I Liked Spider-Man 3 but Something Felt Off

It was a long labor-day weekend holiday in Manila, and the universe decided to reward us with a surprise treat. Spider-Man 3 came out a few days earlier here in the Philippines than its worldwide release, and I knew right away how I wanted to spend the holiday. Right after Arcy wrapped up her shift, I grabbed my youngest brother Kristofer and headed to Glorietta. We expected a crowd, but we were not prepared for what we saw. Eight out of ten cinemas were showing Spider-Man 3, and every corner of the mall felt like it was pulsing with fan energy. It looked more like a festival than a movie screening.

We barely made it past the food court when we realized that the lines were unmanageable. People had been lining up for hours, some in shirts with the web-slinger printed across the chest. It was an event. As much as I wanted to be part of that, logic kicked in. We turned around and decided to try Festival Mall in Alabang. I do not know if that was the smartest decision or just sheer luck, but we found ourselves in a slightly more breathable crowd. Still, even there, Spider-Man 3 was showing in eight out of ten cinemas.

We entered the theater an hour early just to secure decent seats. That extra hour gave us time to settle in, soak up the excitement, and people-watch. There were kids in costume, adults arguing over the villains, and groups of teens doing last-minute Tobey Maguire impersonations. Honestly, it felt more like going to a concert than a regular film showing.

📚 Table of Contents

1. Spider-Man 3 2007 Review from a Fan’s POV 2. Why the Crowd Was Bigger than Ever 3. The Part That Surprised Me Most 4. Peter Parker Did What Now? 5. Venom Was Cool but Something Felt Rushed 6. This Was Not the Ending I Expected 7. What I’ll Remember About This Movie Night 8. Looking Back This Still Made Me Smile 9. Common Questions About Spider-Man 3 10. Let Me Know If You Felt the Same Way

Spider-Man 3 2007 Review from a Fan’s POV

Now that the credits have rolled and I am back home still thinking about the film, I can say this without hesitation. Spider-Man 3 was good, but it was not what I hoped it would be. That does not mean it was bad. Far from it. The effects were on point, the action scenes were tight, and Tobey Maguire still brought that awkward but lovable energy to Peter Parker. But there were moments when it felt like the story could not decide what it wanted to be. One minute we were deep into Flint Marko’s tragedy, the next we were thrown into romantic drama, and then suddenly Venom is eating up the screen time. It was a lot to absorb.

As someone who really loved the first two movies, this one left me with mixed feelings. It tried to juggle too many threads, and while I admire the ambition, it sometimes felt cluttered. There were three major villains, each with their own emotional weight, and it made the plot move at a breakneck pace. Sam Raimi clearly had a vision, but it might have worked better if the story had more breathing room. Still, I have to admit, there were moments that genuinely made me smile.

👉 FUN FACT: According to Box Office Mojo, Spider-Man 3 earned an estimated $29.1 million on its opening day in the United States alone, making it one of the biggest single-day grosses at the time. And that was after we already got our sneak peek days earlier here in the Philippines.

Why the Crowd Was Bigger than Ever

It was not just a movie screening. It felt like a national event. Maybe it was the fact that Spider-Man 3 opened three days earlier in the Philippines compared to the global release. Or maybe it was because people have been waiting three years for this sequel. Either way, fans showed up in full force. I’ve never seen so many people in line for the same film since Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. There were entire families attending together, couples coordinating their movie schedules, and even barkers by the escalators announcing cinema seat availability.

I remember overhearing a group say that even the early morning shows were fully booked. That’s wild. The mall had security guiding the queues so things wouldn’t get chaotic. We even spotted a guy holding a handmade sign that said “No spoilers please.” That’s how serious people were about protecting their experience. And get this, the theater staff told us that almost all tickets for the weekend had already been reserved online or in-person hours ahead. This was not a casual turnout.

There’s a reason 8 out of 10 cinemas were assigned to Spider-Man 3 at both Glorietta and Festival Mall. Local distributors clearly knew what they were doing. The excitement was real, and people were treating this film like a can’t-miss event. I wonder if any other movie this year can draw the same crowd without even needing a full global push yet.

The Part That Surprised Me Most

One of the things that hit me hardest was Sandman's story. I expected him to be another cookie-cutter villain, but his scenes made me pause. His origin moment, where he falls into a particle accelerator and slowly reforms his body grain by grain, was visually impressive and almost poetic. The film gave him a sad backstory and showed that he wasn’t completely evil. He was just desperate. I was not expecting to feel empathy for him, but I did. Especially during that moment when he gently picks up the locket with his daughter’s photo. That stuck with me.

Then there’s Harry. His arc was both frustrating and heartbreaking. The tension with Peter was thick, and I thought we were going to see him go full Green Goblin 2.0 without any room for redemption. But the switch near the end, when he chooses to help Peter, actually made me emotional. Maybe it was James Franco’s delivery or the timing of that scene, but it added depth I did not see coming. He may not have had as many scenes as the other two villains, but his presence anchored a lot of the emotional weight.

I came in expecting fireworks and fight scenes, and sure, those were there. But I did not expect to feel pulled into the pain of two characters who should have been the easiest to hate. That’s one of the reasons I can’t completely write off this movie despite the messiness. Some of those beats were genuinely thoughtful.

Peter Parker Did What Now?

Let’s talk about the black suit. Or better yet, let’s talk about Peter’s weird swagger phase. You know the one. The hair flip, the finger guns, the dance down the street. I sat there blinking at the screen trying to decide if I was impressed or confused. It started off intense, like Peter was losing himself to something dangerous. But it quickly turned into a strange parody of coolness. When he strutted into the jazz club and started showing off in front of MJ, people in the theater actually laughed out loud. It felt like a mood swing that no one was ready for.

What’s wild is that this wasn’t just comic relief. This was supposed to show us how the symbiote was changing Peter. And while the intention was clear, the execution leaned into campy territory. Some people in the theater were loving it. Others were whispering “What is happening?” under their breath. It’s a scene that’s probably going to be remembered for all the wrong reasons, but maybe that’s part of the charm.

Here’s what stood out to me the most in this section of the film:

➡️ The suit’s influence started subtle, but spiraled quickly

➡️ Peter’s aggression at the Daily Bugle caught me off guard

➡️ His behavior with MJ crossed the line more than once

➡️ The jazz club scene felt like something from another movie

➡️ Audience reactions were as entertaining as the movie itself

It was bold, I’ll give it that. I just don’t know if it was bold in the way the writers intended.

Also Read: I Watched "As the Gods Will" and I’m Still Shook

Venom Was Cool but Something Felt Rushed

I was looking forward to seeing Venom on screen ever since they confirmed Topher Grace would play Eddie Brock. There was this strange excitement around it because fans knew how dark and dangerous the character was in the comics. The movie gave us a glimpse of that, especially when Eddie bonded with the symbiote and turned into something monstrous. His voice, the teeth, the black tendrils moving across his body—it was intense. But for a character so iconic, it felt like they gave him too little time. It was as if the story ran out of space and just squeezed him in during the last stretch.

That rushed feeling made it hard to fully enjoy the arc. Venom deserved more buildup. There could have been more tension leading up to his transformation. Instead, his origin felt fast and kind of shallow. Topher Grace did his best, and I actually liked how he played a slimy version of Peter’s reflection. But it needed room to breathe. A villain like Venom should have felt more threatening. Instead, it was over before it really began. I left the theater wondering if they were trying to do too much just to please everyone in one film.

This Was Not the Ending I Expected

Going into the final act, I honestly had no idea what direction it would take. Harry showing up to fight alongside Peter was a pleasant surprise, but also a sudden one. After all the drama between them, that moment of forgiveness felt a little quick. Still, seeing them fight side by side was one of the most satisfying scenes in the entire movie. The choreography in that last battle was probably the best in the trilogy. Watching them swing in tandem and take on both Venom and Sandman was cinematic candy. But it also felt like a farewell that came too soon.

Then came Harry’s death. It hit harder than I expected. Maybe it was the look on Peter’s face or how MJ reacted, but the whole thing had weight. The film tried to tie up every loose end, and while some moments landed, others felt like they were racing toward the finish line. Peter forgiving Flint Marko made sense emotionally, but again, the pace made it hard to fully absorb. I left the theater satisfied in parts and conflicted in others. I liked that they gave closure, but I also felt like the story could have used more space to land properly.

What I’ll Remember About This Movie Night

Aside from the movie itself, the experience of that night is something I will not forget soon. Arriving at the mall early, getting our tickets, and watching the crowd build up around us gave the whole thing a different kind of energy. It was not just about watching Spider-Man. It was about sharing the moment with other fans who were just as excited. Kids in Spider-Man shirts, people bringing their own snacks because they knew the line at the concession stand would be insane, and friends doing last-minute predictions about the plot made it feel more like an event than a screening.

The smartest move we made that night was entering the theater an hour early. It gave us good seats and time to soak in the atmosphere. I even overheard someone say they watched it twice already and were coming back with more friends. That made me smile. It reminded me how powerful movies like this can be, especially when they bring people together. This one might not have been perfect, but the shared experience around it was something special. And yes, I’ll be using the same early-arrival strategy when the next Harry Potter film comes out.

Looking Back This Still Made Me Smile

Now that I’ve had time to sit with it, I still feel pretty glad I saw Spider-Man 3 the way I did. It had some pacing issues, sure. And some plotlines felt jammed in. But there were still enough moments that made the whole thing worth it. Sandman’s story, Peter’s dance scene that had people laughing in disbelief, and that last emotional battle all stood out in their own ways. I do not think it will go down as the best in the trilogy, but it had heart. Messy, overstuffed heart, but still something sincere underneath the chaos.

It also helped that the movie didn’t try to force a fake happy ending. Peter and MJ’s last scene was quiet, unresolved, and very human. They did not just kiss and make up. They stood there, processing everything, and maybe figuring it out together. That alone gave it a kind of maturity I appreciated. Not every superhero movie ends with fireworks. Some just end with a silent understanding between two people who have been through too much. For all its flaws, that part felt right.

Common Questions About Spider-Man 3

➡️ When did Spider Man 3 release in the Philippines?

It opened locally on May 1, 2007, three days before the global release date of May 4.

➡️ Was Spider Man 3 a box office success?

Yes. According to Box Office Mojo, it earned over $29 million on its first day in the US and over $151 million in its first weekend.

➡️ Why did some fans criticize Spider Man 3?

Many felt it had too many villains and plotlines, which made the story feel rushed and cluttered.

➡️ Who played Venom in Spider Man 3?

Topher Grace, best known from That '70s Show, portrayed Eddie Brock and Venom.

➡️ Is Spider Man 3 worth rewatching?

Despite its flaws, it has memorable scenes and emotional beats that make it worth another look, especially for fans of Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man.

Let Me Know If You Felt the Same Way

I walked into the theater excited and walked out conflicted but entertained. That’s the simplest way I can describe my Spider-Man 3 experience. Now I’m curious—were you also part of the early crowd? Did you feel the same way about the pacing, the black suit, or that unexpected final team-up?

If you saw Spider-Man 3 this weekend, leave a comment and let me know what stuck with you most. And if you’ve read this far, maybe check out some of my other movie reviews while you’re here. I’ve got more stories and opinions lined up, and it’s always more fun when others join in.

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