Rating: 
Summary: it was well worth the wait
Review: Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) is somewhat of your typical high-school nerd. He is a borderline genius who can't handle a simple conversation with the girl next door who he has loved for years, Mary Jane Watson (Kirsten Dunst). He works on the school paper, has coke-bottle thick glasses, and is spindly at best. No wonder he is the point of all cruel jokes. One day when the school is touring a science lab they go through an exhibit where scientists are trying to genetically mutate spiders combine all the individual powerful attributes of spiders into one "super-spider." Unfortunately they don't know that one is missing. Parker finds it as it bites him on the hand. The rest of the day is a blur as he feels himself getting more and more sick. When he returns to his Aunt and Uncle's house that night he passes out and has strange dreams involving the spider.
The next day things are different. Peter finds he doesn't need his glasses and he appears to have gone from scrawny to having the body of a gymnist as he slept. Stranger things are beginning to happen as his hands stick to things and a weird web-like substance is coming out of his wrist. After he defeates the school bully in a joke of a fight he finds himself running in panic into an alley. When he remembers the bite on his hand he begins to have an idea and, being the scientist that he hopes to be, he tries an experiment. Before he knows it he is crawling up the side of a building and jumping the roof tops. He is even learning how to shoot the webs from his wrist.
Like most teen-agers who suddenly have power he decides that with a lot of money would come the girl of his dreams. Parker enters a professional wrestling ring for an exhibition bout dressed as "The Amazing Spider-Man" and promptly destroys the giant of a man. Unfortunately things begin going to his head and he lets a robber get away from him with devestating consequences. Suddenly he learns to his horror that, "With Great Power, Comes Great Responsibility." Parker uses a newly designed costume as well as increased skill with his powers to help the citizens of New York.
Unfortunately Parker is not your average super-hero. He isn't rich and doesn't have a trust fund so while battling crime on the side, he also has to find a place to live, get a job, see about getting into college, take care of his Aunt, and oh yeah...dare we forget that with the rise of a super-hero and villain is bound to appear?
Norman Osborn (Willem Dafoe) is the father of Parker's best friend. He is rich, a brilliant inventor, and after ingesting a super-soldier type formula, quite insane. Osborn dons the exo-skelton he had been designed for the military as well as stealing a glider and is quickly dubbed The Green Goblin by the press. As we all know, the two will eventually battle. The real question is how Parker is going to handle battling a villain who he frequently hangs out with for dinner when Norman drops by to see his son, Harry.
This was really well-worth the wait. Fans of the comic will really not have too many complaints. Sure they have changed some things for simple continuity but nothing great has been changed. People who haven't read the comic will also be able to follow this introductory story (since there will most certaintly be a sequel).
Sam Raimi directs this with much of the style that he has done similar features previously with the Evil Dead series. This has many dark tones but is also infused with the humor that helps move the story along. There were a few slow moments but overall nothing that would cause the fans to lose interest. The special effects are worth every penny that has been paid. Certainly many things do look computer generated but it is done in such as style as to closely mimic the drawings that would appear in the comic.
Casting was always a major worry in this movie. Many people, such as myself, were worried to hear that Tobey Maguire had been cast. Sure he had done a wonderful job in The Cider-House Rules and certainly he had held his own in the idiotic Wonder Boys, but casting him as Spider-Man??? Well, I have to apologize to Mr. Maguire because he certainly did a wonderful job hear. He definitly was able to handle the dramatic moments and also carried more than a certain sly charm that allowed him to do the trade-mark quips that fans of Spider-Man have come to expect. He also has spent an incredible amount of time with the personal trainers and that showed. I for one will willingly back him for the sequels and hope that we don't have a fiasco similar to Batman with the actor changing each film.
Willem Dafoe is probably "the weakest link" in the movie and that is more from the writing of his character than how he does. I think that at times they made his acting a tad too comic-bookish if you will but that really wouldn't be his fault.
I approached this movie with a certain amount of trepidation and yet enthusiastically. Spider-Man is a comic-book hero that many can identify with since he seems to have the most human problems of them all. Thankfully the writers and direction of the movie all worked exceptionally well.
Rating: 
Summary: Bad Movie
Review: I didn't go in the movie theatre expecting a lot, and even those expectations did not stand for long. The special effects - the only strength that this movie could have - were corny and cliched. What tops them all is the shot of peter climbing on the "wall" - clearly he was climbing on the floor and thd shot was on its side. The characters? Again, cliche after cliche. Bad guys look evil, good guys look like saints. And don't even get me started on the green goblin - was that supposed to be funny? The dialogue was horrible too... Don't see this movie. Maybe if I were a spidey fan i would think twice, but since i'm not - here it is.
Rating:
Summary: Held Up To All The Expectations
Review: I was never really into Spider-Man when I first heard about it, but on Friday, the first day it came out, I was really Pumped and Excited to see it! As I was watching it, I was in awe of all the things that this movie had! It had lots of action and comedy rolled into one, which was great to see.Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, Willem Dafoe, James Franco & Rosemary Harris were great and portrayed their characters in an excellent way. Though, I didn't really read *that much* of the comics or watched the cartoon a lot but, from what I saw, they pulled it off quite well. So far, X-Men and Spider-Man remains on my list for my favorite comic book to film Adaptations. Surely the Spider-Man DVD will be a *Must Have* for My Collection! Overall Spider-Man was well done and will leave you wanting more.
Rating: 
Summary: I'm Amazed
Review: "Spider-Man" is the second of three projected movies based on comic book characters from Marvel. This film is easily one of the best action movies that I've ever watched. The acting was phenomonal, the stunts great, the action superb, and the plot was outstanding. The plot of this film basically sets up Peter Parker, a.k.a. Spider-Man's life. It shows how he is not popular and is a geek in school and doesn't really fit in with the "in" crowd. It shows how he got bitten by the super spider and how his whole entire life was transformed from a high school kid into a crime fighting superhero. The main conflict in this film is between Spider-Man and the Green Goblin. This film is so monumental and had such a huge success at the box office because of the character of Spider-Man. Spider-Man has been around for about 40 years and this is the first live action screenplay featuring the loved superhero. Moviegoers and comic book readers can identify with Peter Parker because he is just an ordinary guy until he is bit by a spider. It is very easy to spot Peter's weaknesses and stengths and to compare them towards your own. Sam Raimi, the director of this film, succeeded so well in the production because he accurately portrayed Spider-Man, and all of the other characters for that matter, so well. Credit should also be given to the talented actors and actresses that starred in this movie. Those are the reasons for the huge success of this film. The portrayals of each character was done brilliantly because of great actors. Tobey Maguire is the perfect Peter Parker and suits the role that he is playing very well. Kirsten Dunst made a name for herself in this film as she played Mary Jane Watson, Spider-Man's crush. Dunst, Maguire, and all of the other actors in this film deserve much credit as the film would have been no where as good as it is if these people weren't in it. The action sequences were done marvelously and these scenes helped make the movie what it is. The costume and makeup team did a fabulous job and they did a great job of bringing Spider-Man and everybody elses' costumes alive. Finally, the drama was great and in every scene you will be able to feel for the characters. What made this film so great was that it was very realistic and it seems like the events in this film actually happened. "Spider-Man" is definitely the best film that I've seen all year and this now holds a place in the top ten of my favorite films. This film will not only be enjoyed by comic book readers but by kids and adults that have never read a Spidey comic before. This is defintiely worth seeing many, many times. Now I'm in agony waiting for the DVD. Happy Viewing!
Rating:
Summary: Sam delivers!
Review: I took my seat in the cinema expecting to be disappointed. I wanted Spider-man to be special, but like many big movies in recent years, the potential of the source material was never realised when translated to the big screen. Well, I was anything but disappointed. If you love Spider-man then you'll love this movie. If you don't know anything about Spider-man, you'll love this movie. I watched this with my wife and daughter, both of whom I had to drag with me. My wife did not fancy watching a movie based on a comic book, and my daughter, aged 8, didn't really know who Spider-man is. Both loved this movie. We all loved this movie. Sam Raimi has delivered as much as could be expected. The movie isn't perfect, but its close. Yes, at times the pace slows, but that is required to develop character relationships, after all this is a movie not a computer game. The CGI is at times obvious, especially when Peter Parker is first enjoying his new found abilities, but that is forgiven by the totally awesome closing sequence. Just before the end titles, there is a final sequence showing Spidey, up close, swinging through New York which is truly amazing, and in my opinion flawless.
From the acting standpoint Tobey Maguire really delivers, as does Willem Defoe. This was such an enjoyable two hours, that I am going to see it again tonight, and I just can't wait to see that closing sequence again.
Rating:
Summary: Better than NBC's TV Show
Review: Did the movie live up to the hype? It went beyond the hype. The effects, the acting, the directing and the music were marvelously interwoven....cheers for Danny Elfman. This was a marvelous film, one that the creators of Spidey can be proud of. Personally I loved the NBC TV show and can't remember the guy who played Spidey, but I have always been "in love" with the Spiderman character. IF you're going to compare this with other renditions, don't go. It's a perfectly wholesome film to get hooked into and I don't care if it was a little smarmy in spots. There were a couple of scenes that were outa the 60's but that didn't keep me from enjoying a refreshing outlook on this Superhero. It's a delightful film from the word go and I look forward to more. Great job all!
Rating:
Summary: Your Friendly Neighborhood Superhero Epic!
Review: Poor Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire). He's an orphan, a put-upon science nerd, and has a lifelong crush on Mary Jane Watson (Kirsten Dunst), the troubled, yet beautiful, girl-next-door. His only friend is rich kid Harry Osborn (James Franco), and his meagre support structure includes his laid-off Uncle Ben (Cliff Robertson) and Aunt May (Rosemary Harris). While on a field trip, a genetically-altered spider bites him and...
Spider-puberty! Suddenly, Pete's got muscles and strange bodily emissions he has to keep hidden from his aunt and uncle. The kid even starts blowing off household chores. Of course, we know why. He's turning into Spider-Man, the beloved hero created way back in 1962 by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. It took years to get this lovable loser to the screen. Anticipation ran high.
Fortunately, Sam Raimi's version delivers the goods... for the most part. It's an action adventure film with heart, and remains remarkably faithful to the spirit of those original Lee/Ditko comics; even Spider-Man's victories are left-handed gifts from the gods. What's really wonderful about it is that it spends so much time in its characters' heads, brings them to life not with shorthanded script cliches, but nuances and the smallest moments. Maguire's Peter is a truly smart, nice guy who suffers from painful shyness, his positive qualities completely overlooked by his peers (whose hate for him is palpable in the early going, and not just there for color). Maguire manages to you hurt for the character in a subtle way not often seen in big-budget malarkey. And Dunst's MJ manages to be both vulnerable and sexy, wholesome yet dangerous. With her screaming parents and her winsome smile, it's easy to see how someone like Peter Parker would develop a secret love for her, maybe heightened by his need to protect her from the heartbreaks her future will no doubt bring her. And Cliff Robertson conveys the decency of a man who still believes in doing the right thing, in being responsible, even as life slowly crushes him.
It's in these very human, dramatic moments that it's easy to believe in these characters, but when the movie really needs to soar, when Peter Parker finds he's capable of amazing feats (wall-crawling, leaping, swinging from webs, sensing danger), we're shut out. Peter really needs to open up and let loose (actually, so should the movie should), but instead of joie d'spider, we get a very unconvincing CGI mannequin. We never get to sail along with Spidey in any real sense, and there's not enough veracity. This is extremely odd, because usually it's the other way around- in the typical Hollywood blockbuster, we don't give a crap about the regular people; they get shorted so the hero can blow things up and toss off corny one-liners (something the comic Spidey does with aplomb, but rarely here).
Another problem is the film's villain. Willem Dafoe can play creepy, and he does make Norman Osborn (Harry's dad- look out Peter Parker!) suitably sympathetic as he slides into insanity. It's just that the Green Goblin's suit, with its immobile countenance, looks more like a sleek costume for Rio's yearly Carneval than it does the garb of a madman bent on destruction. Dafoe gets to make a few nefarious speeches, but instead of his fiercely angular face, we see the frozen rictus of a dimestore Halloween mask. It becomes more of a voice performance, but keeps the Goblin from really coming to life.
What's left is a very good film, tons of fun, and arguably the best super-hero flick since the first "Superman," but one that comes so close to greatness that it's ultimately frustrating. I can't fault them for plumping the soap opera; they reached for "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" instead of "Armageddon" and any film that aspires to that, especially one that features a guy dressed like an insect, deserves props. Too often giant films like this fall victim to gaudy excess, with explosions substituting for catharsis. It's just that I enjoyed the Peter/Mary Jane/Harry scenes more than the Spidey scenes. Most of them, anyway. There's a moment in the middle of the film where Spidey's rescued MJ and tells her she knows him. She's confused until he explains, "I'm your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man" in a bouyant tone, and for that moment, he's exactly right.
Rating:
Summary: If only the special effects were good as the movie itself!
Review: I had feared that Tobey McGuire would not perform well in this role after his lackluster narration for the game. Thankfully he pulled of Peter Parker brilliantly. I was amazed as to how well casted this movie actually turned out. The movie seems a bit on the long side, but this is actually a good thing. I've been complaining that movies of late have been relatively short. Its not as long as Fellowship of the Ring, but it is longer than X-Men, and that gives us more time for character development, and while I would have liked to have seen Mary Jane and Harry Osbourne focused on a little more over all the characters were all fleshed out nicely. This is a very emotional film, and I appreciate Raimi's focus on Spider-Man as the tragic hero. This is what Spider-Man is, and that is the critical point that I think that some critics were missing. Spider-Man fights to keep a positive swing (pun intended) on things. He is very much surrounded by constant negativity, and villains deliberately try to go after his friends and family just because he's Spider-Man! The problem with being Spider-Man, for Peter, is just being Spider-Man. This has been the focus of the comic book for years, and while the argument over organic web-shooters, versus mechanical web-shooters can go on for ages it works well with the film. Everything about this film is brilliantly done, well thought out, and at time so well done it is frightening (William DaFoe as the Green Goblin, arguing with William DaFoe as Norman Osbourne.) In this film you see Spider-Man try so hard to write the wrongs of the world around him, only to end up getting hurt. The tragic hero manages to keep a smile on his face and spout witty remarks just the same. The best part of the movie is how real the characters felt. It's a bloody shame that NOTHING about the CGI animations looked or felt real. With as real as the characters felt, the lackluster videogame looking CGI animations worked against the over all film, and in many instances an easy fix should have been available for the sizable budget this movie had. The problem? Probably that ILM has all of its good people out on Star Wars and Lord of the Rings and probably wasn't available to do the CGI sequences. The sad fact is that only ILM can do CGI sequences and have them look good. Every movie without ILM's best people on board has terrible effects. Which is why, were I shooting it I would have done the special effects in a very different way. It is hard, but not impossible to get a human to move that way. All you'd need to do is digitally speed him up. Also, in the first act of the film there is a scene where Peter Parker is chasing after the car jacker who killed his uncle and the entire scene is painfully CGI, and taking McGuire's real face and grafting it to the CGI body would have drastically improved the scene. When Star Wars and other movies offer stunning CGI visuals, and even Nintendo's remake of Resident Evil has such attention to detail right down to loose threads in the clothing there is no excuse for such bad CGI. The effects are the only thing that keeps me from giving this a perfect score, because this could have otherwise been the best comic to film adaptation of them all. This movie is a five star film in a three star package, and that's what holds it back. The worst part is that just a few minor alterations would have made a world of difference. I hope that they do touch up the CGI for the DVD. If not then lets hope that the sequel will have better effects.
Rating:
Summary: Spiderman- Movie of the Summer
Review: Spiderman is a great movie!!! Not only are the special effects breathtaking, the storyline is true to form. Stan Lee was an Exec. Producer for this movie and made sure that the storyline was accurate. This movie gets 5 stars in my book. If you like superheros you are sure to like this movie. It's for big kids and little ones too!!!
Rating:
Summary: With great power comes great responsibility.
Review: The potential that director Sam Raimi showed with his mainstream hit Darkman comes to fruition in Spiderman (that Raimi throws in several visual/plot homages to Darkman adds icing to a delicious cinematic feast). Wonderfully the movie never looses sit of it human characters and the action does not overwhelm the story, but serves it. No movie is perfect and decriers, mockers, and comic book haters will gladly carve into this megahit with relish, pointing out its shortcomings (and there are a few). But for me it is one of the very best super hero movies made. A must see.
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