The Spider-Man films are the zenith of comic book filmdom, and, save for a bit of middle filmitis, and too many villains (but the screenwriters almost reconcile this flaw anyway), this film comes damned close to being the best of the three. Its comic book sensibility (not striving to be ‘too’ real), its writing, acting, and even special effects, add up to an enjoyable experience.
Is it Antonioni, Bergman, Kurosawa? No. But, as a comic book film, it doesn’t have to be (and, likely, it simply constitutionally could not be, for it is based on an art form for juveniles). Still, it’s significantly better than its critics claimed, and this is likely because there is a tendency to subconsciously anticipate failure in such a successful series. The difference between bad critics and great ones is that they don’t just anticipate failure, they long for it. I put my expectations aside, let the film play out, and was rewarded. What a concept!
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