Spider-Man

"Excellent"

Spider-Man Review


If you aren't already sick to death of unyielding Spider-Man promotions for burgers, cellular phone plans, and the movie itself, you might just find the film a good time. Really good, in fact.

After a dozen or so years of fantastically bitter legal wrangling, Spider-Man has finally crawled to the big screen. For the uninitiated (and even for those of us who grew up with the comics but can't remember all the details), Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) is the whipping boy of his New York high school. He's got a crush on the girl next door, Mary Jane (Kirsten Dunst), and his best friend Harry (James Franco) is the son of the local millionaire/scientist Norman Osborn (Willem Dafoe).

But Parker turns from geek to freak when he is bitten by a genetically-engineered (no longer "radioactive") spider and soon develops super powers -- the ability to climb sheer walls, superhuman strength, incredible speed, a kind of sixth sense, and those famous webs that spring from his wrists.

What follows is typical of the superhero genre film, as Dafoe's Osborn turns villainous by experimenting on himself with some kind of superhuman concoction. He dons a plastic suit and climbs aboard a strange one-man jet-glider, then is nicknamed the Green Goblin as he kills off his enemies and disturbs the peace. Will Spider-Man vanquish the villain? Will he get the girl?

Directed by Sam Raimi, of such films as The Evil Dead and A Simple Plan, Spider-Man is an inventive and fun action flick. It's somewhat mindless, but it has a certain wry, Raimi sensibility that fans of his will recognize and enjoy. Then again, I was surprised by the number of walkouts during our screening; maybe Raimi's sense of humor doesn't translate to everyone.

The best moments of the film are at the beginning, when Peter Parker gets his famous spider bite, as he comes to terms with his newfound powers, and as he decides to "use his powers for good." The scenes where he tries to figure out how his new webs work and the debut of his spider costume (in an amateur wrestling ring) are priceless -- and are fabulously appropriate updates to what has become a pretty dated superhero story.

The photography is astounding (even though most of the effects are CGI, they're really good CGI). We get to ride along on Spidey's web rides, and it feels like we too are perched on the side of the Empire State Building. And I only caught one goof, when Dunst's hair blows into the wind as she and Spidey are swinging through the streets.

Also of note: Considering Raimi's past work, it's not surprising how funny Spider-Man can be. With mildly naughty (yet still PG-13) lines, even the most mundane moments are made a little bit comedic. Frankly it's the best comedy I've seen all year, and it's way better than the straightforward and pedantic X-Men.

The only downside is the bad guy. The Green Goblin is one of the lamest villains ever to appear in the movies. His green suit is ridiculous and comical, and Dafoe's many monologues, delivered through a black piece of fabric that covers his gaping mouth, are hard to listen to because his character is just so stupid. (Unfortunately, pretty much all of Spider-Man's foes are lame, including such characters as "Lizard" and "Beetle.")

What's the upshot? My Spidey sense says that Raimi will finally hit the A-list, Maguire will get some new respect, and this film is gonna make a whole lot of money.

Of course, it's gonna make even more money on DVD, an extremely impressive two-disc set. Disc one has two commentaries and a pop-up Spidey feature filled with fun facts. Disc two has even more fun stuff, including selected covers and storylines from the comic books, tons of background info on the comic -- including a villain and love interest gallery, plus outtakes and screen tests. There's even a freakin' video game for your PC. This DVD rocks!

Spider-Man, I love you!!!



Spider-Man

Facts and Figures

Run time: 121 mins

In Theaters: Friday 3rd May 2002

Box Office Worldwide: $806M

Budget: $139M

Production compaines: Columbia Pictures, Marvel Entertainment, LLC, Laura Ziskin Productions

Reviews

Contactmusic.com: 4 / 5

IMDB: 7.3 / 10

Cast & Crew

Director:

Starring: as Spider-Man / Peter Parker, as Green Goblin / Norman Osborn, as Mary Jane Watson, as Harry Osborn, as Ben Parker, J.K. Simmons as J. Jonah Jameson, as Flash Thompson, Gerry Becker as Maximilian Fargas, as May Parker, as Joseph 'Robbie' Robertson, as Ring Announcer, as General Slocum, Ron Perkins as Dr. Mendell Stromm, as Carjacker, K. K. Dodds as Simkins, Jack Betts as Henry Balkan, as Miss Brant, Shan Omar Huey as Teacher, as Punk Rock Girl, Robert Kerman as Tugboat Captain, as Hoffman, as Houseman, as Check-In Girl, as Bone Saw McGraw, as Subway Guitarist, as Cop at Carjacking, Una Damon as Lab Tour Guide, as Man in Fair

Contactmusic


Links


New Movies

Star Wars: The Last Jedi Movie Review

Star Wars: The Last Jedi Movie Review

After the thunderous reception for J.J. Abrams' Episode VII: The Force Awakens two years ago,...

Daddy's Home 2 Movie Review

Daddy's Home 2 Movie Review

Like the 2015 original, this comedy plays merrily with cliches to tell a silly story...

The Man Who Invented Christmas Movie Review

The Man Who Invented Christmas Movie Review

There's a somewhat contrived jauntiness to this blending of fact and fiction that may leave...

Ferdinand Movie Review

Ferdinand Movie Review

This animated comedy adventure is based on the beloved children's book, which was published in...

Brigsby Bear Movie Review

Brigsby Bear Movie Review

Director Dave McCary makes a superb feature debut with this offbeat black comedy, which explores...

Battle of the Sexes Movie Review

Battle of the Sexes Movie Review

A dramatisation of the real-life clash between tennis icons Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs,...

Shot Caller Movie Review

Shot Caller Movie Review

There isn't much subtlety to this prison thriller, but it's edgy enough to hold the...

Advertisement
The Disaster Artist Movie Review

The Disaster Artist Movie Review

A hilariously outrageous story based on real events, this film recounts the making of the...

Stronger Movie Review

Stronger Movie Review

Based on a true story about the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, this looks like one...

Only the Brave Movie Review

Only the Brave Movie Review

Based on a genuinely moving true story, this film undercuts the realism by pushing its...

Wonder Movie Review

Wonder Movie Review

This film may be based on RJ Palacio's fictional bestseller, but it approaches its story...

Happy End  Movie Review

Happy End Movie Review

Austrian auteur Michael Haneke isn't known for his light touch, but rather for hard-hitting, award-winning...

Patti Cake$ Movie Review

Patti Cake$ Movie Review

Seemingly from out of nowhere, this film generates perhaps the biggest smile of any movie...

The Limehouse Golem Movie Review

The Limehouse Golem Movie Review

A Victorian thriller with rather heavy echoes of Jack the Ripper, this film struggles to...

Advertisement
Artists
Actors
    Filmmakers
      Artists
      Bands
        Musicians
          Artists
          Celebrities
             
              Artists
              Interviews