DISCLAIMER: If you haven't see the movie yet, stop here.
Just got back from taking my kids to see it. I give it a 2 1/2 star rating. It was a good movie; but as my 11 year old aptly said when I asked him what he thought....
"Too much romance and not enough action". And I can see that, looking from a kid's standpoint. It was geared more for the adult comic book fan/geek, then for kids IMO.
I have to admit that I while I was an avid comic book fan/collector in the 60's, I didn't really follow the evolution (and addition) of some of these characters, such as Venom, Harry Osbourne, etc into the 70s/80s. I thought the plot/storyline though was pretty solid. But again, not too appealing/attention holding for kids. The last 30 minutes, the final battle with the Venom symbiote and the Sandman, was pretty solid.
I also thought Peter Parker's personality "transformation" by the alien symbiote was pretty cornball. It turned him into John Travolta from Saturday Night Fever dancing and gyrating through the streets.
But the whole movie was Peter Parker fighting his own "demons".
I will say this though..... Bryce Dallas Howard (Ron Howard's daughter) is a blonde hottie in this one.