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Spiderman 3

I’ve found that a lot of people don’t like Spiderman 3. I’m not sure why this is… I’ve now seen it twice (Opening midnight showing, and Sunday) and haven’t really stopped thinking how amazing this movie is. First off, as a cinematic piece its brilliant. It’s the third in the Spiderman series staring Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, James Franco, and guest staring Bryce Dallas Howard. Being a sequel people usually automatically assume it will be negligent in plot. Not so. The cinematography is absolutely perfect as well as the soundtrack. The character arches and foils of the different characters really are great.

Peter Parker has finally overcome his adolescent, googly-eyed years and matured into a successful college student, yet still has a lot of growing up left. Yes, he still lives in the apartment in need of a new door with the hilarious Russian landlord and his daughter, whom both take a much more active role in this film. But his relationship with his beloved Mary Jane Watson (played by Kirsten Dunst) has deepened so much since the last movie that Peter calls her his “girlfriend” within the first few minutes of the movie. His love for Mary Jane is a very complex ordeal, since Harry Osborn (The son of the Green Goblin from the first film) also loves her and hates Peter.

After Mary Jane’s first musical performance, Spiderman and Goblin Jr. get into their first spectacular aerial battle that lands Harry in the hospital with acute memory loss. Yup, he forgets his hate for Spiderman and his love for Mary Jane. Pete is thinking “Score!.”

Very soon we find that Peter is so blinded by New York’s love of his secret identity that his ego gets in the way of his personal life. MJ is let go from the play she was just cast in and Pete is on the front page of a newspaper giving the inverted web kiss to the daughter of the Police Chief, who gave Spiderman the key to the city for all his help. As well as saving her life. This not only is the apex of stupidity for Peter Parker, but a key element in the plot for the rest of the movie. Mary Jane rightly feels betrayed and pushed away by Peter’s actions. She in turn runs to Harry for support. However to brighten the mood of the movie, almost every key section in the film has very explicit Biblical morals and lessons. The pride issue of Peter and his neglect for his friends and relationships is made very clear and he pays dearly for it.

During the first quarter of the film where Peter and Mary Jane express their love to each other while stargazing on one of Spidy’s giant webs, (I mean, come on… I would date Peter Parker just to get to do that…) unbeknownst to them, a meteor crash lands near them. In this bit of space debris, a strange black goo called a “symbiote” emerges and chases down Peter and MJ. Where this thing came from, why it went after Spiderman, and why on earth it came from space we never find out in the film, which is by far the most frustrating element of the movie. But what we do know is that the black parasite is the source that gives Spiderman his enhanced abilities and emotion when he’s wearing the famed “black suit.” The symbiote infused suit amplifies Peter’s pride and selfish behavior to the point that he physically hurts MJ. Peter had set out on a mission to propose to the girl he loved, but instead drives her away because he is confused about his popularity with the people of New York. Harry, after regaining his memory and hate for Spiderman, makes Mary Jane tell Peter that she doesn’t love him anymore. This is the tipping point for Peters “emo” escapade where he pulls his hair in front of his face, dons’ eyeliner and pelvic thrusts as he’s walking down the street. In my opinion, we could have completely done without “Emo Pete” and the Jazz lounge scene where he back-hands her to the floor.

Starting here, we begin to see some of the symbolism that director Sam Raimi made so evident. The symbiote is obviously the inherent evil that all men possess and are easily taken over by. We find this even truer, when Peter’s rival photographer for the Daily Bugle is taken over by the goo and becomes Venom, one of three villains in the movie (Spiderman 3? Oh, so that’s what it means…). Venom wants to kill Peter because of pent up work-related rage. Funny thing, though. Peter goes to a Catholic church to get rid of the pride and hate in his heart and to get rid of his black suit. The rival photographer meets him in the same church, after he just prayed that God would kill Peter Parker. Romans 12:21 says “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” which Pete finally figures out but Eddie Brock the photographer says “I like being bad. It makes me happy.”

Besides Harry, who at first is “bad” because he wants revenge for his father but ends up teaming up with Spidy, the other main villain is The Sandman. Supposedly he is the true killer of Ben Parker, Pete’s uncle from the first film. Think: an Arizona sandstorm that can change into any shape and beat up people. When in fact, the man who becomes The Sandman is just a father who is wrongly accused of murder trying to help his dying daughter. Yes, the clichéd misunderstood individual who made the wrong choice of becoming a thief to help his little girl. I find that three villains may have been a little much for the movie to handle. The fact that the name “Venom” is never even so much as mentioned anywhere in the movie may be evidence of that. As well as how the villains come about is almost laughable. Except, after Pete battles the Sandman for the first time, he parks himself up on a building and empties sand out of his shoe and mask, saying “Where do all these guys come from?” But then again, this is a movie about a comic book!

Another quick note about the love story going on in the movie. Peter goes to his Aunt telling her that he’s going to propose to Mary Jane and she gives him her wedding ring that Uncle Ben gave her. She tells him the story of them meeting when they were very young and how the waited to get married because “A husband must put his wife before himself” and he wasn’t ready for that. This alone shows a power message: That Love should not be a hasty thing. As Christians, love is a serious and beautiful thing that is not to be taken lightly. Ephesians 5 is perfect evidence for this. Peter discovers that he isn’t ready, even if just a tad too late but comes out on far more mature level in the end.

Nearing the end of the story, where Mary Jane is once again held hostage in order for the villains to kill Spiderman a la first film, the most moving portrayal of Gods Grace is shown. Harry forgives Peter for killing his father (Which he actually didn’t) and then gives his life to save his best friend. Yes, I cried as MJ and Pete are holding the dying Harry. Just before Harry dies, The Sandman explains to Peter exactly what happened to his uncle and Pete forgives him! At the same time, he acknowledges that the methodology that he used to get money for his daughter was wrong. Boom, boom, we have two very sound Biblical truths. Christ tells us to forgive no matter what and the characters discover this.

All in all, I absolutely loved this movie. Yes the year is young, but seriously the best movie so far. As more people take notice of all the truth in this movie, I’m sure it will take its place in Christian critics’ top-ten lists. By combining humor, dark serious situations, action and Biblical truth, this is certainly a winner.