This one really surprised me, but not always for the reasons the first two did. The earlier films had this perfect balance of earnestness, heart & soul, and just enough campy vibes to make you smile. This one... It sent it too hard lol. I found myself laugh at it rather than with it many times. There were moments where I genuinely thought, "Did they mean to make this feel like a parody of itself??" And yet, I still couldn't look away and stop myself from getting sucked in.
What did grab me in a huge way was the alien symbiote storyline. I loved it. The way it externalized Peter's inner dark side. It wasn't just 'Spider-Man vs. bad guys'. It was Peter vs. himself. The creeping corruption it had on Peter was both disturbing and intriguing to watch. He was colder, emo-er, more arrogant and self-absorbed. That felt like the true heart of the movie for me. What happens when you need to wrestle your inner demons and the aftermath of how those demons can destroy your life around you.
I got lost in the villain overload, though. It felt like three whole movies jammed into one. Sandman's tragic backstory, Harry's arc, Venom's beginnings. They were all super compelling on their own, but together it became a tangled web of 'wait, what?'. Each deserved room to breathe. And honestly, I could have done without the whole 'Uncle Ben's REAL killer' storyline.
I ended up enjoying this one so much though. Even if it was a bit bumpy and wild. It feels more like a strange guilty-pleasure type of movie haha. I can't get over the origin of the Peter Parker's dancing meme and finger guns 🤣 I don't think I've laughed that hard in awhile! And finally placing where those memes came from made this a super fun ride! Underneath all of the memes and the noise, there was still a true core that I loved. About identity, temptation, and what happens when the hero you look up to starts to lose himself in human mistakes.
Thank you all so much for joining me in Tobey Maguire's Spider-Man films! This is where it all started and I have absolutely LOVED this journey the entire way through. I can't wait to jump into The Amazing Spider-Man with Andrew Garfield next! I first saw him in Hacksaw Ridge so I can't wait to see his adaptation of Spider-Man. Especially now that I know Peter Parker's true, tragic backstory. See you all there!
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Relax and enjoy 🍿🌿
LINK: https://youtu.be/DkE2TspcX7E
I watched this on Disney Plus
Onno Smits
2025-09-26 22:45:44 +0000 UTCPhil Stubblefield
2025-08-21 00:52:44 +0000 UTCJoe
2025-08-19 03:21:23 +0000 UTC