Not the start but certainly a help

Rating: 8/10 (20 April 2005)

Working in a movie theater as I used to do you grow to loathe certain movies releases not because you don't like the movie, in some cases you cannot wait to see the movie, the only problem with blockbuster movies (Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings etc) is the increase and business and therefore increase of work, except where I used to work in the only theater that nobody except myself and a select few used to actually do anything! Spiderman was one of such movies that was expected to explode and cause such frustrations how right were we. Especially when in England it was a 12 rated movie meaning nobody under that age could see it (Spiderman was of course the movie that brought around the new 12a certificate which also led to the movie being rerun.) Tobey Maguire is Peter Parker, the school know-it-all who just happens to be in love with his neighbor, Mary-Jane Watson (Kirsten Dunst) the most popular girl in school. Not all is well, because of his brains he is constantly teased by the jocks and nothing can go his way. When his science class goes to a research center one day he is taken aback by the incredible displays of a genetically modified spider, one that has the unique aspects of a whole host of different spiders and as his whole class marvels at the ten blue and red arachnids Peter notices one is missing. Now as the year book photographer he was to take photos of M-J posing by the spiders when the missing eight legged freak (sorry not too keen on spiders after I found two black widows in my pool whilst my 14 month old daughter was in there) webs down from the ceiling and plants a bite on the hand of the soon to be valedictorian. Many changes begin to take place, Peters body becomes more buff and he no longer needs his glasses add to the fact that somehow he's able to know when something is about to hit him and Parker starts to become very confused but also excited by his new found powers. To say his ideas were to fight crime straight away would be well..a lie. His whole reason for the red and blue suit was to win a wrestling match to make money for a car. When the promoter screws him he decides that the robbery that takes place of the promoters money just seconds later is nothing to do with him. Then it all starts to change, Uncle Ben is killed and suddenly Peter wants to take revenge and use his powers for the good of making sure nobody else is in that position again. Add to the fact that his best friends father also suddenly gets powers and goes insane to become the Green goblin (Willem Dafoe) and you get what by most at least is still described as the best super hero movie around right now.
Of course this movie has already spawned a sequel and probably more to follow, not only that but it has helped forge the release of other superhero movies (Dare Devil, Fantastic Four, Superman Returns and Batman Begins) Whether the trend will remain or not you can see Spiderman staying around for a fair while.