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Summary: Top 5 Things I Liked About the DVD...
Review: Here we go... (5) DANNY ELFMAN's dark, jittery musical score. Think of the roiling, angry energy of Elfman's music for the first 'Batman' movie [if you've forgotten, you can also hear it at the beginning and end of the Batman 'animated series'], then add the sound of an army of spiders scuttling across your living room floor, and you'll get the idea. (4) Director SAM RAIMI's wonderfully hyperkinetic visual style, propelling the action forward while emphasizing the larger-than-life feel of a comic book. (3) The much-maligned SPECIAL EFFECTS, CGI and all. The widescreen format preserves the 'rush' as Spidey swoops headlong through the city streets, barely missing cars and pedestrians (and nearly running into buildings) in hot pursuit of the bad guys. It's a GREAT ride. (2) TOBEY MAGUIRE's understated performance as geeky high school kid Peter Parker. When Peter realizes that he has superpowers, you feel his joy as he leaps from rooftop to rooftop through the gritty city, empowered at last. Yet, even after becoming Spidey, Maguire never lets you forget the scared kid underneath the superhero, ready to break through at any moment. AND FINALLY... (1) J.K. SIMMONS' hilarious, scenery-chewing, all-too-brief turn as newspaper editor (and chief-Spidey-hater) J. J. Jamison. I hope we'll see a LOT more of JJJ in the sequel. Thanks for reading this, and see you at the movies!
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Summary: great gift
Review: i gave this as a gift and since then i have seen it my self. i saw the movie in theaters, but this was just as great on the 30in lcd tv. very nice and complete gift set here.
Rating:
Summary: Another one of the awesome Marvel movies
Review: I like this movie a lot. I especially like how Tobey Maguire portrayed Peter Parker/Spder-Man and how Willem Defoe portrayed Norman Osborn/Green Goblin. The only annoying thing about the movie is Mary Jane, she screams too much and can't fight for 5 seconds. Other than that This movie is great.
Rating: 
Summary: I Hate to Say This, But ...
Review: I'm sorry, but I hated this film. So much so that I refuse to see the second one.
Tobey Maguire looks about 12. He did not convince me that even with super powers he could battle evil. "I did all my own stunts." Please! In just about all the action sequences, Spiderman was so cgi that he looked like a slimmed-down Shrek with red spandex on.
The only positive feeling that this film left me with was knowing that I was right in all those school yard debates many years ago: "Who is the better super-hero, Spiderman or Batman?" I was on Batman's side, and this film made me feel all the more justified in my choice.
I felt sorry for Kirsten Dunst. She's a good actress, and she got stuck with this.
The best thing about it was it had a Nickelback song, and it's to Nickelback that my one lonely star for this film goes to.
Sorry.
Rating:
Summary: Record breaking, and an action packed thriller!
Review: It is hard to turn a story based on a comic book into something thrilling, that's why I give the scriptwriter the benefit of the doubt. Despite the fact that the script was better than Spiderman 2 this script still stank.
Don't get me wrong, the action and graphics were intense and thrilling but the story stank. It's about science geek Peter Parker who can't get his love, Mary Jane, to go out with him but rather he just acts like a puss and let's other jerks get her. He lives next door to her yet he's afraid to talk to his own neighbor. Jeepers what a douch.
Peter's luck changes for the good when he gets raped by a radioactive spider turning into Spiderman. What happens to the spider is anyone's guess. Peter saves the day with cool moves and at the end has a chance is get some booty from Mary Jane but decides he wants to go home and masturbate to comic books underneath his bed. The real reason he doesn't get with MJ is because she's afraid she'll get hurt because of the dangerous life he leads. Yet he doesn't ditch Aunt May.
Watch this movie but don't expect a blockbuster
Rating:
Summary: SPIDER-MAN is a superhero thriller with heart
Review: Like everyone else, I was wondering just how the big-budget movie version of Marvel's #1 superhero would play. After all, audiences had suffered through the over-blown camp of Joel Schumacher's dismal BATMAN & ROBIN, and then were entertained by Brian Singer's solid X-MEN. Fortunately, director Sam Raimi and his stellar cast create a superhero classic that will rank up there with the first 2 Christopher Reeve Superman films and the Tim Burton Batman flicks as the best of their genre. Indeed, SPIDER-MAN achieves this distinction not for its action, but for its heart.
By now, most people are familiar with Spidey's story. A nerdy high school student, Peter Parker, gains amazing powers after being bitten by a genetically mutated spider during a field trip. At first, he decides to use his powers for profit. However, when his thoughtlessness results in the death of his beloved Uncle Ben, he resolves to use them for good...even though many around him question his motives. Indeed, in this movie, the whole story plays as a metaphor for one's coming-of-age...both physically and emotionally. The casting is solid and most of them find the emotional truth in this unusual story. Tobey Maguire is perfect as Peter Parker/Spider-Man and he succeeds in getting us to empathize and root for him. Kirsten Dunst matches him as Mary Jane Watson, the girl who he secretly carries a torch for. Willem Dafoe is delightfully hammy as the menacing Green Goblin. J.K. Simmons is an absolute scene- stealer as cranky newspaper editor, J. Jonah Jameson. Cliff Robertson and Rosemary Harris add a wonderful touch of class as Peter's guardians, Uncle Ben and Aunt May.
At a brisk 2 hours, Raimi keeps the film going at a good clip and the action sequences are engrossing. He also has fun with his audiences. Fans of "Xena:Warrior Princess" (a TV show that Raimi produced) will get a kick out the various cameos by Lucy Lawless, Ted Raimi and Bruce Campbell. Of course, one could quibble about certain things, mainly how the Goblin's suit makes him look more likely to battle the Pink Ranger than Spider-Man, but the movie is so fun that you don't really care.
All too often, most comic-book based films get caught up only in the action and characterization and depth get ignored as a result. This film doesn't, making SPIDER-MAN that rare thing indeed.....a superhero film with heart. Highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: Spinning A Worthy Web
Review: Spider-Man is an entertaining film that is a great summertime, popcorn movie. The film explores the origins of the transformation of Peter Parker from nerdy high school student to the web slinging superhero Spider-Man. Tobey Maguire is quite good in the title role. He plays the character with the right amount of torment as an outcast who has been put down all his life, but injects pride, joy and happiness into the Peter from his newly bestowed powers. Kirtsen Dunst is Peter's next door neighbor, Mary Jane Watson. Ms. Dunst is not given much to work worth in the character, she is the requisite love interest, damsel in distress but she is appealing in the role. Willem Dafoe is plays the Green Goblin who is the villain in the film. The Goblin's alter ego is Norman Osborne who is the rich father of Harry (James Franco), Peter's best friend and roommate. Mr. Dafoe is perfectly cast as the Goblin and he handles the character's schizophrenic outbursts with creepy aplomb. Mr. Franco plays Harry sullenly and he appears as if he is moping through the picture. J.K. Simmons plays Daily Bugle editor J. Jonah Jameson as a pushy, demanding blowhard who listens only to himself with hilarious results. People have criticized the fighting and action scenes, but they are really no better or worse than most current action films. There are some Matrix like sequences with the slow motion, but these scenes actually help show Spider-Man's spider senses that allow him to anticipate and react quickly to danger. The film was a box office smash and we should expect to see numerous sequels that will hopefully be as appealing as the first installment.
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Summary: Spiderman
Review: There is good reason that Spider-Man is one of the most popular characters in the Marvel Comics universe. Unlike many of his "peers," Spider-Man is a fully developed character with depth and background... both of which (in the proper context) make him a believable, relatable character.
As is appropriate for this movie (the first movie in what will hopefully be a long franchise), Director Sam Raimi takes the first quarter of the picture to create the core character of Peter Parker, and document his transformation into Spider-Man. Updated for today's society, Peter is introduced as the prototypical high school geek, torn down by the "popular" students while at the same time pining away for the girl next door who is, for all practical purposes, out of his reach.
Fate steps in during a school field trip, changing his life forever. While Peter initially is buoyed by his new-found abilities and what they can do for him against those who have bullied him in the past, he quickly learns the painful consequences of their misuse. It's a lesson that Raimi successfully interweaves through the rest of the picture (and one that will continue into the second movie, Spider-Man 2).
Raimi has done an unparalled job of bringing the comic universe Spidey inhabits into the real world streets of New York City. He has created a visual environment that allows you to believe such characters could, indeed, exist just around the next block. Tobey Maguire is perfectly cast as Peter Parker/Spider-Man; he nails the essence of the conflicted soul of the character. Kirsten Dunst and Willem Dafoe are also well cast, although I fear that Dunst was reduced to the obligatory screaming siren in more scenes than were necessary. (As a side note, she is allowed to explore the character of Mary Jane much more fully in the second movie -- thank goodness!)
Overall, this movie was every bit as good as its extraordinary movie gross would indicate. This DVD version of the film includes many bonus features and behind-the-scenes tidbits that are fascinating but sadly too short. Commentary by Raimi, Dunst and others is extremely interesting and fun to hear; the unique pop-up commentary contains unusual tidbits that are also worth exploring. If you watch the film on a PC, the pop-ups can also link to the excellent Spider-Man website for additional background information.
If you are a fan of Spider-Man, you'll love this film. If you've never heard of him, this is a great way to gently ease into the mythos of this extremely popular character.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent! My favorite movie of the summer and of 2002.
Review: Well it's a suprisingly excellent adaptation of one of my favorite super-heroes, it's from Sam Raimi ( Director of " Evil Dead")presenting this one-of-a-kind Fantasy action movie about a High-school kid named " Peter Parker" ( Tobey Mcguire) who was bitten by a radioactive Spider during a field trip suddenly gains these strange superhuman powers including Shooting Webs from his own hands and climbing walls. He then becomes an avenger who wants to avenge his uncle Ben's death, but the evil Norman Osbourn ( William Defoe) has plans for Spidy as he becomes " The Green Goblin".A highly entertaining 2-hour epic with lots of flawless perfomances, great stunts, a fine script and not to mention that this is one of those Comic Book movies that were done right just like " Batman", " Superman", " X-Men", " Blade" or " The Crow". This will spawn a sequel or two, but i cannot wait for the other marvel films like " Daredevil", " Ghost Rider", " Hulk", " Fantastic Four" and others to become as good as this one. Go see it.
Rating:
Summary: CAUGHT IN THE WEB
Review: While many critics complained that the CGI effects made the movie seem more like a video game, I found the effects jawdropping, awesome and quite fun. Sam Raimi's fast-paced, lively direction perfectly propels the comic book hero onto the big screen. Tobey Maguire is perfect as Peter Parker, showing his immense range (see "Seabiscuit," "Pleasantville"), and Kirsten Dunst radiates not only a beautiful physical presence, but the quite seductive beauty of a girl becoming a woman. Willem Dafoe is the perfect archvillain, although it seems at times he gets too much the best of our hero, but in the end, spidey prevails. Cliff Robertson and Rosemary Harris do nicely as Parker's aunt and uncle, and James Franco gives a moody James Dean turn (he played him in a TV movie) as Harry, Dafoe's neglected son.
The whole production works mainly because of the heart the cast puts in, and the amazing effects. Looking forward to catching the sequel.
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