Spider-Man 3 (2007)

Related: Spider-Man (2002), Spider-Man 2 (2004)

Much of what has been discussed in the first and second movies applies here. This movie should be avoided because it involves and/or promotes profanity (at least 4 instances, including a profane oath), blasphemy (God's name is taken in vain at least 7 times), immodesty, infidelity, deceit, and necromancy. Since its hero and his allies practice sin, this movie conditions viewers to substitute evil for good and good for evil (Isa. 5:20) by praising evildoers who ought to be despised (Ps. 15:4; Pro. 28:4).

Aunt May says, "I believe in you, Peter. You're a good person." At the end of the movie, Peter lectures the audience, "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." Peter and Harry are presented as good people who have dedicated themselves to doing what is right. But all throughout this and the previous two movies, they are shown to be those who practice sin—lying, taking God's name in vain, speaking profanely, swearing profane oaths, making promises carelessly and then breaking them, and being sexually promiscuous. Such portrayals lead the audience to praise these characters as good examples, while dismissing the actual evil they promote and practice.

Violations of God's Law

Defiance against God

This movie violates the First Commandment.

  • Necromancy: the second film featured Norman, who was killed in the first film, posthumously communicating with his son Harry. Norman reappears in this film to Harry in a mirror and offers him guidance on how best to take vengeance on Spider-Man.
  • This film esteems the Roman Catholic Church, which officially condemns the Protestant faith. There is a scene in which Peter looks to the church as a safe haven for cleansing himself of the Venom symbiote. Eddie enters the same church in order to pray to a crucifix.
  • At least two appeals to luck

Idolatry

This movie violates the Second Commandment, which forbids any visual representation of the Godhead, including the Son, who is both human and divine.

  • A large crucifix, wherein an idol of Jesus is hanging on a cross, is prominently displayed at the front of a Roman Catholic church. Eddie presents himself before this idol and prays to it, asking it to kill Peter.

Blasphemy and Profanity

This movie violates the Third Commandment. God has warned that he will not hold guiltless those who take his name in vain (Ex. 20:7). God requires oaths to be sworn by his name (Deut. 6:13).

  • Peter takes God's name in vain at least 3 times
  • Eddie takes God's name in vain at least twice
  • A police officer and Bernard each take God's name in vain at least once
  • Harry swears a profane oath ("on my father's grave") to destroy Spider-Man
  • Profane references: hell (1), damn (1), among others

Disdain for Authority

This movie promotes violations of the Fifth Commandment. Those who despise government are likened to brute beasts who will be condemned (2Pe. 2:10-12; Jude 1:8-10).

  • Vigilantism: as a self-appointed masked vigilante, Spider-Man defies civil authority, and boasts about being "the sheriff around these parts."
  • Peter angrily screams profanity at his landlord, when he asks for rent

Immodesty and Sexual Immorality

This movie violates the Seventh Commandment. The Bible warns that those who do not repent of sexual immorality will not inherit the kingdom of God (1Co. 6:9-10), but will be judged by God (Heb. 13:4). We are commanded to "flee fornication" (1Co. 6:18).

  • Peter (Tobey Maguire, unmarried) and Mary Jane (Kirsten Dunst, unmarried) are shown kissing
  • Peter and Gwen (Bryce Dallas Howard, married) are shown kissing (which a newspaper glamorizes with the title "Spidey Scores"), and also shown dancing immodestly in a jazz club filled with people immodestly dressed
  • Harry (James Franco, unmarried) and Mary Jane are shown kissing
  • Peter provocatively embraces his coworker Betty and makes a sexual innuendo
  • Peter gets provocatively close to a hostess, whispers in her ear for a favor, then says, "Thanks, hot legs."
  • Eddie makes a sexual innuendo while grabbing Mary Jane
  • Harry is shown shirtless and in boxer briefs
  • Peter is shown shirtless and in a shower scene (shoulders up)
  • Mary Jane is repeatedly shown immodestly dressed, wearing revealing, low-cut attire, and exposing her cleavage
  • Gwen is shown posing provocatively, showing cleavage for an immodest modeling photoshoot, and throughout the film
  • Several other women are shown immodestly dressed
  • Spider-Man dons an immodest skin-tight costume

Deceit

This movie promotes violations of the Ninth Commandment. The Bible warns that all liars, whom God hates (Pro. 6:16-19; 12:22), shall have their part in the lake of fire (Rev. 21:8). Peter Parker continues to maintain his masquerade with a consistent pattern of lying, remaining an unabashed, unrepentant liar as he was depicted in the first and second films.

  • Mary Jane lies about Peter's whereabouts in order to conceal his identity as Spider-Man
  • Mary Jane is shown to have been lying about her firing and new job, which she kept a secret
  • Peter lies to Dr. Connor when asked if he had any of the symbiote in his possession

Sinful Content in Spider-Man 3

Warning! The following table contains direct quotations from the film, which include instances of blasphemy, profanity, and other vices.

TimestampClassificationCharacterQuote/Description
00:03:00Peter"The city is safe and sound. Guess I've had something to do with that."
00:04:30Peter"I'm in love with the girl of my dreams."
00:05:10ImmodestyMary JaneImmodest form-fitting, low-cut dress
00:07:00Harry"Tell it to my father. Raise him from the dead." (after Peter said, "I need to talk to you.")
00:08:20ImmodestyHarryShirtless, in boxer briefs
00:09:25Peter"I love you. I love you so much." (to Mary Jane)
00:09:27Sexual ImmoralityPeter, Mary JaneKissing
00:13:00Sandman"I had good reason for what I was doing. And that's the truth." (an escaped convict and thief, who steals money to buy a cure for his daughter)
00:13:25Sandman"I promise I'll make you healthy again. Whatever it takes. I'll get the money." (speaking to his daughter)
00:13:42LuckSandman"I'm not a bad person. Just had bad luck."
00:15:14Sabbath ProfanationAunt May"I hope you've considered a proper proposal. Your uncle had it all planned. He took me to the beach one Sunday."
00:21:30BlasphemyPeter"Harry! Oh, my God!"
00:21:45BlasphemyPeter"Harry! Come on! God!"
00:21:50ImmodestyHarryShirtless
00:31:15Peter"You can't let it bring you down. You just gotta believe in yourself."
00:32:28BlasphemyPolice Officer"Oh, my God."
00:32:48ImmodestyGwenPosing provocatively, showing cleavage for immodest modeling photoshoot
00:34:05BlasphemyEddie"Oh, my God."
00:35:29BlasphemyEddie"Thank God you're okay."
00:35:45DeceitPeterDressed as Spider-Man, vouching for Peter as his photographer
00:40:13BlasphemyBernard"Thank God you're alright."
00:42:05ImmodestyWomanShowing cleavage in low-cut dress
00:42:13ImmodestyWomenImmodestly dressed women
00:43:10Mary JaneVisibly jealous of Spider-Man's fame
00:44:30Peter"Don't worry about that review. We're gonna be laughing about it tomorrow night, I promise."
00:46:55DeceitMary Jane"Taking someone's picture, I guess." her answer when asked "Where's Pete?" knowing he went to put on his costume
00:48:35Sexual ImmoralityPeter, Gwen"Go ahead, lay one on me." (speaking to Gwen, after the crowd yells at her to kiss Spider-Man) "Really?" she asks. "Yeah, they'll love it," he says.
00:48:35InfidelityPeterKisses Gwen even though he's in a relationship with Mary Jane
00:50:20VigilantismPeter"I guess you haven't heard? I'm the sheriff around these parts."
00:52:09Newspaper glamorizes Spider-Man's kiss with title "Spidey Scores"
00:52:24ImmodestyMary JaneWearing revealing dress
00:55:10Peter"I see Spider-Man posters in the window. Kids running around with me on their sweaters. Big Halloween item. I don't know, I guess I've become something of an icon. Like yesterday. They keep screaming: 'Spider-Man! Spider-Man!' I don't know, I mean, I'm thinking to myself, 'I'm just a nerdy kid from Queens. Do I deserve this?'"
00:55:34ImmodestyGwenShowing cleavage
01:07:45ProfanityEddie"What the hell?"
01:11:10ProfanityPeter"You'll get your rent when you fix this damn door!" (his response to his landlord asking for rent)
01:11:20Landlord"He is a good boy, he must be in some kind of trouble." (speaking of Peter)
01:12:10ImmodestyPeterShirtless
01:13:25Aunt 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 us into something ugly."
01:14:14ImmodestyWomanShowing cleavage
01:14:30InfidelityMary JaneCalling not Peter but Harry, "I need some company." Harry: "Come on over."
01:17:25InfidelityMary JaneStarts dancing with Harry
01:18:43InfidelityMary JaneKisses Harry
01:18:43Sexual ImmoralityMary Jane, HarryKissing
01:19:25NecromancyNormanSpeaks to Harry (though he died in the first movie)
01:20:05Profane OathHarry"I swear on my father's grave, Spider-Man will pay." (flashback to scene from the first movie)
01:20:11NecromancyNormanAppears to Harry in a mirror: "Harry, remember me?" Harry responds, "Yes, father, I remember."
01:20:20NecromancyNorman"I was right about her, about Peter, about everything. You know what you must do. Make him suffer. Make him wish he were dead. First we attack his heart."
01:22:33ImmodestyMary JaneShowing cleavage
01:25:00DeceitMary JanePeter finds out Mary Jane has kept her firing and new job a secret (the same thing she did with Harry, her boyfriend in the first movie)
01:28:38ProfanityHarry"I'm going to kick your little ass!"
01:30:17ImmodestyWomenShowing cleavage
01:30:35People"My son thought the world of this guy. I have a 9 year old daughter, loves Spider-Man. Who's she supposed to look up to now?"
01:30:45LuckEddie"I just got lucky."
01:30:50ImmodestyWomanIn low-cut dress
01:31:45BlasphemyPeter"You want forgiveness? Get religion."
01:33:33DeceitPeter"No, no, no, of course not." (lying, when asked, "Peter, you didn't keep any, did you?")
01:33:36ImmodestyImmodest women
01:33:50Sexual ImmoralityPeterProvocatively close to his coworker Betty, says "I'd love to shoot you sometime," after she compliments his photo shots
01:33:50ImmodestyBettyShowing cleavage
01:36:33Sexual ImmoralityPeterGets provocatively close to hostess, whispers in her ear for a favor, then says, "Thanks, hot legs."
01:36:48ImmodestyGwenShowing cleavage
01:38:43ImmodestyPeter, GwenDancing immodestly in a jazz club filled with people immodestly dressed
01:41:45Roman CatholicismEddieEnters church, dips his fingers in "holy water," then crosses himself
01:41:53IdolatryA graven image of Jesus hanging on a large cross at the front of a Catholic church
01:42:00IdolatryEddieKneels before the idol of Jesus and prays to it
01:42:00BlasphemyEddie"It's Brock, Sir. Edward Brock Jr. I come before you today humbled and humiliated to ask you for one thing. I want you to kill Peter Parker."
01:43:18ImmodestyPeterShirtless
01:44:10ImmodestyPeterShown taking a shower (showing shoulders and above)
01:46:10Peter"I'm not ready" (for marriage, hands back Aunt May's wedding ring, which she offered him to give to Mary Jane)
01:46:35HypocrisyAunt May"You start by doing the hardest thing. You forgive yourself. I believe in you, Peter. You're a good person."
01:50:25ImmodestyJenniferWearing low-cut blouse, showing cleavage
01:53:45Crowds cheering Spider-Man
01:53:50BlasphemyJennifer"He seems to have come out of nowhere to answer the prayers of the city, just when all hope seemed to be lost."
01:54:19BlasphemyPeter"My God, Eddie."
01:54:26InnuendoEddie"Oh, my spider-sense is tingling, if you know what I'm talking about." (says this as he grabs Mary Jane)
01:58:42ProfanityKids"Awesome! Wicked cool!"
02:06:10Sandman"I didn't want this. But I had no choice. My daughter was dying. I needed money. I was scared." (his response after Peter tells him he killed his uncle)
02:11:25HypocrisyPeter"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."
02:11:53ImmodestyMary JaneImmodest, very low cut dress