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Spider-Man 3.1: The Hybrid Cut
Extended Edition
August 26, 2018    
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I'm legitimately shocked. After watching this, I think I have a much bigger appreciation for Spider-Man 3 now than I ever did before, and anyone who knows me personally and on social media knows that I have a rather intense dislike towards that film. There are still quite a few things that bug me, but its themes of learning the value of forgiveness, that the world isn't always black and white, and how caving into toxic masculinity and ego can change you into something ugly, but at the end of the day, you evolve and learn to grow from it and learn from all those mistakes and terrible things, really shined through this time around. There's some really clever editing here too. For example, the James Brown strut montage now comes after Peter tries killing Harry with the pumpkin grenade, which makes a lot more sense and really shows you how progressively awful the symbiote's influence is on Peter. I used to complain about the dance scenes, but what I failed to realize is that this is Peter caving into toxic masculinity as a result of his inflated ego thanks to New York praising him everywhere he goes as Spider-Man. I also never took into account that the symbiote wouldn't now real humans would interact in those situations, since it is alien in origin and nature after all. I also took more notice of how it's like a drug to Peter. No matter how many times he puts it away, he can't get enough of that power and craves more of it. Same with Eddie Brock. While I would've preferred if they just created an original character perhaps partly inspired by Brock, I did enjoy his characterization here this time around. Mary Jane was much more likable and justified in her emotions and actions here than I first thought. Gwen Stacy not being the science genius she was in the comics also bothered me much less here, surprisingly. There's also a scene I really loved in this cut that wasn't in the theatrical version, where Flint Marko's daughter Penny is at a park and he turns into a giant sand castle for her without her knowing he's even there, just wanting to feel her embrace him again. I really liked this edit.

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