Spiderman 3

Yesterday morning, at approximately 12:06AM, I had the priviledge of being one of the first Americans to see the latest blockbuster, Spiderman 3. I had seen and loved both of its predecessors, so needless to say I had high hopes for this movie. It met and exceeded my expectations.

I am a person who doesn't like to be merely entertained but wants to be challenged and to over think things that aren't supposed to be. Spiderman 3 is one of those movies that may seem like it is just entertainment and a good flick for wasting an afternoon, but as I often do I saw so much more than that.

One of the new villains introduced in the movie was an alien being known as Venom. Venom would latch onto a host as a parasite and would then bring out the worst in that host. When it found Peter Parker, it became his new black Spidey suit. Whenever he would wear the suit he not only became more powerful, he became a rude, obnoxious beast of a man. Normally subdued, nice, friendly Peter suddenly was the man of the hour who would do what he wanted, say what he wanted, and be the last person anyone would want to be around. Likewise, when Peter tore the suit from himself after he became disgusted by his own behavior and saw how it was hurting those both himself and those around him, Venom then latched itself onto photographer Eddie (played by Topher Grace) and brought out his inner evil as well. He would do anything he could to kill Spiderman/Peter Parker. But, contrary to Peter's eventual throw away of Venom and it's evil, Eddie embraced it and, when given the chance to be rid of it, he would not let go and instead held onto it even though it meant his doom and his death. He didn't want to let go of the power that it gave him and the good feeling that he got from it. Peter Parker admitted that it felt good to wear the Venom suit, but he was able to give it up when he realized that it was destroying him. When he tried to save Eddie from his eventual fate, though, Eddie would not listen. It felt too good and gave him too much power that he wasn't ready to get rid of.

Venom could very well be Satan and sin. It latches onto us and brings out the worst in us, a sinful nature that is already innate in us. It destroys us and hurts those around us, and yet it feels good because it means that "we" are in power and we can do whatever we want no matter the consequences. We have two choices of what do do with the venom that infects us: give it up with God's help or keep it and go to our death holding on until the very end. The vibration of the bell and pipes was the only thing that could defeat Venom and keep it in check. Likewise, God is the only one that can save us from our sin and keep it in check. Without him we can work at pulling the sinful suit off as much as we please, but it won't do a thing. Once we pull one part off, it latches onto another part of us. We can't be rid of it.

You never thought Spiderman was so theological, did you?