Rating: 
Summary: Joining the "Ranks" of Spiderman fans!!!
Review: Before viewing SPIDERMAN, I could definitely not have been classified in the 'Spiderman lover' category. I considered the comics to be childish as well as bland. However, after seeing this movie my mindset (amazingly) was forced onto a different path. What a great production! There is none of the comic's reiteration of the same plot, or confusion of scattered storylines. This film is concise, intriguing, and 'I must face it- VERY cool!!! I find myself waiting (with baited breath) for SPIDERMAN 2, and wanting a LOT MORE!
Rating: 
Summary: The special features on the DVD were better than the movie
Review: I purchased this DVD because I went through a Marvel comic book phase when I was growing up. So I thought it might be fun to see. Reviews on the movie were reasonably good, too. However, like many movies of this genre (action-adventure-superheroes), it tries to overcome its inherent flaws in script with overdone and interminably long special effects sequences that defy all physical laws.I made the serious mistake of viewing the special features on the 2nd DVD disk first. They were very imaginative and interesting and it increased my expectations for the movie. Unfortunately, my expectations were clearly not met. My major complaint is that the script was just too thin and absolutely predictable. Are all producers/directors are still trying to recreate (copy?) the Titanic phenonmenon (see Pearl Harbor et al). Also, Kirsten Dunst looks ridiculous in a red wig. However, Tobey Maguire and Willem Dafoe were well cast. Overall an average movie.
Rating: 
Summary: Wishing for More
Review: Let me start by saying that I really enjoy the film itself and give that five stars. I think it really captured the spirit of the comic book. However, I have never been more disappointed in DVD extras. I was really looking forward to more depth and detail into the making of the movie and the actors' thoughts on the process. I even thought they would have given a small hint as to how they will approach the future films. I felt like all it was was a repeat of all the specials that were shown on television. The few original additions felt like they were just thrown in to have more items in the list. I don't think the extras did anything to enhance the film. Maybe the most disappointing thing for me is the omission of the trailer that shows Spiderman building the web between the World Trade Center towers that catches the helicopter. That was an amazing trailer and really got me excited for the movie. I realize 9/11 is still a sensitive area for many people, but I think omitting that scene takes away some of the excitment and mythology in the movie of New York. The creator's of the movie and DVD missed their chance to really show off the things that made this movie great.
Rating:
Summary: SPIDER-MAN!!!
Review: this was the first good movie of the year. Star Wars beat it barely simply because Yoda got to fight, but this film is definately worth the money. It has great acting, the effects (although impressive) needed a little work, and it could have been longer, but other than that this film is gold. A solid 4.5! I can't wait until Spider-Man II! Buy this and Star Wars Episode II and have a wonderful movie night this weekend.
Rating:
Summary: Spiderman catches both young and old at heart!!
Review: As Hollywood starts to shoot out one after another comic book themed movies, we as the viewer start seeing them all looking the same and not one of them sticking out. First it was Batman and then it was X-Men and now Hollywood brings out it's hardest punch (I believe) with the web slinging action flick of Spiderman. Tobey McGuire plays the part as Peter Parker the little high school nerd that is the joke of the crowd. Kirsten Dunst who plays Mary Jane the beautiful young women who Peter Parker was in love with since the third grade. As the stories goes Peter Parker is living with his Uncle Ben and Aunt May. He finds himself wanting to get the girl of his dreams and yet doesn't know how. Parker is at a school field trip and taking pictures for the school paper. He makes a move on Mary by taking a picture of her for the school paper as he is doing so a spider dangles his web down and lands on Peter's hand and bites him. When Peter gets home he is very tired and goes straight to his room and falls asleep. When he wakes up he finds that he has changed and that he doesn't need his glasses anymore and that he has gained "miraculously" muscle tone. As he finds out that these powers are too good to be true we see Parker jumping buildings and climbing buildings. As he see's Mary having a difficult time and he wanting to find a way to her heart he enters a wrestling contest and wins only a little money and not the full amount. As he is exiting the building though he see himself in the middle of a robbery and let's the guy pass because he see's the company as being possesive. When Parker is out starting to go home he finds a crowd with cops and he makes his way through and finds his uncle shot on the ground. He hears from the cops talking to eachother were the suspect is and runs to find him. This is where you see a great chase scene. As he finds his powers and tries to strengthen them there is another evil starting to brew on the other side of New York and that is the character called the Green Goblin. The green goblin is a man who was fired from his jobed and gets really ticked and wants to get even. The green goblin's son is friends with parker and is dating the Mary Jane. Yet as the story starts to unfold Mary Jane starts to fall for Parker when he doesn't even know it. As Parker becomes more known, the Green Goblin tries to unite forces with him and yet SPiderman refuses and the green goblin tries to kill him.
The whole movie is very well done and not over romanced and all the roll playing of the characters was very well done. I would highly recommend this movie to those who have and have yet not read the comic books. This is a movie for everyone.
Rating:
Summary: "A perfect movie for Spider-Man/comic fans!"
Review: I am a comic book fan, and I am also a hardcore fan of Spider-Man, though I don't collect a lot of his merchandise, and I saw this movie and walked out of the theatre feeling like I just had to get this when it came out. Sure enough, I got it on VHS tape about a week after it came out, and it was just as good as the last time. The cast is excellent, and features Willem Dafoe as Norman Osborn and the Green Goblin, James Franco as Harry Osborn, Kirsten Dunst as Mary-Jane Watson, Rosemary Harris as May Parker (Aunt May), and Tobey Maguire as Peter Parker and the amazing Spider-Man. Spidey's costume was done excellently, and the Green Goblin's outfit was really a leap out of the comic books, because originally the Goblin was just a green guy (Norman Osborn in costume) with a purple tanktop and kilt, gloves, and a wizard-like hat. This is much better than the comic. I actually own the graphic novel where Green Goblin is killed. The special effects are okay, they are easy to spot, but can be ignored because this film is so action-packed. And we also see that the supply of webbing for Spider-Man has changed. Instead of buying cartridges of it to put in his gloves, he has organic webbing, which means he can just shoot them out of his bare wrists. ... "Spider-Man" has its share of comedy as well as action and suspense. The music, composed by Danny Elfman, is typical music, the opening music was creative. I would also like to give Columbia/TriStar credit for the main titles at the beginning, that was really creative. Sometimes it was great to have no music when Spidey was swinging around with his webs, like towards the end when the Goblin had him basically beat, gosh, I hope I didn't give anything away. And finally, the script was excellent, and a few parts were basically typical for a superhero, such things like "Bless you, Spider-Man, God bless you" or "We'll meet again, Spider-Man" are featured here. But, there is also stuff that you would not see in comics, such as the part where Uncle Ben is changing a lightbulb and Aunt May says "Good, very good, just don't fall on your [can]". And some of the script was actually pretty clever. In conclusion, I definately recommend "Spider-Man" for anyone who likes comics, and don't worry about knowing anything about Spider-Man before seeing this, because it explains everything. So, DVD, VHS, rent, or theatrical, "Spider-Man" is not the best film ever, but it definitely deserves a spot on my shelf, and should on yours, too.
Rating: 
Summary: Needs more web-slinging action
Review: This movie is a great adaption of the comics. They kept the storyline true, changing it only to make it fit the time restrictions. The acting was good. The only thing I would change is the amount of webslinging action. The bonus features on the DVD's are good, but I don't think many non-fans will watch most of them. I am very much looking forward to watching the sequal now that the mushy love interest and "origins of" plot are finished. Mahalo.
Rating:
Summary: What's all the fuss about?
Review: I missed it when it was at the cinemas, and many people said it was worth seeing. So, we hired the DVD the other night expecting to be dazzled. The film is so 'formula Hollywood' it's not funny! And to top it off, full of digital effects. It's not the worst film to come out this year, but far from the best. The only reason it has done so well is because it's a childrens film. Kirsten Dunst is miscast in this film, by the way.
Rating:
Summary: Superior escapist entertainment
Review: “Spider-Man” is pure entertainment It buzzes along, quickly taking us from one thrilling moment to the next. The movie seems to as much fun to people like myself who’ve never read the Marvel Comics series as it is to ardent comic book fans. On reflection, the film is filled with plot holes and serious lapses in logic. [For example, why does the hero take for granted his sudden new powers? How can a mere mortal slam through a brick wall virtually unscathed?] This criticism is hardly relevant, however, because any great escapist entertainment movie exists in its own world. Anyone who confuses its world with the real one needs a major reality check. Peter Parker [Tobey Macguire] is a quiet, nerdy high school senior. Intensely shy, he can not bring himself to tell Mary Jane [Kirsten Dunst], the girl next door, that he has been in love with her since he was six years old. Taunted and ridiculed by bigger, more athletic boys, Peter is miserable. All this changes when he is bitten by a genetically altered spider at a local science museum. Suddenly he is all muscle. He can scale buildings and weave webs that allow him virtually to fly all over New York City. After an appalling family tragedy, Peter decides to use his powers to fight crime. Real danger comes along in the form of a local tycoon who is himself altered in a science experiment gone wrong. Peter, now AKA Spider-Man, must uses all his powers to fight this evil tyrant. Tobey Macguire was the perfect choice to play Spider-Man. His quiet persona and his decent-but-not-great looks make his transformation exceptionally appealing. There is something about his performance that is quite touching, thus making his character a superhero that people can actually relate to. Kirsten Dunst, one of our greatest young actresses, is perfect as Mary Jane. Willem Dafoe makes a marvelous villain. My advice? Set aside reality. Enjoy the show.
Rating:
Summary: Hilarious, spectacular--the comic book come to life!
Review: This film did a better job bringing Spidey to the big screen than Superman did for the Man of Steel. The reason is that "Superman" took itself pretty seriously. This film doesn't. It is, quite simply, the comic book come to life. As far as I know I read every Spider-Man comic book from its inception until 1968, when I discovered girls. So I speak here with authority. This film **is** the comic book. If you liked the comic book, you'll like the film. If not, you probably won't. I watched the DVD expecting to hate it. Within 10 minutes I was hooked. OK, fine, so the special effects don't look 100% authentic (they're great, just not believable). OK, so the Green Goblin is a little hard to believe. So what? Like they were authentic and realistic in the comic book? Give me a break. This is a great movie for what it is. And unlike so many dreary films these days, this one has an actual storyline, a love interest, a dash of humor, and overall is great fun. The only thing I didn't like about the movie was the ending. Come on, Mary Jane is gorgeous, and Peter seems like a normal guy, excepting that he's Spider-man. So what's the deal? OK, I won't spoil it for you. Great fun. My whole family just got done watching the DVD, and it was a fun evening. My 4 year old son, 10 year old daughter, and their 48 year old dad all loved it. My dear wife never knew that I know all there is to know about Spidey, heh heh. Buy it. You'll like it.
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