Dark Side of the Web?

Most of the appeal of the comic book Spidey of the 60's was the continuing story of the troubled teen getting the short end of the stick after trying to save the world. The Fantastic Four basked in the limelight, the X-Men relished their unique bonding, the Hulk was all about payback being a biyach. Spider-Man, however, could never seem to get it right, and that's what put Spider-Man 2 so over. With Spider-Man 3, we get to see the dog (or the spider) having his day, and the resolution of this flick helps it surpass its prequels.

The team effort is what makes this a winner. Sam Raimi took a big chance in exploring the dark side of the Spidey saga by introducing the space slime that affixes itself to Spidey after a fall from space, morphing the web-slinger into a 'man in black' giving in to his deeper excesses. Although Tobey Maguire doesn't stray far from his lovable character, the more mischievous version gives us lots of high spots. Alternately, the critics hammered Kirsten Dunst (Mary Jane Watson) for her deficits as a singing star, but, hey, fools, that's what the storyline was about. She steps up to the plate in realizing her role and playing it to the hilt, making us and Peter love her all the more in the grand finale.

Bringing Spidey over to the dark side (shades of Star Wars III) opens up a new angle as we find that it was Flint Marko (The Sandman, Spider-Man #4) who actually snuffed his beloved Uncle Ben, to the consternation of his grieving widow May (Rosemary Harris). Spidey pursues Marko with a vengeance, and the Sandman proves no match for a vengeful Spider-Man. However, the black slime manages to transfer over to discredited photographer (and Peter Parker rival) Eddie Brock (Topher Grace), who becomes...Venom (well, why not?). This villain appears as a black vision of the cleansed Spidey, and together with the Sandman, they appear to be too much for Spidey to handle. Re-enter Harry Osborn (James Franco), the reborn Green Goblin, who thankfully brings closure to his rivalry with Peter, and we wind things up with a battle royale that (we hope) brings Peter and MJ together forever at last.

The theme of reconciliation is resonant throughout the flick, as it has been throughout the series. Most of it centers around Peter, who, despite his cherubic qualities, always finds a way to cut Aunt May to the quick. He also ends up in hot water with MJ as well despite his best efforts, and this is where he finds his universal appeal. We may fight like the devil to do our best at work and at play, but sometimes things just don't work out as well with the ones we love. Peter's heart is always on his sleeve, and when that black Spidey suit covers it over, we rejoice in the payback but are ever more satisfied when it's pulled away and our do-gooder is returned to us.

You can be sure that big budget went towards the F/X we expect when you hear 'Spider-Man sequel'. He swoops through the New York skyline with the greatest of ease, and his near-death brushes with every careening vehicle imaginable guarantees to keep you on the edge of your seat. His chase scenes with the Goblin are the best of the old, and the morph jobs by the Sandman are the best of the new. There's nothing missing in this sequel, and you'll probably agree this is the icing on the cake.