What made this movie a let down for the majority of the fans?

[gambitfire]

Those were horrible scenes and could've been done so much better. The Harry/Butler scene was so obviously a rushed an quick way of turning Harry from bad guy to good guy. The change could've been done throughout the course of the film. That scene just made the butler look like an ass for not telling Harry earlier on. The media scene was way too unnecessary. In the previous films, Spidey shows up on the scene of battles without the need of watching the news. It was a poorly written and acted scene that wasn't needed and only served to cheapen the final battle.

As far as the viewer is concerned the butler didn't know what was going on till just that moment. At which point he felt he needed to tell Harry the truth. I'm sure after Osbourn died, he didn't want to tell his son Hey your Dad was a monster who caused his own undoing. I'm sure if he had known sooner that Harry was trying to kill Pete because of this he would of told him.

I thought Spidey did find out MJ was gone because of the news? or was the police scanner?

Could someone else refresh my memory?

 

[YJ1]

But he's not supposed to be nerd unleashed, he's supposed to be angry and on edge. Like someone on steroids..the symbiote releases inner aggression and amplifies it....not inner soul.

Says who? Again, people seem to fall to their own preconceptions. Movie Universe isn't the Comic Universe nor should it be.

 

[The Last Meatbag]

When its an adaptation of the comic legend...it should be..

 

[Tempest19]

Lol. In the comics, the symbiote's first appearance it didn't take an effect on Peter. It just made him more reckless- think a drunk superhero fighting bad guys in a sense... It was the CARTOON that introduced this concept of Peter becoming an arrogant prick. The film in a way is a combination of both of these approaches to the symbiote- the Sandman fight in a way could be similar to the fight with the Jack O' Lantern.

 

[El Payaso]

As far as the viewer is concerned the butler didn't know what was going on till just that moment. At which point he felt he needed to tell Harry the truth.

Bernard didn't know Harry has been obssessed with his father's death for 2 years and blaming Spiderman while drinking whisky by nights as he saw in Spiderman 2?

He didn't need to know any more than that to say something. Not to mention when Harry had amnesia or was deformed. And the butler knew Harry was blaming an innocent man, call him Peter or Spiderman, so there's no more reasons to tell the truth when he did than 2 years earlier, or say, 1 year earlier or 6 months earlier.

So which was the ideal point to talk to him?

 

[Sun_Down]

I honestly don't mean to be insulting but I truly believe that people who didn't enjoy the movie simply aren't smart enough. It's definitely NOT better to check your brain at the door with SM3. Just the opposite applies. Sure, it can be that kind of movie if that's all you want it to be. The action can stand on its own and be a pure popcorn flick. The beauty of Raimi's work is that it's so much more then that. I think it's brilliant because it doesn't talk down to the viewer or blatantly hold the viewers hand as if we're not smart enough to figure out certain elements (fantastical or otherwise). Being smart enough to pick up certain nuances of the film leads to better appreciation and certainly more enjoyment. SM3 develops characters and simply explodes when it needs to, all the while keeping a gripping and remarkable pace to the film.

The thing that let down SOME of the fans was their own mind and the expectations in it. Nitpicking the flaws that appear only in their minds has led to disappointment. In the real world, Spider-Man 3 is an outstanding film.

I had no expectations going into the movie, so you can't just tell me that I just built it up too much. I can see that the movie was full of flaws and those flaws outweighed the positives. I'm not nitpicking anything, the crappy parts of this movie reached out and smacked me across the face.

 

[Eddie Brock]

I would hardly call it a "majority."

According to the review thread, 77.91% of us voted that it was a 7 or higher out of 10.

 

[Johnichi Chiba]

I would hardly call it a "majority."

According to the review thread, 77.91% of us voted that it was a 7 or higher out of 10.

Yes, but the majority of the users on these forums don't represent the general public.

 

[The Joker]

As far as the viewer is concerned the butler didn't know what was going on till just that moment.

That's not true at all.

"I'm leaving for the night, sir. Your father only obsessed over his work" - Bernard in SM-2, as Harry sits at his desk gulping down whiskey and slamming his fist in anger on dozens of newspaper articles about Spider-Man.

"If I may, sir. I've seen things in this house which I've never spoken of" - Bernard in SM-3. By implication, he's saying that he's seen everything that's been going on since this all started, and has kept his mouth shut out of love and respect for Harry and his late father.

The butler plot was one of the weakest plots not only in this movie, but in the entire trilogy. Bernard claims that he loves Harry, yet he stood back and let him sink into booze, depression, and murderous obsession. Allowed Harry to consort with a super villain like Doc Ock. Take the Goblin formula etc.

Only after Harry nearly gets his face blown off does he decide to tell him the truth.

Nope, didn't buy it for one single, solitary second. A lame cop out and cheap plot device if ever there was one. Just a quick fix to get Harry to the final battle. Nothing more.

 

[Tempest19]

Oh and I'm assuming you took a poll of some sort that tells you that the majority of the general public didn't like it? Lol.

I went THREE times so far, sold out IMAX. Never heard one complaint. Most loved it and some even said it was the best of the three.

 

[DyeLorean]

I would hardly call it a "majority."

According to the review thread, 77.91% of us voted that it was a 7 or higher out of 10.

Again and again:

The movie being a let down doesn't mean people didn't like it. I scored the movie with 7/8.

D!

 

[Johnichi Chiba]

As far as the viewer is concerned the butler didn't know what was going on till just that moment. At which point he felt he needed to tell Harry the truth. I'm sure after Osbourn died, he didn't want to tell his son Hey your Dad was a monster who caused his own undoing. I'm sure if he had known sooner that Harry was trying to kill Pete because of this he would of told him.

I thought Spidey did find out MJ was gone because of the news? or was the police scanner?

Could someone else refresh my memory?

With all the stuff going on in the house though, you'd think the butler would want to know what's going on.

 

[Johnichi Chiba]

Oh and I'm assuming you took a poll of some sort that tells you that the majority of the general public didn't like it? Lol.

I went THREE times so far, sold out IMAX. Never heard one complaint. Most loved it and some even said it was the best of the three.

No, I'm not saying the general public doesn't like the movie. I'm saying don't base the general public's opinion of the movie on the results of a poll in a forum full of comic book geeks and fanboys.

 

[Eddie Brock]

Yes, but the majority of the users on these forums don't represent the general public.

The general public, in many ways, like the movie MORE! They just sat back and enjoyed it...not worrying themselves with the differences from the comics.

 

[WorthyStevens]

It shouldn't matter what the general public thinks. Alot of times, the public loves good movies, and other times they love sucky movies.

 

[Johnichi Chiba]

The general public, in many ways, like the movie MORE! They just sat back and enjoyed it...not worrying themselves with the differences from the comics.

Yeah they probably did. I was just pointing out that that poll is not a very accurate representation of what the general public thinks.

 

[Mr. Socko]

That's not true at all.

"I'm leaving for the night, sir. Your father only obsessed over his work" - Bernard in SM-2, as Harry sits at his desk gulping down whiskey and slamming his fist in anger on dozens of newspaper articles about Spider-Man.

"If I may, sir. I've seen things in this house which I've never spoken of" - Bernard in SM-3. By implication, he's saying that he's seen everything that's been going on since this all started, and has kept his mouth shut out of love and respect for Harry and his late father.

The butler plot was one of the weakest plots not only in this movie, but in the entire trilogy. Bernard claims that he loves Harry, yet he stood back and let him sink into booze, depression, and murderous obsession. Allowed Harry to consort with a super villain like Doc Ock. Take the Goblin formula etc.

Only after Harry nearly gets his face blown off does he decide to tell him the truth.

Nope, didn't buy it for one single, solitary second. A lame cop out and cheap plot device if ever there was one. Just a quick fix to get Harry to the final battle. Nothing more.

This is exactly how I feel.

 

[DyeLorean]

"I'm leaving for the night, sir. Your father was only obsessed over his work"

I always thought this line, and how Bernard says it, doesn't say that he loved Harry. Something else instead. The whole butler plot is a mess.

D!

 

[christpunchers]

I honestly don't mean to be insulting but I truly believe that people who didn't enjoy the movie simply aren't smart enough. It's definitely NOT better to check your brain at the door with SM3. Just the opposite applies. Sure, it can be that kind of movie if that's all you want it to be. The action can stand on its own and be a pure popcorn flick. The beauty of Raimi's work is that it's so much more then that. I think it's brilliant because it doesn't talk down to the viewer or blatantly hold the viewers hand as if we're not smart enough to figure out certain elements (fantastical or otherwise). Being smart enough to pick up certain nuances of the film leads to better appreciation and certainly more enjoyment. SM3 develops characters and simply explodes when it needs to, all the while keeping a gripping and remarkable pace to the film.

The thing that let down SOME of the fans was their own mind and the expectations in it. Nitpicking the flaws that appear only in their minds has led to disappointment. In the real world, Spider-Man 3 is an outstanding film.

lol i hope you're joking.

i usually dont go by RT's ratings but its really low for such a supposedly mega-flick.

i just rewatched both sm1 and sm2 yesterday.... theyre simply 10x more well crafted, more thoughtful, and better executed than most of sm3. cant imagine how much time the script writers and sam spent making sure that each sequence and each scene was perfect for the first 2, its almost as if somewhere down the line in sm3 they had no choice (due to studio pressure of having "everything" and being closer and closer to some deadline) but to just shoot all the action scenes THEN go back and write a story to fit them together. Hell some of the action scenes were pretty disappointing, like the sandzilla creature, which was so lame the audience was laughing instead of feeling "menaced" like they were with doc ock.

and i know, its a popcorn flick. but so were the first 2. but they first 2 were treated in a different manner, they were very dramatic films with some great stories filled with some popcorn action and cheese, not the other way around.

 

[christpunchers]

and you CAN tell that a lot of "average" movie goers werent impressed with this movie. ive been to 3 viewings now, with 90+% seats all filled up, ranging from the older crowd to young adults, to teens, to parents with little tweens and kids.

I remember the audience's reaction to SM2, everyone after the movie ended was sitting in their seats with VERY satisfied smiles on their faces, everyone had a "positive vibe" to them, like coming out of a really happy dream. this has NOT happened at any of the sm3 viewings yet. I can hear comments from others "meh" and "thats it for me" and all sorts of disappointed moans and groans. For the first 20 minutes or so everyone was digging the movie at the right level then near the end everyone just couldnt stop but to check the time. They were laughing at the wrong scenes and when it was MEANT to be funny people were not laughing with it but groaning at the "funny" scenes.

Basically in the 3 times ive watched this movie in theaters, everyone just got up and left right away, no claps, no cheers, nothing. Nothing like the reaction people had for batman begins or spiderman 2.

 

[Spade]

I can't speak for the majority of the fanbase, but for me the film just meandered way too much off the beaten path with scenes that were either attempting humor or poignancy and achieved neither. In the former's case it was unintentional due to shoddy acting, and in the latter's case the attempt to channel deep thought with silent beat after silent beat made it feel like it was just trying to extend the running time of the film rather than to interest the audience. That's a nice approach for a Sundance film, but not for a movie that took 3 years and 258 million dollars to create (with limited success on the rendering, due to the overusage of computer-generated imagery in scenes such as the crane accident).

The film chose to pick a new foe that completely uninterested me- the Sandman- which was only redeemed by the fact that Church's performance outshone many of the others. Arad promised I wouldn't harken back to The Mummy, but in many sequences the Godzilla roar and sandstorms did exactly that. Old hat, if you would. Harry's subplot was intriguing before the aerial battle...and then the drama created from Norman dealing with the Goblin's persona was completely lost with this "New Goblin". Instead, I was accosted to seeing him 'do the Twist' and Franco's disturbing full-face smile. The film couldn't decide whether to focus on Harry or the Sandman, and both characters lost elements that could have fleshed them out.

I hate leaving Venom for last and risking me sounding like a fanboy, but...just answer me this: why would you market the Black Suit, make Venom the focal point of the final trailer, make the opening scroll symbiote-influenced, and then completely ignore all of the above? The film makes the haphazard decision of showing an arrogant Peter that completely offsets the changes the symbiote was supposed to bring about, and then made him into a miniature Hitler who came across as horny rather than the violent and cocky contrast the Animated Series of lore created. The symbiote didn't come across to me as living or as sentient until the bell tower sequence, too late in the film to establish it's menace. On top of this, it limits the screentime of what's supposed to be Peter's foil so much so that when Brock is praying in the cathedral one wonders where all of his desperation is emanating from. This damages any hope of Venom having an impact on Peter outside of the doppelganger function, not aided by what I've dubbed the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man dipped in cookie dough who successfully eats the final fight's believeability and intensity with his persona-negating presence.

And as for the females of the film? Betty Brant and Ursula seemed more imperative to follow than Mary Jane and Gwen. At least with Betty and Ursula we see new facets to their personalities and new applications of them. MJ follows the same old hat role that made SM2 a drag for me- she makes stupefying conclusions, and is not aided by Dunst's lukewarm performance. And Gwen? Well, she's just another Eddie Brock: a good idea that developed like a redwood tree growing in a shoebox...no room to breathe, and no reason to be there.

Overall, nothing really met my expectations. The permeating feel of this movie was that it was public knowledge this was meant to be a six-parter and that we would all grow nostalgic over this swansong when in fact it lost the appeal that made Raimi's other works such as Army of Darkness so memorable. I don't feel I should have to overanalyze select portions or react with less seriousness to the campy moments that contrast from the more-subdued humor of the last two. The film lacks the overall formula while making every subplot formulaic in predictability and droll twists and only succeeding in marginalizing my anticipation with every overextended sequence and morbid inclusion. The direction and writing was poor at best, with the action overplayed and underplayed seemingly at discretion.

And, as a sidenote- I go to a school in the thousands, and of my various overcrowed classes I can't find more than a handful of people who came back satisfied. Many people were hyped- there were even kids in my Computer Publishing class watching the trailer and commenting about how great it seemed to be- but after the massive turnout most cited boredom and sloppiness as a deterrent. I'm still not claiming my climate reflects "the majority"; I'm just putting it out there that while many people went by the dozen to see this movie it's a chore to find people who enjoyed it. The public awareness for this film was massive. That doesn't necessarily chalk up on the same par as 'people automatically enjoying what they saw'.

 

[SamuraiSon6]

its been said a million times, but its my turn, the only answer to this question is = hype. it is all about what you expect, people expected so much from this movie it sometimes becomes inevitable. perfect example = the star wars prequels are seen as crap to many purely for the fact that so many people have thought up so many awesome ways that the story has played out to get to 4,5, and 6 that there was no way Lucas could have pleased the masses Hype = a movies greatest strength, and yet, its greatest weakness...

 

[Spade]

its been said a million times, but its my turn, the only answer to this question is = hype. it is all about what you expect, people expected so much from this movie it sometimes becomes inevitable. perfect example = the star wars prequels are seen as crap to many purely for the fact that so many people have thought up so many awesome ways that the story has played out to get to 4,5, and 6 that there was no way Lucas could have pleased the masses Hype = a movies greatest strength, and yet, its greatest weakness...

This is what I don't get, though: everyone is saying the hype created unrealistic expectations, but is it unrealistic to wish for a film that's good? It's not like everyone was expecting the best film ever with 3 villains and the emo look going on, just a film like what SM2 was. SM2 didn't have a lot going on, but still appealed to a large audience by having a linear plot and working with what it had. It then went on to be successful.

Is it really so bad of us all to have expected the same in a sequel? Isn't the whole premise of sequels the improvement and progression of a storyline? Thus, why is it unrealistic to expect similar quality?

 

[christpunchers]

its not hype. even if i had no seen sm1 or sm2 and had no idea that sm3 was gonna be out the next day i still would not have enjoyed this movie. yes sometimes i nitpick but there are way too many big problems with this movie for it to be even considered 8 or 9/10 for me. Ive watched it multiple times and always 20 minutes into this , everything starts to fall apart.

 

[gambitfire]

Bernard didn't know Harry has been obssessed with his father's death for 2 years and blaming Spiderman while drinking whisky by nights as he saw in Spiderman 2?

Well He's said before he's seen things he hadn't spoken off. *looks up a couple of posts*.

He didn't need to know any more than that to say something. Not to mention when Harry had amnesia or was deformed. And the butler knew Harry was blaming an innocent man, call him Peter or Spiderman, so there's no more reasons to tell the truth when he did than 2 years earlier, or say, 1 year earlier or 6 months earlier.

So which was the ideal point to talk to him?

The Butler could care less if it's Spider-man.

I think at this point he would of preferred letting Harry believe some guy in a spider suit killed his father than to tell him his Father was a monster.

When he realized it was Peter then things changed and it all added up.

The fact that he didn't mention this sooner to me is to Harry is hardley a big deal as some are making it to be.

That's not true at all.

"I'm leaving for the night, sir. Your father only obsessed over his work" - Bernard in SM-2, as Harry sits at his desk gulping down whiskey and slamming his fist in anger on dozens of newspaper articles about Spider-Man.

at all?

That line doesn't necessarily mean he knows everything about Harry's intentions.

If anything this line sounds like he's giving Harry a clue as to what happened with his dad.

"If I may, sir. I've seen things in this house which I've never spoken of" - Bernard in SM-3. By implication, he's saying that he's seen everything that's been going on since this all started, and has kept his mouth shut out of love and respect for Harry and his late father.

Good point.

The butler plot was one of the weakest plots not only in this movie, but in the entire trilogy. Bernard claims that he loves Harry, yet he stood back and let him sink into booze, depression, and murderous obsession. Allowed Harry to consort with a super villain like Doc Ock. Take the Goblin formula etc.

...Do you honestly believe he was fully aware of everything that was going on with Harry?

I mean he only has like 3 lines in the trilogy and we see him like maybe 5 times.

I'm sure the guy had some clue but I think his actions are being blown out of proportion.

Although i agree it could of been a stronger plot and better driven but I doubt it would of made the movie so much more astonishing.

Only after Harry nearly gets his face blown off does he decide to tell him the truth.

Could there be a better moment?

Forget for a second this is a movie and it's all plot convenient (like almost every movie).

No one is perfect.

You said yourself This butler loved Harry and Norman like family.

Who's to say he respected Norman so much as to not destroy his legacy in the eyse of his son and watched his son become tormented by it.

He probably just saw Harry drinking his problems away and not at his worst.
Not until he has his face blown off (which i consider a pretty damn big deal) does he realize this secret is an even more powerful secret than what he originally thought it was, and now knowing that Peter was the man behind the mask.

Nope, didn't buy it for one single, solitary second. A lame cop out and cheap plot device if ever there was one. Just a quick fix to get Harry to the final battle. Nothing more.

Ok well then let's agree to disagree.

I saw nothing so wrong with it as to make the movie a let down for me.

Was it a bit quick, I agree it was.

but just like I may be over-justifying it, I THINK others are over complicating it.

To each their own.

With all the stuff going on in the house though, you'd think the butler would want to know what's going on.

Not really.

Besides i was too busy enjoying the movie to worry about what the Butler must have been thinking.