Well-done but clichÃ©d and uninteresting

Rating: 5/10 (2 September 2011)

Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) is Spiderman...but it's affecting his personal life. Peter can't hold down a job because he's always out helping people AND he's failing his classes at school AND he can't pay his rent AND he's losing his powers AND his Aunt May (Rosemary Harris) is going to loose her house AND his friend Harry Osborn (James Franco is becoming an alcoholic AND he loves Mary Jane Watson (Kirsten Dunst) but can't let her know cause it would put her in danger etc etc. Then Doctor Octopus (Alfred Molina) shows up with deadly mechanical arms that do his bidding. I realize that the movie has to show the hero overcoming adversity but this just pours on the misery to a ridiculous degree. I started getting the uncomfortable feeling that the screenwriters of this enjoyed making the character suffer. To make matters worse Maguire can't act. He's stone-faced throughout the entire picture so, instead of feeling sorry for him, you don't feel anything. Add to that is the comic book dialogue and plotting which just dumbs down the entire movie. Yes, I'm well aware that this IS based on a comic book but what works as a comic does not translate to movies as well. Also J.K. Simmons as J. Jonah Jameson is not funny or cute--just annoying.
So why am I giving this five stars? To be honest I was never bored. Annoyed yes but not bored. Franco, Dunst, Molina and Harris all give good performances (despite the material). The special effects are superb and the fight between Doc Ock and Spider Man on top of a train is exciting and fun. Without Maguire in the title role this might have been better--but I can never accept him as Peter Parker or Spider Man. A 5 at best.