt Damon, Denzel Washington, and Jennifer Connelly. More...
July 31, 2008:
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