HOW LONG CAN ANY MAN FIGHT THE DARKNESS… BEFORE HE FINDS IT IN HIMSELF?

Life is sweet for Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire), but there’s clouds on the horizon in the shape of heartbreak, a strange force from outer space, and new villains.

Spidey has a lot on his plate in this film and it tends to be too much for director Sam Raimi and his collaborators; the movie is overlong and it’s hard to see all the storylines to a satisfactory conclusion when there’s so many of them. Also, the visual effects vary in quality.

Still, this third chapter has heart, the filmmakers haven’t lost their sense of humor and the cast is engaging.

2007-U.S. 139 min. Color. Widescreen. Directed by Sam Raimi. Screenplay: Sam Raimi, Ivan Raimi, Alvin Sargent. Cast: Tobey Maguire (Peter Parker/Spider-Man), Kirsten Dunst (Mary Jane Watson), James Franco (Harry Osborn), Thomas Haden Church, Topher Grace, Bryce Dallas Howard, J.K. Simmons, James Cromwell, Theresa Russell, Dylan Baker, Elizabeth Banks, Willem Dafoe, Cliff Robertson… Bruce Campbell, Octavia Spencer. Cameo: Stan Lee. 

Trivia: At one point, Ben Kingsley was considered for the part of Vulture; Scarlett Johansson was reportedly considered for Howard’s part.