The Hated Scene: It really needs no introduction. Peter Parker has been taken over by the Venom symbiote and decides to show off his new found dark side by going emo. He decks himself out in a new, black wardrobe, grows his fringe and starts busting his favourite dance moves in the middle of New York's streets. It's viewed as an emblem of the rest of the film, once described as Hollywood's biggest ever mistake. Why It's Not So Bad: It's that old situation of a film doing something and everyone assuming that just because it's showing it then the movie agrees with it. And we should be mature enough as a film-going public to know that isn't the case. Despite its surface level message, Starship Troopers is as anti-fascist as they come, while The Riot Club clearly despises its spoilt 'heroes'. If you're laughing at Peter then you're laughing with the film, not at it; the whole thing is meant to be unbearably ridiculous. This effect is lost a little as we've been on this guys side for two movies, but that's clearly the intention; the disgruntled looks from passers by clearly showing that what Peter's doing isn't cool. He's a young guy who's been a geek, then become popular in his alter-ego, but remained a geek in real life; Peter isn't a rich playboy or even a fully grown adult. Like Star Lord he has a warped view of what's cool, which comes out when the space goo gives him the confidence to do so. And when you look at it that way, this scene, while not comic accurate, is pretty damn amazing. How do we know this is all intended and not just a massive misfire? Because Spider-Man's done it before. Spider-Man 2 had another, overly dorky music sequence, this time with a depowered Peter Parker reverts to his dorky origins. It's not as overt, but the same sensibility that comes to play in the dance scene. Spider-Man 3 has a lot of fundamental problems. This is not one of them. Which other much derided movie moments really aren't as bad as everybody says? What do you make of our choices? Let us know in the comments below.
