Spider-Man High Definition Trilogy: Blu-ray Movie Review

“Spider-Man: Blu-ray”
Upon its 2002 release, Sam Raimi's "Spider-Man” wasn't just a smash hit, it also re-established faith in the web as a money-making venture. Smart and thrilling, it respected the franchise while giving audiences an exhilarating kick in the process. Based on the comic book series Stan Lee and Steve Ditko created for Marvel Comics in 1962, the film stars Tobey Maguire as Peter Parker, the nerdish 17-year-old high school boy from Queens, N.Y., who goes on to realize great things from a spider bite. A great deal of the film's fun comes from watching Peter’s transformation after the bite, which isn’t just physical as his wiry body thickens with muscle, but almost spiritual as he realizes the confidence that forever has eluded him. When he first takes flight through the concrete canyons of Manhattan, spinning his tangled webs and swinging high through the skyscrapers like Nureyev on Ecstasy, it’s doubtful that anyone watching won’t be caught up in the moment—or floored by the sheer artistry of John Dystra’s special effects, which, incidentally, look smashing in this series' new incarnation on high-definition Blu-ray disc. Rated PG-13. Grade: A-

Read a more in-depth review of "Spider-Man" here.

“Spider-Man 2: Blu-ray”
Legs down, it’s a winner. The special effects remain something to behold, as does Tobey Maguire's performance as Peter Parker. What makes the actor such a perfect fit for the role are the very qualities that made him so appealing in "The Ice Storm" and "Wonder Boys"--the shrewd intellect simmering beneath his bemused detachment and charm. Director Sam Raimi leans hard on those traits, but this time out, he pulls something deeper from Maguire--the sense of isolation, doubt and sadness that have crept into Peter's soul as the full weight of being Spider-Man becomes clearer to him. Rated PG-13. Grade: A

“Spider-Man 3: DVD, Blu-ray”
Legs up, it’s a loser. After the terrific first two films, "Spider-Man 3" suffers from a fatigue of familiarity. The same was true for "Superman III" and the third Batman movie, which suggests that when it comes to getting into bed with superheroes, perhaps two films are enough to leave one satisfied and spent. What’s missing in "Spider-Man 3" is the delight of watching Peter Parker become Spider-Man. We’ve seen it before and frankly, his swing has lost its zing. Also gone is the spark between Parker and Mary Jane Watson (Kirsten Dunst), which was critical to the success of the previous two films but which now finds the duo reduced to squabbling, a separation and, near the end, an awkward rush of tears. Director Sam Raimi returns to helm the project, but this time his gift at finding the human within the superhuman is something the movie lacks. This is the longest "Spider-Man" yet, with the story feeling derived not from inspiration but from a sense of desperation. And why not? When you spend nearly $500 million on a movie, as they did here, the urge isn’t to underplay your hand. Instead, it’s to feed the masses with overkill. While some of that overkill can be fun and the special effects are impressive, the story stumbles through a cluttered haze of plot threads, the likes of which eventually form a noose from which the movie doesn’t recover. Rated PG-13. Grade: C+

Read a more in-depth review of "Spider-Man 3" here.