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It's good. Not as good as everyone says, but still good. But I was watching it under disadventageous circumstances, in
that I needed the toilet for the last hour.
I take back every word that I said about Tobey Maguire not being right
for Peter Parker. He was good. (I had many a rant about this bit of casting at college so there are people I will have to
apologise to, worst luck.)
Still say I'm right in saying that Kirsten Dunst so should not be Mary Jane. Because she's
not right for it, looks wise, and attitude wise.
On it being a 12 certificate, yup, it's pretty violent, plus there
was a gratuitous wet t-shirt shot of MJ.
The script was okay. Not enough Peter Parker/Spiderman one liners. But whoever
wrote the Green Goblin/Norman Osbourne dialogue was great.
The best bit is, having come in from trying to kill Spiderman,
and going back into Norman mode, he comes to the Thanksgiving party.
"Sorry I'm late, work was murder. I picked up
a fruitcake along the way."
Willem Dafoe has untapped comedy potential. Actually, he was superb. As was the chap playing
his son. More on these two later.
Jonah Jameson was perfect, really. And he looked like he'd stepped out of the comic.
Loved him to pieces.
Was a bit worried about the film being any good until I read the opening credits. SFX director
- John Dykstra (ILM, responsible for the original Star Wars effects)
Original Score - Danny Elfman. It wasn't as good as
some of his Tim Burton ones but still pretty damn good.
I also think the thief was played by Peter Stormare, the man
putting the dude into the woodchipper in Fargo. But haven't had chance to look it up.
~~~~
I looked it up, it's not Peter Stormare.
~~~~
Now on to the Osbournes.
I've never considered Norman
Osbourne to be a villan. The Green Goblin is, but he isn't. And I can more than understand the pressures that turned him into
the Green Goblin. Anyone who wasn't cheering when he blew up those executives isn't human.
Willem Dafoe was perfect,
both as the straight laced stern father showing up his son; as the formidable businessman/scientist and as the Green Goblin.
What's more here was a villan with a sense of irony. Plus the scene with the mirror. I'm certain that there are now actually
two of him wandering about. Talk about convincing.
So I weep for the tragedy that is Norman Orsbourne, a good man brought
low by circumstance.
And I weep for the even greater tragedy that is Harry Osbourne, who's got Hamlet going for him
on top of everything else. Because the kid has had it tough. Distant father. Not good enough for private schools, too rich
to be treated as normal by normal school kids. I know, poor little rich boy. But most of the time he's nice and normal.
But
he loves his father. Even when he hates him. It's a wonderful performance, and well written.
The film has this really
cool effect where they gradually make him look more and more like his father, till the final scene where he walks off and
he might as well be his Dad. Plus they have similar bone structures - kudos to the casting directors.
And this one
bit where Norman is cracking up, and takes time out to try and reassure his son that he loves him. Something which he is about
to try to prove in his own twisted Green Goblin mode. And the hug just made me cry.
Yes. Once again I care more for
the flawed characters who fate has cast in the role of evildooers than for the good guys.
Even if I do like Peter Parker.
And the crowd scene right at the end had me in stitches. And proud. Such a Musketeer moment. (I'm aghast with horror at this
new version of The Three Musketeers, where they're trying to add martial arts into it. Leave well alone I say)
Oh and
another favourite bit. Norman Osbourne is being strapped into a metal device, and he goes, very quietly 'ow that's cold.'
It's the little details that matter.
overall 7.5/10
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