Blog Beat: The Buzz on 'Spider-Man 3'

Sam Raimi's 'Spider-Man' was hailed as one of the best superhero movies ever ... and 'Spider-Man 2' raised the bar even higher. Now the hotly anticipated 'Spider-Man 3' kicks off the summer season, and fans want to know: Are three villains and a new love interest too much? Or is this the best Spidey film yet? We hit the Web for the earliest reactions and reviews.

More About the Movie

• 'Spider-Man 3' trailer & more
• 'Spider-Man 3' tickets
• Tobey Maguire/Topher Grace interview
• 'Spider-Man' premiere pics

From: Bullz-Eye

Posted by Jason Zingale
"Offering better action, unrivaled special effects and yet another inner struggle for our main protagonist, 'Spider-Man 3' is most certainly the must-see event of the summer ... Sam Raimi and Co. have succeeded in creating an excellent bookend that's both better than the original and nearly as good as its predecessor."

From: Ain't It Cool News

Posted by Norman's Boy
"This is the most emotional and epic entry in the series, and like its predecessors, it never loses sight that action is a bonus to the character drama, and not the main attraction. It really is amazing. I loved this film and I think critics will too, and it will probably be the fan favorite as well. That's right folks, 3 is my favorite, the trilogy curse is broken at last."

From: Rope of Silicon

Posted by Brad Brevet
"I can see fans of the first two films eating this one up, but I think older audiences that were intrigued by such comic book/graphic novel adaptations as 'Batman Begins,' 'X2' and 'V for Vendetta' being a bit disappointed as this one tries so hard to explain itself that all the mystery is left in the dust."

From: JoBlo.com

Posted by Quigles
"While it does at times tiptoe on the line of being an epic and brilliant work of cinema, 'Spider-Man 3' is also a big case of overkill. Director Sam Raimi pulls off an incredible feat by making the never-ending onslaught of subplots balance as well as they do, but the pieces still don't fit to the extent that you'd hope."

From: ComingSoon.net

Posted by Joshua Starnes
"Of all the villains, Harry [Osborn] by far is both the most developed and best executed. For the first time James Franco is really given something to do and he does very well with it. He makes both for an excellent friend and confidant, and an excellent villain, and he manages to pull both off within the same film, though the villain side, being flashier, tends to be more entertaining."

From: Dark Horizons

Posted by Garth Franklin
"Tobey Maguire displays a surprising lack of growth in the role, playing him with little difference from the way he did in the first film -- this is despite the events of the first two films and his general experience as an actor. [Kirsten] Dunst, and more notably Franco, show distinct improvement in the way they handle their roles -- in fact their scenes together ring with more genuine appeal than any of the tedious domestic squabbles that Maguire and Dunst's scenes together devolve into."

From: ComingSoon.net

Posted by Scott Chitwood
"'Spider-Man 3' features everything you loved about the first two films. While trying to cover too much is a drawback of the story, there's enough other stuff to love to make it entirely forgivable ... [It] isn't as good as the previous two films, but it's still very entertaining and a solid entry into the Spider-Man saga."

From: MovieWeb

Posted by Evan Mushy Jacobs
"Personally, I think that too much has been made out of how much this film cost. There is a lot going on, more characters come into play and the effects show us things that have never been seen on a movie screen before. For instance, the creation of the Sandman is one of the most interesting moments in the history of CGI. We are seeing someone get created out of sand."

From: FilmJerk.com

Posted by Edward Havens
"'Spider-Man 3' is strangely devoted to keeping Mary Jane at the center of Peter's heart, even with the entry of Gwen Stacy. The film had a golden opportunity to give itself some real gravitas by offing a major character while keeping some of the basic storyline intact, and certainly Bryce Dallas Howard has never been more appealing as she is here with Gwen's blond locks, yet here we are with a worthwhile character wasted on a hollow moment that never pays off."

From: Ain't It Cool News

Posted by Capone
"The addition of Topher Grace as Peter's photography rival Eddie Brock (the man who would be Venom) fits in perfectly. This guy is an utter ass-munch, and Grace's timing and rapid-fire delivery are his gifts ... The last 20-30 minutes or so are some of the finest action sequences I've seen in a comic book adaptation."

From: Cinematical

Posted by Erik Davis
"Are the special effects great? Yes. Are the action sequences fun to watch? Yes. But when Peter puts on that black suit, not only does he become a different person, but it also becomes a different movie. One that's too campy, too comedic ... But if you're the type of person who could care less about the silly romantic plot twists and are more interested in Spidey kicking some major ass, then this third installment will not let you down."

From: PopCultureShock

Posted by Guy LeCharles Gonzalez
"The special effects are excellent, as are the multiple, well-choreographed fight scenes, the best of which takes place about halfway through, between Peter and Harry ... The movie's climax took me by surprise with a couple of unexpected developments that I loved, but I wonder how the fanboys will react to them as I'm pretty sure they defy comic book continuity pretty drastically."

From: Empire Movies

Posted by Brendan
"There's a lot going on here and I've heard rumblings from some people that it's all too much, but I really thought everything tied in quite neatly to make what is sure to be one of the most enjoyable movies of the summer and arguably the best Spider-Man movie of the series -- so far."

20 Big Summer Movies

'Spider-Man 3' officially launches the summer season, but there's loads more to come. Check out the 20 movies we can't wait for, including big sequels like 'Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End' and brand-new fare like Pixar's 'Ratatouille.'
Count down the summer's biggest movies