You Always Have A Choice

Watched "Spiderman 3" with Angie last Friday. Thought that is was a really strong film, even though both of us would still pick the second installment as our fav within the superbly crafted trilogy.

Despite the fact that Spiderman 3 was predominantly an action-based movie, the movie managed to do a wonderful job in developing their characters, by putting them in real-life situations and dilemas where the audience can really connect, and emphatise with. Unlike most other Superhero movies where the main characters are always infallible when it comes to choosing the side of good over evil, Spiderman is essentially flawed. With his Spidey suit on or off, Peter Parker is always struggling with problems including his romantic attachment with MJ, paying his rent for his miserable apartment, mending his strained friendship with his best mate Harry, and basically balancing his whole life between his dual identity. And when the time comes for Spidey to make choices, he does not always make the right ones. It is precisely because of his vulnerabilities and weakness that makes Spiderman all the more endearing since we can identify with him as a fellow human being, rather than someone who has come from a far away planet.

In Spiderman 3, the theme of "choice" runs very strongly throughout the movie. When Peter learnt that Flint Marko was the real killer of his Uncle Ben, he was filled with hatred and the thirst to exact revenge. At the end of the movie, however, he chose forgiveness over vengeance. When the symbiote fused with Spidey's suit turning it black, Spidey experienced new found power enhancement. It felt wonderful but he realised it also adversely affected his personality. As a result, his relationship with MJ crumbled, his best friend Harry ended up disfigured. I particularly loved the scene where, at the bell tower of a church, Peter struggled with all his might to rip off the symbiote suit. It looked painful, as all hard decisions are bound to be. Even Harry Osborn made critical choices in this movie, when he eventually decided to bury the hatchet and went back to being Peter's best buddy, and ally...for one final tag team battle that he ended up paying with his life, to save that of a dear friend. I thought it was a particularly nice touch that in the beginning of the movie Harry made the omnimous comment that Peter Parker and Mary Jane are two of his best friends, whom he would willingly give up his life for.

I think that in real life, the lesson of making choices is an important one. Often we'd hear about people grumbling about being burnt out from work, having no time to spend with family cos work requires much travelling, children growing up spoilt because no time/means to discipline them etc etc. Whenever I hear such things, I can't help but think these to just be a bunch of excuses. Excuses that these people conveniently utter in an attempt to convince not only other people, but also themselves, for their inability and/or unwillingness to make the right choices.

I mean, if one acknowledges that family and health should come before work, then one should take steps to strike a balance between work and home. A balance where these priorities are aptly reflected. Granted, sometimes it is easier said than done. But my feeling is that people who gripes about these inadequacies often do so without even trying to make amendments.

The worst are those who have kids and go around telling people how difficult it is to raise kids...no time to discipline them...maid/ caregiver not doing a good job...now kids become rascals, but no choice cos there's nothing they can do...blah blah blah.

No choice? Bullsh*t. These people should have considered all these before choosing not to put on that bloody condom.

You always have a choice.