Spiderman 3: Id, Ego and Superhero!

Director Sam Raimi, Release date May 1, 2007, Running time 140 mins

"Yeah! They'll love it!"

Superheroes project national desire, surpassing collective inability to deal with greater enemies (real and hyper-real). Whenever a society recognizes an enemy a superhero is created to defend it. A superhero then cannot be manifested in terms of superpowers or weaponry, but in his ability to take care of common enemies. Superheroes thus ought to win therapeutic battles. In this judgment, Spiderman 3 cannot apparently justify his superheroship. His personal intentions and persuasions overshadow his national superheroism and apparently his enemies cannot be recognized as national enemies. Revenge (in case of Hary Osborn), parental responsibility (Sandman), professional rivalry (Eddie Brock Jr.) – these commonplace personal motivations reduce them to personal enemies to the Spiderman. These matters are too 'private' to be taken as something of public interest. And the whole engagement ring episode with two love triangle (provisional) dancing out of the blue – is not probably something a superhero fan would look for.

"How long can any man fight the darkness... before he finds it in himself?"

But, that's might not be the story. If we attempt to decode the hidden symbolism in the film, we may find something else. American superheroes have always been shaped by its national desire. Before Vietnam and Watergate Spiderman has been conservative; from early 70s he turned into liberal. But today he is not taken as a 'social crusader', and his 'justified violence' is not too applied against social evils. Post 9/11, he is really not somebody dependable to rescue his city: New York. Therefore his heroic actions are ought to be confined to things like saving young ladies falling from skyscrapers. Therefore, through his historical evolution, Spiderman has become a signifier without a signified.

Or, if not completely so, Spiderman is here to represent the insubstantiality of American desire. He is not an American Idol; he is America, with all its false promises and propositions. He fights to get rid of Venom, textures like crude oil, which takes over not only is body but his soul. He fights with ever swelling Sandman. He fights with Sand, the Middle East. And, yes he fights with Hary Osborn, with Hi-tech weaponry, technology that has gone beyond human control. Most interestingly, he cannot defeat them till the end. Americans are fighting a wrong war that will lead them to nowhere. Spiderman 3, I believe tries to convey this simple message. At the end of the movie the only thing eliminated is: unreasonable mistrust (between Spiderman and Sandman and between Spiderman and Hary).

Some dialogues from the movie

Peter Parker: Flint Marko; the man who killed Uncle Ben, he was killed last night.
Aunt May: Oh my... What happened?
Peter Parker: Spider-Man killed him.
Aunt May: Spider-Man? I don't understand, Spider-Man doesn't kill people. What happened?
Peter Parker: I uh... he... he was... I thought that you'd feel... He deserved it, didn't he?
Aunt May: I don't think it's for us to say wether [sic] a person deserves to live or die.
Peter Parker: Aunt May, he killed Uncle Ben!
Aunt May: Uncle Ben meant the world to us, but he wouldn't want us living one second with revenge in our hearts. It's like a poison. It can take you over, before you know it, turn you into something ugly...

"I'm not asking you to forgive me. I just want you to understand."

The counter-ego, the black Spiderman has a hairstyle like Hitler. Does it suggest that, an American hero has finally turned out to be a demonic despot?

Spiderman was once created by Jewish writers. He was then driven by Judaic ethics: eye for an eye. But through times, his actions started to be determined by Christian Morality too. Spiderman now has to pass through different spiritual phases, of sin, redemption and salvation. Spiderman's story is not very much different than that of the Ancient Mariner. They both had to free themselves for their own prejudices. That is the point where, Spiderman 3 has a gospel like narrative. Friend Monami has reminded me of one thing that Spiderman movies have a funeral shot. It might have a lot to with theology. At least Parker's last speech sounds biblical:

"Whatever comes our way, whatever battle we have raging inside us, we always have a choice. My friend Harry taught me that. He chose to be the best of himself. It's the choices that make us who we are, and we can always choose to do what's right."

But to me, it's all political.

here is an interesting New York Times Article on American Superheroes ..