Saturday

Your correspondent arrived rather inebriated at the cinema for Spider-Man 3, so what, and how much, I remember may be subject to debate, and not very useful for critical appreciation. However, I shall try to offer a few remarks. I have to admit it was enjoyable. I think, though, that it lacked focus. The ostensible plot is predictable: they break-up, then get back together. What has been an interesting factor in Spider-Man is continued: the bad guys aren't really 'bad', they're lost and angry individuals who in the end see what is right. This time, of course, Spider-Man almost becomes one of these bad guys, but not quite. I have a great problem with the nature of the black goo that overcomes him. In every other element of the films, things are man-made. Although unbelievable, they are still the result of men's actions. The black goo is extraterrestrial, and although attracted to vengeance in people, still has independent action. I think the purity of the metaphor of Spider-Man (that we are responsible for our actions, and always have a choice) is lost here. Anyway, that, once again, is the motto of this film. It is good, but I wish they'd done a more interesting variation on it: we haven't arrived at a new place by the end, just gone round in a circle. Spider-Man going loopy was funny for a bit, but did begin to drag. So I thought this was a good film, but certainly not capable of standing on its own - I found myself reminiscing about the original movie, and how great that was.