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 Reel Life with Jane!Get the latest scoop on family-friendly movies at the theatre and on DVD! SPIDER-MAN 3
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for sequences of intense action violence. Should you bring the kids? Yes, but the intense action make it best for kids 10 and older. For more info, see "Bringing the Kids" below. THE STORY: Remember that Star Trek episode where Good Kirk battles Evil Kirk? Yeah, that's sort of what we've got going on here. Spider-Man meets his evil alter ego. As the movie begins, things are good in New York City, where Spider-Man (Tobey Maguire) is earning kudos for clearing the city of thugs and criminals. His human side, Peter Parker -- dorky as ever -- is still studying science in college, and he has a great relationship with Mary Jane, a.k.a. M.J. (Kirsten Dunst), who's enjoying her own success as a musical theater star.
Meanwhile, Flint Marko (Thomas Haden Church) – the guy responsible for killing Peter's Uncle Ben (Cliff Robertson) – escapes from prison. He's got his own special powers as a shape-shifter named Sandman – the result of a molecular science experiment gone horribly wrong. Awesome special effects here. You can't take your eyes off Sandman as he morphs into a menacing monster or blows through Manhattan as a blinding sandstorm. Complicating things is Harry Osborn (James Franco), who still blames Spider-Man for the death of his father. Harry creates a new Goblin suit and sets out for revenge.
All of this is pulling Spider-Man away from his beloved M.J. (you didn't think that would go smoothly, did you?) just as Peter's classmate, Gwen Stacy (Bryce Dallas Howard) throws a platinum-blonde wrench into their romantic bliss. A tangled web indeed. My only complaint: the movie is a bit long at 140 minutes. I think they could have trimmed at least 20 minutes here and there. Also, if you're prone to vertigo, you'll have to close your eyes through most of the action scenes. BRINGING THE KIDS: PRESCHOOLERS (ages 2-5): This movie is way too grownup for preschoolers. A better bet is "Miss Spider's Sunny Patch Friends," an animated program based on the children's books by David Kirk. Each episode follows the everyday adventures of the gentle, kind-hearted Miss Spider and her diverse family and friends, giving young viewers a bug's-eye-view of a whimsical, woodsy wonderland. The underlying lesson: getting along with others. Currently showing on Noggin, the series is also available on DVD. GRADE-SCHOOLERS (ages 6 - 10): When they rated this movie PG-13 for sequences of intense action violence, they weren't kidding. It has a ton of action, peril and violence, including one vertigo-inducing scene where an out-of-control construction crane demolishes part of a skyscraper, sending a character spiraling towards the pavement. Characters are stabbed, shot, thrown through glass, and pushed into moving subway trains. It may be too much for sensitive grade-schoolers. That said, kids 10 and older who aren't blown away by superheroes and villains battling it out on every possible scale should be ok with it. I say that because the movie has a comic-book feel to it – it's clearly make believe. Language is limited to a few minor expletives. Romance is mild, with only a few kisses between characters. TWEEN / TEEN (ages 11+): This move has something for everyone – romance, family (Peter's Aunt May is always the voice of reason), and an overall theme of good versus evil. The underlying message: revenge is destructive, forgiveness is healing. Also, this movie clearly shows that actions have consequences, and that we always have an opportunity to make the right choice. JANE’S REEL RATING SYSTEM : One Reel: Pathetic. Even The Force can’t save it. Two Reels: Tolerable. Coulda been a contender. Three Reels: Pleasant. Something to talk about. Four Reels: Wow! The stuff dreams are made of. Jane Louise Boursaw is a freelance journalist specializing in the movie and television industries. Visit her online at www.ReelLifeWithJane.com or email jboursaw@charter.net
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by Jane Louise Boursaw
As you might imagine, all this pleasantness doesn't last long. A bad review gets M.J. fired from her dream job. And as she and Peter relax in their spider-web overlooking the city, a meteor crashes nearby, emitting a gooey black ooze with a mind of its own.
As if Spider-Man doesn't have enough problems, he also has to deal with Eddie Brock (Topher Grace), a photographer who's out to get the one shot of Spider-Man that'll earn him a full-time job from Daily Bugle editor J. Jonah Jameson (J.K. Simmons). But Eddie isn't just any old photographer – he's got powers of his own as he morphs into supervillain Venom, a fanged beast with powers similar to Spidey.
Three years have passed since the last Spider-Man movie, but it's been worth the wait. Directed by Sam Raimi (who also directed the first two movies), this flick has everything – interesting storyline, lots of action, familiar characters tormented by their own issues, and state-of-the-art special effects that'll have you wondering how the heck they did that.