==The Dark Side is Mooning ==. Review on Spiderman 3 Movie

== Introduction ==

More than anything, the audience loves to watch superheroes in action. Fantasy is very appealing. Real life follows us everywhere from morning till night. Because of the ubiquitous nature of “real life issues”, movies that discuss them far too deeply attract a very select audience. Superheroes have the knack of attractive both those who dwell purely in reality and those who want to escape. The reason for the latter’s attraction is obvious—superheroes are so vicariously fictional. The realists love superheroes because of the subtle ways in which real-life emotional issues can be woven into the fantasy world. It’s simply magic. Alas, of course, it needs a good wizard or a witch.

== Plot, Execution and Character Portrayal ==

There is a not-so-well-known book titled “Lord of the Flies” written by a not-so-well-known author, William Golding. In that book, Golding argues that every person has a sinister side, which is the dominant side. In Spiderman III, we are finally brought face to face with the sinister side of the friendly neighborhood Spiderman. There is a contrast in front of our eyes—in the initial part, Spiderman is shown to enjoy unprecedented popular support from the people of New York, meaning that he is the ultimate example of chivalry and courage. The typical superhero-next-door! But as the movie progresses, we are introduced to Spiderman’s angry side. He’s a man with awesome strength but his personal life is in shambles. The collision of superhero Spiderman and normal nerdy geek bugger troubled Peter Parker is the essence of this section of the movie.

In typical we-love-Spiderman fashion, the trigger to this transformation from goody-goody to sly fox is a foreign body, a symbiot that has arrived from outer space. (Thank God it’s not from earth!) And yes, the audience can relax. Peter Parker overcomes this symbiot and redeems himself. The good guy always wins, right?

Marvel Comics has a signature. No character in the story is completely good or completely bad. This is the part where real life weaves into fantasy world. The world is neither black nor white… Get it? So we have Flint Marko, the convict who is the true murderer of Peter Parker’s uncle but who murders him only in panic and not on purpose. He is de-molecularised into a curious Sandman, who uses his powdery powers to rob money. But of course, the money is meant for his daughter. And then you have Venom. Yeah, there has to be at least one bad guy, otherwise the good guy will have nothing to do!

The effort was noticeable but the execution of all these characters was patchy. There was something screamingly wimpy about the manner in which everything was shown. Three stars out of five!

== Cast Performance, Cinematography and Visual Effects ==

To say the least, most of the cast was average. There is a vast scope for improvement. Maguire for one could liven up a bit, become more believable as a man strained with the tussle of the two sides of his personality. The transitions are sudden. Harry (Peter’s best friend turned worst foe) jumps from amnesic and friendly to gritty and loathing too fast, too suddenly. Mary-Jane’s emotional struggle is albeit monotonous. Flint Marko seemed quite unnecessary, except for one rather impressive action sequence in the sewer with Spiderman.

When you have superheroes and super villains flying from one skyscraper to the other, colliding into and shattering concrete slabs, hanging at weird angles from weird places and then slamming punches into each other’s sinewy faces, the camerawork is of crucial importance. The speed has to be highlighted but not overemphasized. There were times when the camerawork was jerky, even improper, particularly in the action sequence when Spiderman rescues his lab partner from school, Gwen. (Remember her as the blind girl in Syamalan’s The Village who crosses he cursed woods?)

Special effects—Sandman, Venom, the symbiot and general special effects—were just about acceptable. Movies like Spiderman set a standard and when they are up to that standard, without any specific improvements, it doesn’t matter how high those standards are. It still seems only ok-ok. (Jeez, I speak like moribunds).

== The Verdict ==

Spiderman III has the potential to be the perfect superhero movie with “real life” and “fantasy world” weaving very homogenously together. But it falls visibly short of achieving that perfection. The only solace we can seek is in the age-old saying—nobody is perfect. Fair enough—that can be Spiderman’s discounting factor. But if you want me to be the usual outspoken critic—the dark side is mooning and it’s downright yuck.