Spider-Man 3 (DVD, 2007)

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.

As Sam Raimi's 'Spider-Man 3' takes flight among the concrete and glass canyons of Manhattan; it additionally takes steps to explore the relationships between its three central characters, Peter Parker aka Spider-Man (Tobey Maguire), girlfriend Mary Jane Watson (Kirsten Dunst), and Best Pal Harry Osborn (James Franco).
Jammed-Packed with Acrobatic Thrills and Wildly Vivid Villains ("Where do these guys keep coming from?" Spider-Man humorously queries), the emphasis is on Crime Fighting mixed with personal crisis. As Peter Parker faces 'Inner Demons', 'Spider-Man 3' could be subtitled "The Passion of the Spidey".
Not even close to dull; it is phenominally rewarding to anyone willing to follow Peter as he tours his dark side.
"Pride Goeth Before A Fall", the saying goes, and as the movie opens, Peter definitely appears to be heading for such a tumble. While 'Spider-Man 2' ended with trouble brewing in the Parker/Osborn friendship; he shows little concern that his lifelong buddy means him harm. Things are going good for Spider-Man, Mary Jane has won her first starring role in a Broadway play, and their relationship is so solid that he is beginning to think about marriage. Peter is still a nice guy, but he's flirting with arrogance and he does not listen to anyone — (Harry, Mary Jane or his own good sense).
When an Alien Liquid Latex (as created in Stan Lee's Comics - not some wildy ridiculous Hollywood Invention) forms itself around his body one night in a Dominatrix's Dream Scenario; he acquires a "NEW" Spider-Man Black Hero fashion, but his demeanor changes as well. The black suit feeds his inner angers and desires as Parker learns the "Real Man" who shot his Uncle Ben has escaped from Prison. (And will ultimately become "Sandman").
No longer merely smug, 'SpiderMan' will succumb to the new suits added strengths but internal destruction and he becomes downright sinister, not quite a Villain himself; but close.
As Spider-Man begins to battle his own inner demons; this is a comic-book franchise; it requires comic-book villains. "Spider-Man's" 'Green Goblin' (Willem Dafoe) and "Spider-Man 2's" 'Doc Ock' (Alfred Molina) represented charismatic, larger-than-life evil; the alter egos of men of superior intellect harboring grandiose schemes.
"Spider-Man 3" is chockfull of Villains, including Harry when he gets his dander up as "The Hob-Goblin"; and official Villians "Sandman" (Thomas Haden Church) and "Venom" (Topher Grace) who present Spider-Man a larger physical challenge. (Amazingly Drenched by Phenominal Special-Effect).
The story is loaded with high-flying action that has come to characterize the series. Special-Effects reach cinematic peaks as even an airborne cab aims for SpiderMan in one sequence. The battles are wildly spectacular, especially in scenes between 'Spider-Man' & 'Sandman' as his consistency keeps changing; (stone turning to dust or even mud), and his shape alters to fit the circumstances. Spider-Man just can't get a handle on him.
'Venom' (Grace), a disgraced photo-journalist who adopts happily the Alien Liquid Latex for the sole purpose of inflicting chaos, is an additional battle-wild Evil (borderline downright scary) as SpiderMan tackles the duel Villians "Sandman" & "Venom".
Then Harry Osbourne dons "The Hob-Goblin" again from "SpiderMan 3's" opening sequences.
Is it all too much for SpiderMan this time around??
For Franchise lovers; this is the SpiderMan you've been waiting for !!!!
OUTSTANDING

Spider-Man 3 is a 2007 superhero film written and directed by Sam Raimi, with a screenplay by Ivan Raimi and Alvin Sargent. It is the third film in the Spider-Man film franchise based on the fictional Marvel Comics character Spider-Man. The film stars Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, James Franco, Thomas Haden Church, Topher Grace and Bryce Dallas Howard.

The film begins with Peter Parker basking in his success as Spider-Man, while Mary Jane Watson continues her Broadway career. Harry Osborn still seeks vengeance for his father's death, and an escaped convict, Flint Marko, falls into a particle accelerator and is transformed into a shape-shifting sand manipulator. An alien symbiote crashes to Earth and bonds with Peter, influencing his behavior for the worse. When the symbiote is abandoned, it finds refuge in Eddie Brock, Jr., a rival photographer, causing Peter to face his greatest challenge.

How does Spider-Man 3 follow on the heels of its predecessor, which was widely considered the best superhero movie ever? For starters, you pick up the loose threads from that movie, then add some key elements of the Spidey comic-book mythos. In the beginning, things have never looked better for Peter Parker. He's doing well in school; his alter ego, Spider-Man, is loved and respected around New York City. And his girlfriend, Mary Jane Watson, has just taken a starring role in a Broadway musical. But nothing good can last for Spidey. Mary Jane's career quickly goes downhill; she's bothered by Peter's attractive new classmate, Gwen Stacy, and the new Daily Bugle photographer, Eddie Brock, is trying to steal his thunder. Enter a new villain, the Sandman, who can transform his body into various forms and shapes of sand and who may be connected to Peter's past in an unexpected way. There's also the son of an old villain, Harry Osborne, who unmasked Spidey in the previous movie and still has revenge on his mind. And a new black costume seems to boost Spidey's powers, but transforms mild-mannered Peter into a mean and obnoxious boor.
I have to admit, this was a fun movie to watch, but I guess Spiderman 2 I liked better. Worth every penny paid though.

Spiderman 3 has to be one of the biggest drop-offs in the history of movie sequels, which is saying quite a bit. The first Spiderman was very good; the second was the best superhero movie ever. It would be unrealistic to expect improvement upon the second, but it would be equally unrealistic to expect such an unbelievable failure. The third film does absolutely nothing well. Every angle is taken poorly, perhaps because there are so many angles. There is so much going on this film, and none of it is well developed. There are three villains (four if you count the internal villain that is black Spiderman). None of them draw any interest because we know little about them. The way that the initial conflict between Peter and Harry is temporarily resolved is also straight out of a soap opera - never a line you want to describe your movie.

I just don't get it. Sam Raimi has proven himself to be a talented director with the first 2 Spiderman movies and the Evil Dead series. How could he misfire this badly? It just confounds me. Spiderman 3 is not just a dissapointment because of the quality of the first two films. Regardless of its predecessors, this movie is just an absolute flop, maybe among the 10-20 worst films of 2007. I really have not ever been more confused while watching a movie than while I was watching Spiderman 3.

Things that I liked about Spiderman 3:
the fist-fight between Harry and Peter - it was amusing to watch two guys with superpowers knuckle up. I doubt this has ever been done before.
Kirsten Dunst - still beautiful with red hair, though her character is almost completely one-dimensional in this movie

Things that I disliked:
everything else

My advice would be to save your time and just skip this movie. Hopefully number four is a return to form.