Spiderman 3

Spiderman 3 (2007) opens with an underlying story being the romance between Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) and Mary Jane Watson (Kirsten Dunst), with Parker pitted against best friend Harry Osborn (James Franco), who is in love with M.J., and harbors a grudge against Parker thinking he (as Spider-Man) killed his father (at the end of the first film). We are reintroduced to Eddie Brock, who vyes for Parker's photography spot with The Daily Bugle.

Reconcilliation and redemption are themes of the film as it goes forward, for a number of characters including Parker.

I was pleasantly surprised by Spiderman 3 - it surpassed my expectations by a wide margin. Expectations were low based on the opinion of the friend I saw the first Maguire Spiderman film with a number of years back, as he had been unimpressed.

One of the plot twists involves throwing of doubt into the relationship between Parker and M. J., partially fueled by Harry, but also by Parker's transformation into a more selfish character after discovering a strange substance. He goes from being ready to propose to being completely dejected, finally figuring out what is sinking him, and shedding that substance in a holy place. It is this place where the substance transfers to Brock (This time played by Topher Grace, who got his start as Eric Forman in That '70's Show), and we see the emergence of Venom.

The things that make this film are the plot twists involving Parker's best friend Harry Osborn, and the role played by Thomas Haden Church (better remembered as Lowell from Wings), that of the Sandman/Flint Marko. Marko finds himself an involuntary criminal in the shooting of Parker's uncle, struggling with the crime he did time for, and breaks out of prison. The Parker/M.J. interactions come full circle, but in the end they leave some plot development available for a fourth film.

One disappointment - It seemed like Topher Grace was wasted in the way Eddie Brock was portrayed. Considering he left That '70s Show for that role, I don't think he got the bump in his acting career he was expecting, and he gave up a great situation to take the chance. It didn't pay off, considering the way That '70s Show went downhill after he left, and how he wanted back in after he had agreed to leave the show.  But I guess that's the benefit of hindsight, eh?

A last small highlight - Bruce Campbell's cameo as the Maître d’ at the 52 minute mark. Fitting for a Sam Raimi film.