Movie Review: Spider-Man 3

In the final chapter of Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy, we find Peter Parker finally reaching a fulfilling equilibrium between his normal life and his crime-fighting one, as he readies a proposal to childhood sweetheart Mary Jane. But such serenity is not meant to last, and our masked hero is attacked by foes both old and new. Parker's best friend Harry has again risen to avenge his father, a man made of sand terrorizes New York, and a gooey symbiotic life-form threatens to destroy Spider-Man entirely. With plenty of fantastical action, a heart-wrenching storyline complete with love and revenge, the funniest Bruce Campbell cameo ever, and a special effects-laden final showdown the magnitude of which hasn't been witnessed before, Spider-Man 3 may be the best installment yet.

Spider-Man 3 is undeniably an entertaining film. But Sam Raimi, perhaps pressured by the huge fan base or studio executives, has tried to cram too much into the third chapter of this hugely popular franchise. One of Spider-Man's best designed and admired comic book villains, Venom, makes his big screen debut, but it feels awfully small. Focusing mainly on New Goblin and the Sandman, Venom is left to relish in only the last half of the film. His design is greatly lacking from the enormously muscular and grotesque look of the comics. His large teeth-laden mouth and flicking snake-like tongue are drastically toned down and instead he is equipped with a high-pitched shriek. While Topher Grace's acting is adequate, his scrawny stature just doesn't seem to fit with how Venom has been drawn for so many years. The character development for this character is greatly stunted, and by the time Eddie Brock becomes Venom we don't really hate him and his motives against Spidey seem somewhat trivial.