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Written by: Stan Lee and Steve Ditko (Marvel comic book), David Koepp (screenplay)
Directed by: Sam Raimi
Starring: Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, Willem Dafoe, James Franco, J.K. Simmons, Joe Manganiello, Bruce Campbell, Elizabeth Banks
Rated: PG-13
Watch the trailer
Plot
After being bitten by a genetically-modified spider, a shy teenager gains spider-like abilities that he uses to fight injustice as a masked superhero and face a vengeful enemy.
Verdict
While it feels a bit tired now, that's because this super hero formula has been followed many times, twice by subsequent Spider-Man movies. It's difficult to see now how exciting this movie was at the time. The worth in watching this now is more for the historical significance this holds in comic adaptations.
It depends.
Review
This movie was one of the first comic movies after X-men. It's a stark difference in comparison to recent Spider-Man movies, but this is the one that started it all. The reason so many different iterations of Spider-Man movies released is that to keep the property, Sony had to release a related movie so often.
We get the origin of Spider-Man, from diminutive student to a powerful hero. Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) is the book smart, excluded, and oft-bullied high school student. A school field trip leads to his powers, as the tour guide provides a preview of his powers as she discusses the abilities of the spiders in the lab. It's a stretch that a spider this closely observed escapes, but the story needs it.
Peter's DNA changes overnight, and this does a good job of showing his powers through a montage. It's fun and funny. With his powers, Peter wants to be more popular.
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| Tobey Maguire plays Peter Parker |
Peter is mean to Uncle Ben during a car ride, and the only reason seems to be set up a subsequent scene. Maybe Peter is impatient due to his upcoming fight, but it's telegraphed. It's the oft quoted scene where Ben tells Peter that "with great power comes great responsibility." Peter begins to fight crime to avenge his uncle and to use his power for good.
Peter is in love with MJ (Kirsten Dunst) but he's too nervous to tell her how he feels. He manages to get a job, though I'm surprised no one finds it odd that Peter is the only person that can get a photo of Spider-Man and such great pictures as well.
The villain is the Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe). He does a great job in the role and the tension during his introduction is well done. Of course Spider-Man thwarts Green Goblin's plans. This sets up Green Goblin's interest in Spider-Man and their final battle. Peter has to choose between being Peter Parker and Spider-Man. It's something similar The Dark Knight would do some years later.
This could have done more with Peter's choice, but the final fight with Green Goblin isn't bad. This ends on a bittersweet note for Peter.
At the time, this was one of the best comic book movies though there weren't as many to choose from as there are now. It's not bad at all, and it was a giant leap forward for what comic book movies could be when given a significant budget.
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