Spider-Man 3

Third outings can be a complicated concoction with popular franchises, and Spidey 3 is no different. Crackling with breakneck energy and rousing humor, this entry strives to up the entertainment ante, even if it tends to jump through some hoops to try and get there. First and foremost, this big basket of characters must not have been easy to juggle. This is one bulky storyline that Sam and his brother Ivan Raimi have cooked up, so do they pull it off perfectly? Not really. But is it a fun ride the whole way down? Abso-Spidey-lutely! In a way, it's tragic, since these two (with the help of co-scripter Alvin Sargent) obviously had a lot to live up to. The second film easily earned every bit of its adoring following; it's got heart, soul, and demands respect in so many areas that any follow-up was bound to be somewhat of a letdown. And as far as piecing together the puzzle they cut up for themselves, it's evident that things don't flow quite as organically as the filmmakers would have liked. A good number of convenient plot twists are thrown in the audience's direction for them to either scarf up or heavily frown upon. Side characters are built up, then left in the background, while others suffer the fate of just being pawns in the flick's cinematic playing field. Indeed, if looked at with a critical eye, this sucker has some major blemishes in its structure, possibly lessening viewers' feelings about the overall package. Thankfully for those who can roll with its wild punches, Spider-Man 3 serves as a wonderful popcorn flick that manages to keep enough of the integrity of the series, while still brewing up a new crazy adventure for everyone's favorite wall crawler.