Spidey 3 - Entangled

Warning: Detailed plot outlines ahead. Limited spoilers. For a brief, one-para review, skip to the last paragraph.

I was sooo excited to catch this movie, the third in the trilogy the day of its release and all.. and that too in Ames, Iowa... So, me n my newfound roommates went to Movies 12, the only complex in the 5-mile radius town that shows the latest flicks and bought tickets instantly for the 10:25 PM show.

As the plot unravelled, it was clear that ofcourse the movie had taken a few twists and turns of its own and wasnt going to be nearly as faithful as its comic... And fromt he trailers (if not the comics), one would know that Harry Orborn was going to be Spidey's next nemesis. The first fight between the Harry Monster (the new Goblin?) and Spidey was downright unbelievable.. and not in a good way. (Okay, if you are one of those people who wants to tell me... listen babe, you are watching a superhero flick and you are talking believable, you n I shd have a chat.. there are limits to even superhero fights!) And while the Goblin's moves and stunts were phenomenal, Spidey shoots sad-looking 'web-bullets' at Harry... And through a twist of events through steel, concrete and glass of the Manhattan skyline, Harry ends up in a pile next to a dumpster, waking up with.. well, you guessed it, a memory loss.

In this phase, is the introduction of the Sandman and his creation ofcourse... A criminal, the guy who murdered Ben Parker, nevertheless is being chased down by the police and in his run finds himself trapped in a particle physics testing facility. The 3 huge probe kinda things are supposedly whipping the silicon (silica?) in the sand beneath them and because of their sheer intensity and power, end up whipping the man in between them also! The scene's been graphically done quite tastefully.. And then rises the Sandman.. this weird superpower that can become sand as he likes and take his original human form as he likes. His one leading goal is to aid his ailing daughter for which he is ready to literally 'blow the city apart'. And so is formed Spidey's second nemesis for the movie.

While all this is happening, how could we forget MJ, Spidey's forever love interest.. She is in a Broadway musical and isnt doing so well... She's fired. While she wants to talk to Peter, her boyfriend about it, he's too busy glowing in the pride of Spidey's acceptance by the whole of New York... Here's where Gwen Stacy is introduced as the daughter of the police chief and Peter's labmate (Comic-wise, Gwen was actually Peter's college girlfriend who's tragically killed by the Green Goblin). While saving her and revelling in glory, Spidey kisses her upside down very much the same way he kissed MJ for the first time. This doesn't go unnoticed and MJ seeks Harry out for solace... Ofcourse Harry in his attempt to look innocent and 'I-don't-remember-anything-that-happened' ends up looking a wee bit retarded. Meanwhile, there's this black goo that makes its way to Spidey's house... And while he's in bed climbs all over him and makes this pretty cool-looking black Spidey outfit... (I know you already think there's a lot happening.. but read on to find out more!)

And with the outfit comes a reckless power, a power in which Spidey loses all compassion, all goodness and becomes downright selfish n evil. And the Peter that goes with this Spidey is not this well-groomed kid we've gotten used to seeing. Instead, he is this supposedly cool-looking dude with his hair flicked all the way across his forehead and some kajal (I swear!) and funky dance moves while walking etc. Harry gains his memory back, threatens MJ to break up with Peter.. and then fights him. Reckless as Spidey is now, he doesn't care no more...

Between allllll this drama, another nemesis remains to be introduced. A young photographer vying for Peter's job at the Daily Bugle to take Spidey pics, also being Gwen's boyfriend. Reckless Peter not just steals his girlfriend, but also his job.. And the guy wants revenge...
And how does he get it? When Reckless Peter forces himself to desparatelyrid his black suit, the goo sticks on to this guy making this toothy black villain. The rest of the story ofcourse is about how Spidey has to survive three formidable nemeses as they let dangle his most precious possession.. MJ ofcourse... I am not giving away the most important part of the plot here.. Go see it!

The movie was a little over 2 hours... but felt much longer... It was packed with stuff.. Three opponents to one Spidey, a whole new angle to his love interest on MJ, avenging his uncle's killer (who wasnt the guy who died in Spidey I), balancing his responsibilities and his fame and I could go on forever. The stunts were as usual out of the world (though I didnt think much of the first fight between the new Goblin and Spidey). The final sequence of stunts that ends the movie is worth a watch. All in all, I think Spidey III had definitely bitten more than it could swallow...